RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Full Version)

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RobF -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 0:50:39)

quote:

I mean; if I want a perfectly centered rosette then I’ll buy a factory made Alhambra.

Huh? So, that’s where all the guitars with perfectly aligned rosettes are from!

Seriously though, the flaws I pointed out are not the hallmarks of high-end luthier made guitars. Not saying they don’t exist, but they should be minimized. Another way of looking at it is that, while they may exist as indications of hand craftsmanship, they nevertheless are still errors.

Also, the suggestion that factories churn out flawless guitars while craftsmen don’t is simply incorrect and not backed up by reality. Factories can, however, depending on the management and line, make surprisingly good sounding and playing guitars, there’s no doubt about that.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 1:17:28)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

quote:

I mean; if I want a perfectly centered rosette then I’ll buy a factory made Alhambra.

Huh? So, that’s where all the guitars with perfectly aligned rosettes are from!

Seriously though, the flaws I pointed out are not the hallmarks of high-end luthier made guitars. Not saying they don’t exist, but they should be minimized. Another way of looking at it is that, while they may exist as indications of hand craftsmanship, they nevertheless are still errors.


Well, that’s how you look at it, and that’s totally fine.
I don’t see it that way, to me the guitar looks great.
Besides that; an ‘error’ tells me there were human hands working on the instrument, not some high tech machine.

I sometimes make extra ‘errors’ myself with a hammer on a new instrument, just to get a little relic look ;)




RobF -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 1:43:33)

Group hug behind the port-a-potty at seven!

It’s like the other day I overheard someone saying “Well, you have to respect his decision!” I thought...what??? Since when? Since we started mangling our languages and supplanting reality with individual “truths”? What a crock of whatever. Of course one should respect another’s right to make a decision, but there should be no and indeed there is no obligation to respect the decision, itself.

Your opinions on what makes a good guitar are just that and are only as well informed as you are. You came here asking for advice, and when it was offered by people who almost certainly know more about the craft than you do, you disrespect them and argue until you feel you’ve heard what you wanted to hear.

I’m happy the Condes helped you out. Whatever your decision, I hope it works out for you.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 2:16:29)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

Group hug behind the port-a-potty at seven!

It’s like the other day I overheard someone saying “Well, you have to respect his decision!” I thought...what??? Since when? Since we started mangling our languages and supplanting reality with individual “truths”? What a crock of whatever. Of course one should respect another’s right to make a decision, but there should be no and indeed there is no obligation to respect the decision, itself.

Your opinions on what makes a good guitar are just that and are only as well informed as you are. You came here asking for advice, and when it was offered by people who almost certainly know more about the craft than you do, you disrespect them and argue until you feel you’ve heard what you wanted to hear.

I’m happy the Condes helped you out. Whatever your decision, I hope it works out for you.


Well Rob, first of all there is no disrespect at all, I don’t see it.
It’s a discussion, where we all have our own thoughts.
Maybe you see this as disrespect but that tells something about you, not about me.
You don’t know me, you’re judging me.
I don’t have any problem with you or whoever, I am very happy with all the input.

And ‘People who almost certainly know more about the craft than you do’…?
How can you say that… your first reaction was all about the ‘high end tuners’, that were ‘replaced’.
Well, by now we know that these tuners are just the original ones, there were no high-end tuners and there was also no replacing.
Then I tell you what Felipe Conde tells me about handcrafted instruments, and you argue with that…

And then people have strong thoughts that this is a fake Conde.
Well, it turns out to be that it is not.
So there is a lot of advice here that doesn’t come from experts.
Nothing wrong with that because I ain’t an expert too, but don’t act like you or someone else here knows more than someone you don’t know, that’s hilarious.

Thank you for your last words, I think I will buy the guitar, then I’ll have two Conde’s from two periods.
If I’m not happy with it I will return it, or maybe sell it myself here in Amsterdam.

I really like all the Conde talk and topics, the lovers and the haters.
It’s like a good book and better than an Apple discussion to me.




RobF -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 2:45:25)

quote:

Nothing wrong with that because I ain’t an expert too, but don’t act like you or someone else here knows more than someone you don’t know, that’s hilarious.

That’s OK. And it is hilarious, because Echi and I both do know more about this subject than you do. Sorry. And, while I may have been off about the tuner swap, you should ignore Echi’s concerns at your own peril.

