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RobJe -> RE: Jose Ramirez vs Jose Ramirez (Mar. 13 2016 10:34:53)
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I wouldn't worry too much about the initials.
In the early 60's - up to 66 or 67 I think, JR had not started using cedar tops so the earlier guitar would be spruce top I guess. In the later 60s and through the 70s cedar tops were used on most guitars.
Most makers didn't make many cedar top flamencos. The notable exceptions were Ramirez and Gerundino Fernandez. Cedar is not used much for flamencos these days.
Cedar certainly gives a slightly different colour to the sound of the guitar. When comparing new guitars back in the 60s and 70s I found that a higher proportion of cedar flamencos had instant appeal. I was always told that I needed to wait for spruce tops to "open up" with time - but I suspected that some never would!
From this period (60s and 70s) I personally prefer the Ramirez cedar top flamencos to his spruce top guitars. I think his spruce guitars of this period lagged behind those of his rivals the Conde brothers. JR half admitted this once in an interview.
I played a 68 Ramirez cedar blanca for about 20 years.
Apart from all these considerations careful comparison by playing overrides everything. I don't know the level of your playing but if you are a beginner it would be good to get the opinion of an experienced player.
Rob
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