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KMMI77 -> RE: What is the top wood on this guitar? (Jul. 3 2012 10:31:17)
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quote:
My conclusion was pretty simple and one I learned from older guitarist friends in the past.
Plywood tops also season as they get older and at forty two years of age can sound not too bad. Maybe not complex or clear as solid wood, but the sound is there in a meat and potatoes kind of way.
I find old guitars intriguing. I have a friend who is a bit of a wheeler and dealer when it comes to guitars. Although being a guitarist himself, he doesn't really have the funds to deal in expensive guitars. Anyway, he started taking a few chances buying "only old" cheap guitars on ebay. Usually guitars that did not even list if they were ply, laminated or solid timbers. He just took a chance.
The funny thing is that nearly every guitar he picked was good. And some were outstanding. They were the sort of guitars that I'd see on ebay and think, that's going to be a piece of s***. Then my mate would come up to me and say, have a play on this guitar that i bought on ebay for $100. I'd play them and be shocked [:D] I learnt a lot about guitars from him doing that.
My first two guitars when i first started playing were cheap plywood guitars. I couldn't really play back then so i can't remember what they were really like. My dad never had spare money, so he never had an expensive flamenco guitar either.
Like all flamenco students I wanted a nice guitar. Even though i thought that i did, i didn't really know what a good guitar was. In Australia I found an old student conde for $240. After playing it a while, I sold it at a profit and used the money to get a luthier to make me one. It was a very nice guitar. Living in Australia i could only really compare it to other flamenco guitars that friends had or videos and recordings.
When i eventually went to spain, I went to every guitar maker i could find trying out and listening to the guitars. I had money saved up and i was ready to buy. I went from Madrid to Ubeda, to Linares, to Jaen, to Granada down to Malaga, then to Tolox, Rhonda to Cordoba and then Seville. After my first 6 months in Spain i had not yet found one that convinced me to part with the cash. Compared to the luthier made one that i already had, none really jumped out at me and gave me that i must have it feeling. I should have kept that guitar that i had at the time. The guy i sold it to sold it on recently and i had the chance to play it again. It is a great guitar. I didn't have the money to buy it back at the time. I know who has it though. Maybe one day i'll get it back.
Eventually i did buy some more expensive guitars. I made the choice based on how well i could play and what i knew at the time. And picked the guitars that for some reason just spoke to me.
What is interesting is that 10 years later, I now prefer to play my cheap and old guitar with laminated back and sides. It just never lets me down. It's easy to play. It does what i want it to every time without effort. It doesn't sound as pretty as my expensive ones but I love it anyway.
The response is fast and easy. Rasqeuados separate and respond easily at varying speeds of execution, as apposed to many guitars that only really respond well at one. You know that feeling of having to push it to the open sound? And having to play it that way every time?
Trebles that open up into that deep full sound when pushed tend to be slow to respond when played softly with relaxed technique. They may really open up and sing no matter how hard you push, but I notice that this can act as a hinderance requiring my technique to feel more tense. Especially when playing picado. The fast responding guitar does not need to be pushed to get the full sounding note. It says relax. If I get tense and force it, it gives out and tells me to relax again. Touch it lightly and it responds fast. The bases are also great and the guitar is balanced. I feel in control. It may be the best guitar i have owned.
Like you say, the sound is not as complex and clear as my solid timber guitars. But it has an abundance of what is important to me.
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