Also, the swapping out of high-end Fusteros is a common practice these days. There is a recent post here of another, same vintage, Conde that I know for sure originally had the higher end Fusteros on it but is now sporting Gotoh tuners. But, you’re right, if the guitar you want was originally made with low-end tuners, then at least you now know.

Finally, I am not a Conde hater, I own a nice one. If you check over past postings you will see I invariably champion them, rather than put them down. But, I have to say the BS to reality ratio grows exponentially when people start talking Conde. I don’t know why, it started out as a joke apparently, but people regularly come on here spouting BS and expecting members, who actually do know their sh*t, to sit back and accept it. But it is misinformation, and I see no reason to countenance it, beyond that not being nice all the time apparently is bad for one’s career. Oh well, lol...




Echi -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 3:16:00)

Look, if you are happy with the guitar, and with the answer of Maria Conde, just go ahead and buy it. Really.
If you ask me, I still think there is something wrong about it and the very fact that the seller has available another guitar from 2002 with the same rosette (both in as new condition) is not convincing me.
I am not even sure Felipe Conde is that expert about the Gravina Conde of the years 2000 as from 1989 he was running a completely different shop.
Anyway I just shared my opinion judging from some internet pictures and based on my experience: as I already admitted there is a chance I may be wrong and have no interest in being as**olish with you.

Good luck.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 3:17:54)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

quote:

Nothing wrong with that because I ain’t an expert too, but don’t act like you or someone else here knows more than someone you don’t know, that’s hilarious.

That’s OK. And it is hilarious, because Echi and I both do know more about this subject than you do. Sorry. And, while I may have been off about the tuner swap, you should ignore Echi’s concerns at your own peril.

Also, the swapping out of high-end Fusteros is a common practice these days. There is a recent post here of another, same vintage, Conde that I know for sure originally had the higher end Fusteros on it but is now sporting Gotoh tuners. But, you’re right, if the guitar you want was originally made with low-end tuners, then at least you now know.

Finally, I am not a Conde hater, I own a nice one. If you check over past postings you will see I invariably champion them, rather than put them down. But, I have to say the BS to reality ratio grows exponentially when people start talking Conde. I don’t know why, it started out as a joke apparently, but people regularly come on here spouting BS and expecting members, who actually do know their sh*t, to sit back and accept it. But it is misinformation, and I see no reason to countenance it, beyond that not being nice all the time apparently is bad for one’s career. Oh well, lol...


All this talk still don’t change my opinion about this.
Maybe you know more about the craft than I do, but I didn’t see it yet.
And that’s also not that important to me, we’re here to give each other our thoughts and experiences, at least I am.

I own an electric guitar store for more than 25 years now, I don’t know you, maybe you know more about electric guitars than I do.
That’s what I mean.




Pontecorvo -> [Deleted] (Jul. 19 2021 3:20:14)

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Jul. 19 2021 3:21:25




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 3:23:13)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Echi

Look, if you are happy with the guitar, and with the answer of Maria Conde, just go ahead and buy it. Really.
If you ask me, I still think there is something wrong about it and the very fact that the seller has available another guitar from 2002 with the same rosette (both in as new condition) is not convincing me.
I am not even sure Felipe Conde is that expert about the Gravina Conde of the years 2000 as from 1989 he was running a completely different shop.
Anyway I just shared my opinion judging from some internet pictures and based on my experience: as I already admitted there is a chance I may be wrong and have no interest in being as**olish with you.

Good luck.


Well, the seller bought this from a collector, who bought both these guitars at the same time (his story).
Maybe he liked these rosettes, or Conde made two for the same shop; a Blanca and a negra.
That COULD be the answer, I once bought four surf green Stratocasters at the same time.

I’m not happy with Maria’s answer, she is not positive about the instrument.
But it’s a Conde, or you still doubt that after both she and Felipe confirmed that?
That’s ‘foolish’ to me.

The seller hasn’t two available with the same rosette… that other one has already been sold long ago and was a Blanca, you’re making your ‘fact’ up now.
He has a 2001 and a 1998 online, both different rosettes.
https://reverb.com/shop/matthiass-shop-33




Piwin -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 3:43:49)

quote:

The guitar is definitely a Conde. Well… made under the Conde name. But ‘factory’ made.


