Cool video! I wonder if that's now the standard bracing style for Mariano. It reminds me of a Torres style bracing but with 5 struts instead of 7. How do you like the guitar?
Echi -> RE: Mariano Conde (Mar. 1 2020 8:14:52)
Bracing of the AF26 is the same of some Hermanos Conde Felipe V of the early 90. In this case the guitar looks to be the entry level Conde and not the A26. Now Mariano uses the media luna headstock also for the studio model made in Madrid.
I am very happy with this guitar, well balanced tone, very flamenco, good volume, plays like a dream, 650 scale, comfortable neck with great intonation.
It is the Pozuelo model, with simpler bindings than his more expensive models and with just purfling on the top, but the woods are beautiful and it sounds wonderful.
And working with both Marianos was a real pleasure. Sending me pictures and keeping in touch via text during the whole process after I ordered it in person at their shop in Madrid and discussing all my options with Mariano. Also talking on the phone and via email with true interest in making me happy. I requested 2 different saddles (high and low) and no problem, the second one was in the case and fits perfectly.
And yes, he is now using the "Media Luna" headstock on all his guitar models because he knows that is what everyone wants when they want to own a Conde guitar. After all he is Mariano Conde Jr.
Now I want a negra cutaway!
Tom Blackshear -> RE: Mariano Conde (Mar. 1 2020 17:31:58)
Congratulations on getting what you want. It's not every day that a guitar is ordered and players get exactly what they envision.
But I agree that it can happen.
I use to give a 7 day approval for my work but now in older age I just make a guitar, and if it turns out right, then I call around to see who wants it.
At this stage of the game, I wonder if building guitars is not too risky to keep going.
But if I can get into the shop and keep practicing my craft, then I enjoy that part of it.
Tom Blackshear -> RE: Mariano Conde (Mar. 2 2020 1:52:27)
Thank you for calling. It was a pleasure hearing from you after all these years. I'm very interested in seeing your new Conde, as well as perhaps some other guitars in your collection; especially the Bellido you think so highly of.
Any other Conde guitars would be interesting to see.
Please call me in two weeks toward the end of my chemo.
I have decided to release all the Lara & Reyes videos, clips, interviews and audio from my personal archives because I know there are many fans out there that will enjoy them, plus what's good about just leaving them in the can!
Hope you are feeling better and I wish we can get together real soon!
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 23 2024 11:14:42)
these social networks "Beefs" are a lame epidemic trend in enumerous sectors.
now the **** hitted the fan on the guitar world horrible for the sector..
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 24 2024 21:10:54)
Mariano installed a camera so you can check Mariano workin ...
****s crazy , kind of ridiculous , he got nothing to proff
these social networks "Beefs" are a lame epidemic trend in enumerous sectors.
now the **** hitted the fan on the guitar world horrible for the sector..
Well that sign hand written on the wall “if you don’t think we build guitars, come WATCH!”, is cringe, tacky…scary IMO. That was the first thing I noticed when I walked in there 10 years ago. Talk about pointing out the obvious by DENYING everything right from the get go, they should really take that down, and if they truly build the main instruments, just freaking build em and ignore the internet. Something fishy about all the drama (where there is smoke there is fire). As soon as I walked in Mariano came out and was sanding the back of a CLOSED BOX WITH NO NECK ATTACHED, the entire time I was there. I was worried he was going to make a hole in the back of that thing. In a display case was a fully built negra, with NO LABLE!! None of that makes sense for people to be doing or having displayed in a workshop where stuff is going on. And he was alone in there, with guitars in various states of completion lying around randomly.
Ask any of our luthiers to check that video he posted to determine if he is really doing anything or just pretending for the camera (especially at 1:44:00, and 1:49:36…is that how to sand a guitar???). I wouldn’t know myself for sure. I just know guitars like that are best in the Solera, and a closed box means dove tail neck join or something non traditional for how those guitars look to be built. Looks like 9 hours of a couple of poor incomplete instruments getting sanded to hell! [:D] But i could be wrong, in which case no disrespect.
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 25 2024 18:33:23)
the issue was that... seems to me that all Condes just ignored rumours and trash talk and things that might not be true became true... bro science all of these years . As they explained, this jordi guy from solera (sellers) wanted to do business and showed his ideas by phone to young Conde (Mariano son) and that was not welcome because hes a trashy mouth and dont stop talkin **** , so they refuse. Seems that Solera wants somekind of monopoly , they also sell wood for example.
So it seems that jordi made this video like a vendetta, and in the Conde video they refute and show proofs that invalidated Jordi bro science. the 24h camera is ridiculous lol, if all Conde do the same and standed for Mariano or Conde familly the thing stoped and no need to 24 camera
Even if was true all the dates (that are not ) and all the other issues , what jordi gains on doing a trash talkin video? does he wanted to show that their Cheap laminated models are vetter than a Conde? you can have this kind of talk with your friends (thats up to you) , making a video to show that you are a Conde especialist that know more Conde history than Conde familliy ? this is insane , and karma will deal with solera...
Echi -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 25 2024 19:03:40)
In the dispute between Mariano and Solera I am with Mariano.
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 25 2024 19:44:41)
theres another issue for all of this , many many people reported that had visited some valencia factories and saw perfect exactly Media Lunas (atocha) ...and others that are suposed from Luthiers or Guitarreros lol , and the glue ons for the inside ,ready to stick on them, and they were shocked like "i enter there and saw this and this and this , madre mia...." some factories without name. Some said that saw at Sanchis factory for example or Raimundo
It seems that Solera unveil the pandoras for the wrong reason.
