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El Craic -> RE: Foro Flamenco in Jerez 2004 - photos and video clips (Mar. 24 2004 20:45:47)
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Hi! Okay i am making this as short as i can. Sorry! [:)]
I had been borrowing a student Manuel Reyes for a couple of years from a friend from Belfast and I wanted an upgrade and to give him his guitar back with thanks. I have tried as many guitars as I have had the opportunity to over the last year when out of Ireland, to get an idea of options and what my preferences were. My problem was that the mate who lent me the student thing also has a Gerundino which I sort of fell in love with, making it difficult to find anything pleasing, and so Sean amusingly told me I was 'spoilt'. [:D]
I tried several others in Jerez before going to Rafa's in Cadiz, from some cheaper student models from some luthiers in Malaga (who i'd never heard of), more Bernals to some pricey Conde's that my teacher this year, Fernando Moreno had bought for his son. Which actually weren't my cup of tea either, which worried me at the time.
Then Jonathan invited Simon and myself to look at one he built himself alongside Rafael Lopez. Funny I knew in the moment I sat it in my lap that I was about to be hankering after something I couldn't have again! Personal again, but I liked the balance of the weight and the sound clarity and projection. Simon wanted a go and it took him a while to get it off me.
So off to Rafa's. The neck is quite wide across the fingerboard at the nut if that makes sense and the dimensions feel consistent all the way up. It's a shape I feel comfortable with because my hands are on the gangly side. I think Rafa's neck is slightly deeper from fingerboard through to back of neck than J's version (but J's not selling) and rafa had old strings on, so with a strong will to buy but a need to make the right decision, and us being three Librans who have to weigh every pro and con (although Simon said being a Libran he doesn't believe that rubbish), we left Rafa changing strings and went for lunch and to play some others for comparison. Before lunch I was sold on clarity for accompaniment, volume and feel. I wanted to sit opposite me to hear what happened switching techniques and palos. After lunch when I went back I knew that this was an opportunity that I would bitterly regret not taking. To have something so versatile, that sounds sweet when you gently stroke your thumb across the strings, to falsetas on the trebles, to clarity of the notes during loud rasgueo like in the bulerias or the tangos - and all for less than 2000 euros y un beso was more than I had hoped for. For the technical build side of things I had the boys for advice. For me, I have been learning what I can for three years, it is a guitar I can be happy with and know that I will grow into it too. Can't wait!
He had two guitars of this range when I went in - this blanca and a negra also, which Simon really liked. But I wanted a blanca.
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