I thought when people talked about "fake Condes" this is exactly what they had in mind. No? They were actually talking about complete counterfeits that have no connection at all to the Conde family?




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 3:51:41)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Piwin

quote:

The guitar is definitely a Conde. Well… made under the Conde name. But ‘factory’ made.


I thought when people talked about "fake Condes" this is exactly what they had in mind. No? They were actually talking about complete counterfeits that have no connection at all to the Conde family?


Factory made by Conde.
But who or what can be called Conde?
And what do you call a factory…
Gravina 2000s?

To me a Conde is a Conde, factory made or handmade.
Even if one is far better than another.

Besides that not every handmade guitar is better than a factory made one.




RobF -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:04:18)

quote:

Echi: Anyway I just shared my opinion judging from some internet pictures and based on my experience: as I already admitted there is a chance I may be wrong and have no interest in being as**olish with you.

I really wish Echi wouldn’t have put the asterisks in that word because now I don’t know what it is, although I have a feeling he might have been hinting that I’ve been acting like one.

quote:

Pontecorvo: I own an electric guitar store for more than 25 years now, I don’t know you, maybe you know more about electric guitars than I do.
That’s what I mean.

I do know what you mean, and I appreciate your point. I don’t consider myself to be an expert on electric guitars, at all, although I currently own ten. My point is, if I went on a Fender forum and asked a question about a Stratocaster, for instance, it would be implicit in my being there doing the asking that I am acknowledging that those answering my question will likely know more about the subject than I do. If I responded with the equivalent of “Well, that’s just your opinion, man.” to the people who were trying to help me then I might find they won’t want to engage for very long. Why should they?

But, if I was coming across like an as**ole, whatever that is, then I apologize. Best I can do is promise I’ll try to stay out of these Conde threads, or the other threads where people join the Foro expecting the members to behave like some kind of free resource and climb all over each other trying to help, sometimes never even receiving a nod for their trouble. Maybe you caught me on a bad day, or maybe I just don’t feel like being helpful any longer. It’s too thankless, what’s the point?




Piwin -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:17:29)

quote:

But who or what can be called Conde?


Well yeah, that's kind of my point. I thought the people who were talking about "fake Condes" were basically talking about guitars sold under a Conde name but made by somebody else working for them. Guess it gets you into kind of weird territory, coz basically you end up saying there's the "approved" counterfeits and the "not-approved" counterfeits?

Anyway, I honestly don't know much about this stuff. 5 years living just one subway ride away from their shop and I still don't care all that much for their guitars lol ^^

Guess I don't really see where you're coming from. Approaching it as a player, I don't find that the answer "factory made by Conde" (and indeed, who knows what that means) gives me any more assurances on the quality of the guitar than "not a Conde". I guess I'd extend the "not every handmade guitar is better than a factory made one" to "not every original is better than a counterfeit". [:D]

From what I gather, we're talking 2.5k range. If it's a good guitar, I'd buy at that price regardless of the label. It wouldn't particularly matter to me who made it. That's within range for a good used guitar. But I'm thinking just in terms of playing, and not about resale value or anything like that.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:17:36)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

quote:

Echi: Anyway I just shared my opinion judging from some internet pictures and based on my experience: as I already admitted there is a chance I may be wrong and have no interest in being as**olish with you.

I really wish Echi wouldn’t have put the asterisks in that word because now I don’t know what it is, although I have a feeling he might have been hinting that I’ve been acting like one.

quote:

Pontecorvo: I own an electric guitar store for more than 25 years now, I don’t know you, maybe you know more about electric guitars than I do.
That’s what I mean.

I do know what you mean, and I appreciate your point. I don’t consider myself to be an expert on electric guitars, at all, although I currently own ten. My point is, if I went on a Fender forum and asked a question about a Stratocaster, for instance, it would be implicit in my being there doing the asking that I am acknowledging that those answering my question will likely know more about the subject than I do. If I responded with the equivalent of “Well, that’s just your opinion, man.” to the people who were trying to help me then I might find they won’t want to engage for very long. Why should they?

But, if I was coming across like an as**ole, whatever that is, then I apologize. Best I can do is promise I’ll try to stay out of these Conde threads, or the other threads where people join the Foro expecting the members to behave like some kind of free resource and climb all over each other trying to help, sometimes never even receiving a nod for their trouble. Maybe you caught me on a bad day, or maybe I just don’t feel like being helpful any longer. It’s too thankless, what’s the point?