Other issue how do you spot if they produce for guitarreros or its Replicas/fake Illegal ones?
****y world... everyone wants to take some from you
PS: i know that this happens in other industries , i saw for myself...
Echi -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 26 2024 8:51:22)
It’s a little more complicate than that. Many famous guitar makers in Madrid outsource their guitars or some stages of the job and they see nothing wrong with that. Guitars signed by Gerundino or Arcangel or Bernabe’ or Hernandez y Aguado made no exception.
In the case of Conde you should consider there are different epochs as it’s a brand with almost 100 years of history. Conde made some exceptional flamenco guitars, no jokes. Just count the players. The bad period is from 1989 on , and it refers to the guitar made in Atocha and Gravina. In this case you are basically buying Sanchis. From 1989-2011 you have the Conde Hermanos shop led by Mariano and Felipe in Calle Felipe V: a lot of marketing but good guitars even though different from the historical Conde. From 2012 to today you have the individual shops of Mariano and Felipe. Mariano makes his guitars as much as he used to do in Felipe V. In that shop he was the maker, his brother the manager. Solera Flamenca has been working with Felipe since 2011 and took a position in the war among the brothers.
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 26 2024 10:46:59)
and the Solera strings are made by Royal classics?
Mariano makes his guitars as much as he used to do in Felipe V. In that shop he was the maker, his brother the manager.
Did you watch the video or scan through all the sanding? My question is, although those guitars COULD have, in theory, been assembled by Mariano (the ones he grabs at random from shelf), what is the explanation for sanding the back of a closed box with no neck attached??? I don’t have video of what I saw with my own eyes, but now I wish I did. All evidence is pointing to the OPPOSITE of what you are saying above…at least that I have seen with my own eyes. If sanding guitars in that manner (and in the long video) is the standard process for how conde top models are built, I digress.
Gerundino is better documented: in 1994 he only made 4 guitars, in 1996 3 guitars, was operated in April of that year, retired in June, broke a femur in Octubre and his wife died in November Hospital,2005, died 2006. Obviously there are a lot of Gerundinos made by someone else
It is widely thought that his friend Juan Miguel González, a great luthier, often helped him out.
I was summoned to bear witness to an extreme sanding event. Where and why are we talking about sanding? Context, and conflict update please 🙏
Echi -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 26 2024 13:44:30)
Hi guys, 3 things:
@Ricardo: I have been in Madrid 3 times in the last 3 months and I popped up in the shop of Mariano (and Felipe) many times. I can assure you that the shop is an active shop and 1 or 2 people make guitars there. Mariano actually makes guitars and is a very good luthier himself. Different matter is if all the output of that shop is made there. BTW I don't own a guitar made by him, nor I am a friend of his.
While I was there I popped many times to the shop of Felipe as well, as it is 5 minutes walking from there...
@Morante I met Gerundino in person once; I still own an amazing guitar he made by him in 1986 and sold a couple in the past years. The problems with Gerundino are of 2 kind: health and his commercial relation with Eladio. In fact he had some problems with drinking since his wife died, at the beginning of the eighties and wasn't anymore that reliable; he needed help and his brother Eladio (a wood seller and business man) supported him through a net of luthiers close to him because of his business. The contribution of these luthiers varies depending how good was Gerundino . Gerundino was already collaborating with the father of Miguel Gonzales (Miguel González Abad l “El Cojo”) as with Francisco Cruz Ramos and Antonio Gonzales Orozco . From 92 basically he could do very little. I consider Gerundino truly special.
@Solera replied to Mariano in their website: "For us the most controversial stage is the stage of FELIPE V and we talk about a brutal acoustic irregularity of the instruments and the number of guitars that came out of that store signed by the brothers Felipe and Mariano.
In the video we explain that for us the concept of craftsmanship responds to a person who starts and finishes an instrument by signing as an author of it as in the case of a musician or painter would sign his work. Mariano in his video confirms that in these years he could not supply all the production and received help from other operators and this is a fact that many people do not know, many people who paid very high amounts believing that it was so... and he tells it with total naturalness and as if it had no importance"
I agree with it. In fact this is the same problem of today
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 26 2024 14:14:47)
1- seems a vendetta
2-seems also a way to push other (his) makers and downgrade some , in the process he(solera) can push their cheap laminated ones cause their factory legit (lol...) so purchase for purchase rather one thats cheap...
3- why isnt solera expose all of the makers that outsource to locals or valencia or china , rather trash Conde?
All you have to do is buy a guitar from Jero Perez , Marvi, etc. There are many good luthiers where you could visit and see a guitar being built.
Manitas de Lata -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 26 2024 15:58:13)
yes , my next one is from a small local guitarrero, huelva , por ai .
estoy pensando em Tato Rodriguez ou Manuel Guillena , ou outro semelhante
Tiengo siempre factory como alternativa :) , assim no soy enganado jajaja , como Valeriano por exemplo.
Echi -> RE: Mariano Conde (Feb. 26 2024 15:58:51)
Marvi is very good but his guitars are quite expensive. I like Jeronimo as well. I find I could make better deals in the 2nd hand market though. BTW I am a guitar maker and not rich: I would buy a guitar (selling one of those I own) just if I find something really attractive for me, which usually happens with old Spanish makers. Some old Spanish guitars are unparalleled for my taste.
