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jalalkun -> RE: How to find and buy a serious Flamenco guitar (Nov. 23 2018 10:19:06)
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Yes, a handmade guitar is a completely different experience. Of course you can go to the Musikmesse Frankfurt, but there are mostly factory made guitars and not so much handmade. Also it's very noisy there so it's a little hard to properly test a guitar.
How I got my handmade guitar actually feels like fate to me...[:D] I was at the Music Store in Cologne and trying out some of the Alhambra flamenco guitars as a guy kept looking my way. And when he started playing flamenco himself I realized why. After a couple of minutes I went over to him and handed him the guitar I was trying out. After that we chatted a little bit and I told him about my beginners classical guitar and how I almost punched my way through the top with my golpes (and how the workshop at the Music Store didn't want to take care of my baby). Then he said he knew a guy who makes and repairs guitars, he'd be quite good. Gave me his number and I called him a couple days later.
So I go to his workshop with my classical and it's just like in Anders' documentary or any other documentary about guitar making in that matter. A guitar being assembled on a solera, power tools, hand tools, woods of all kinds, you name it. He had a look at my guitar and said he would take care of it. After that he showed me a couple of his own guitars and I was just blown away. I have never before, on any other guitar, felt the top oscillate under my hand. These guitars had character, kind of like a soul. They were beautiful and made with so much care and attention. And at that moment I realized that I needed one of these.
I got my guitar back, with the deep scratches filled, a fresh golpeador on top and a lower saddle. I was in love again and my flamenco playing improved a lot after that. I still kept thinking about my own handmade guitar. And so I told him that I wanted one. We sat together, looked through the wood blanks that he had in the shop, talked about designs and sound and everything. It took quite a while, because he wanted to make sure everything sits and fits perfectly. but in January this year I finally got my baby and I'm in love with it, especially after it had opened up (and it probably will open up a lot more).
You don't need to fly out to Spain to get a proper handmade flamenco guitar. A lot of local guitar makers will be able to craft you a wonderful guitar, I'm sure of it. If you're willing to stretch your budget I guarantee it's 100% worth it. It's almost a spiritual experience to befriend a handmade guitar made especially for you [:D]
If you have any questions, feel free.
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