Well, I am very happy with all your input, Rob.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:20:11)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Piwin

quote:

But who or what can be called Conde?


Well yeah, that's kind of my point. I thought the people who were talking about "fake Condes" were basically talking about guitars sold under a Conde name but made by somebody else working for them. Guess it gets you into kind of weird territory, coz basically you end up saying there's the "approved" counterfeits and the "not-approved" counterfeits?

Anyway, I honestly don't know much about this stuff. 5 years living just one subway ride away from their shop and I still don't care all that much for their guitars lol ^^

Guess I don't really see where you're coming from. Approaching it as a player, I don't find that the answer "factory made by Conde" (and indeed, who knows what that means) gives me any more assurances on the quality of the guitar than "not a Conde". I guess I'd extend the "not every handmade guitar is better than a factory made one" to "not every original is better than a counterfeit". [:D]

From what I gather, we're talking 2.5k range. If it's a good guitar, I'd buy at that price regardless of the label. It wouldn't particularly matter to me who made it. That's within range for a good used guitar. But I'm thinking just in terms of playing, and not about resale value or anything like that.


Well, what I know for sure is that nowadays lower priced Conde’s (that means even guitars around 6000 euro’s) are made FOR Conde, not by Conde.

To me that’s a Conde, to others not.

And when Leonard Cohen reveals the year of his guitar, and it turns out to be a 2000s, everyone (maybe not Rob, lol) is positive about that period.




RobF -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:21:25)

quote:

Well, I am very happy with all your input, Rob.

Ahh, no worries. The last couple of my sentences there were just me being a cry-baby, I would have removed them but you’d already copied it over...

At any rate, yeah, nothing to get too wound up about, if you get the guitar and like it, then all is good, and if you don’t like it, it can be returned, so still everything is good...and, as Piwin says, under €3K isn’t a bad price.




Piwin -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:24:54)

quote:

Well, what I know for sure is that nowadays lower priced Conde’s (that means even guitars around 6000 euro’s) are made FOR Conde, not by Conde.

To me that’s a Conde, to others not.


And it's orange. [:D]

Anyway, good luck. Hope the guitar turns out to be to your liking.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:28:01)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Piwin

quote:

Well, what I know for sure is that nowadays lower priced Conde’s (that means even guitars around 6000 euro’s) are made FOR Conde, not by Conde.

To me that’s a Conde, to others not.


And it's orange. [:D]

Anyway, good luck. Hope the guitar turns out to be to your liking.


Thanks, and yes it’s orange, and I’m Dutch.
Good combination, our royal family is called ‘Orange’.

But I’m a sucker for those headstocks, I don’t really like that orange that much, I prefer gold/yellow.




Piwin -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 4:34:22)

quote:

it’s orange, and I’m Dutch.


[:D]




Echi -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 8:11:44)

I own a couple of Conde myself, I tried and examined many (and I mean many) and sold some other.
Conde from Calle Gravina till the beginning of the nineties are my favourites, then Calle Felipe V used to make the better ones with a consistent quality production even though you could pick good guitars also from the other Conde shops: I myself found an excellent late Gravina which I repent not to have bought, but in general the guitars of Calle Gravina of the years 2000 are undoubtedly less consistent and a little shabby made.
Having seen many Conde, those 2002 guitars don’t look as the 2002 Conde I tried in the past and some elements are incoherent to my eyes.

Second remark is that there is someone selling on the 2nd hand market false Conde guitars.
These false Condes are not copies of the good old ones (which would be difficult to replicate faithfully) but copies of the more recent Gravina and Atocha, as in those years they used to outsource some of the guitars in Valencia and there is a certain variety in the production.

Till here is what I know for sure.

Now, in this 3D I have suggested to be careful as I suspect that Conde may be not original.
I have no evidences but we already easily found 3 Conde from Calle Gravina of 2002 for sale; all with cheap Chinese tuners.
If this doesn’t ring any bell to you….




gerundino63 -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 8:56:12)

Be carefull thinking reselling is easy. Sold a Conde blanca Felipe V from 2002 for a friend for 2200 euro.
Took me a long time and tried all the selling channels.

Marktplaats will not do it for you.




Echi -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 9:22:35)

If it wasn’t a Conde it would be even harder. BTW next time you sell a Conde make a buzz [:D]
I mean that the market of 2nd hand flamenco guitars one to one is very difficult as people are not informed enough and prefer to buy from dealers: nowadays these internet shops arrive first to buy the good deals you usually find in the tabloids or local newspaper and then resell them for crazy prices.
I was about to buy a lovely Maldonado (on sale for 3 weeks) on a 2nd hand market and I found the same guitar for sale for 3 times her price in one of these shops.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 12:28:35)

I sold a friend’s 2020 FP14NA last month on Marktplaats.
I had it online for about 3 months, so things didn’t went very fast.
The good part is that the guitar was originally bought new for €2400 and the new buyer gave €2500 for it.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 12:32:43)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Echi

I own a couple of Conde myself, I tried and examined many (and I mean many) and sold some other.
Conde from Calle Gravina till the beginning of the nineties are my favourites, then Calle Felipe V used to make the better ones with a consistent quality production even though you could pick good guitars also from the other Conde shops: I myself found an excellent late Gravina which I repent not to have bought, but in general the guitars of Calle Gravina of the years 2000 are undoubtedly less consistent and a little shabby made.
Having seen many Conde, those 2002 guitars don’t look as the 2002 Conde I tried in the past and some elements are incoherent to my eyes.

Second remark is that there is someone selling on the 2nd hand market false Conde guitars.
These false Condes are not copies of the good old ones (which would be difficult to replicate faithfully) but copies of the more recent Gravina and Atocha, as in those years they used to outsource some of the guitars in Valencia and there is a certain variety in the production.

Till here is what I know for sure.

Now, in this 3D I have suggested to be careful as I suspect that Conde may be not original.
I have no evidences but we already easily found 3 Conde from Calle Gravina of 2002 for sale; all with cheap Chinese tuners.
If this doesn’t ring any bell to you….



When you look at that 1998 model (the one with the ‘Paco’ rosette) that he’s currently also selling, how does that one look to you?
https://reverb.com/item/42069246-rarity-conde-hermanos-flamenco-guitar-media-luna-paco-de-lucia-negra-1998




Echi -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 12:47:00)

In this case everything looks more coherent to my eyes.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 12:58:28)

Is that mainly because of the famous rosette?
I don’t see any other difference myself… but again I am really no expert here.




Echi -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 13:51:09)

You see, there are many little details but you need to have the guitar in your hands and take a look inside to say something trustful.




Pontecorvo -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 14:01:56)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Echi

You see, there are many little details but you need to have the guitar in your hands and take a look inside to say something trustful.


Yes, I know.
It’s difficult.

One part of me tells me to buy the guitar and not be too concerned about all kind of thoughts and things going on, take a gamble now and then.
Also because the price is very good.

Other part tells me to be scared and don’t do it, play safe.

I must make this decision myself, thanks for all the input.

I will get back on this forum after I made the decision.




estebanana -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 14:56:56)

quote:

prices back then, I know this because I bought from them and I know what I paid, but the current value today is significantly higher, maybe ten times higher now. It’s funny how as the street value of the last of the hand engraved Fusteros increased they started disappearing off of the guitars in shops, only to be replaced by tuners of lesser value. So, when a dealer says it makes no difference, who cares, they are liars, that’s all.


I concur with Rob on this. Sone tuner sets that came with Spanish line guitars 20 years ago have more second market value now. It’s because lower tier guitars also had Fusteros and people pluck them to put on older guitars when the one Fusteros get too worn out.

Also, this guitar is from 2002? It looks more or less authentic to me- because all that time I saw Conde’s with a lot if variations in details. And this headstock that does not have the grand character and sort of cookie cutter looking, and be seen them. They don’t have the presence of a head on a Faustino made guitar or even the Sobrinos de Esteso line guitars of the 70’s.

If the guitar sounds good play it. If not stop whining and sell it to a sucker.




estebanana -> RE: Is this an authentic Conde? (Jul. 19 2021 15:00:06)

quote:

input.

I will get back on this forum after I made the decision.


No one gives a (f)uck whether you buy it or not. Maybe work on your alzapua and compas or something interesting. Take up the Indonesian nose flute or work at a truck stop, all these things are infinitely more fun than babysitting fence sitting Conde buyers.




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