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I´m often asked what a 2A guitar is and what the diference between a 2A and a 1A guitar is.
Literaly 2A means ´segunda´ or second as opposed to 1A which means primera or first/best.
In real life, 2A can mean a lot of things but it always means a cheaper guitar than a 1A guitar. It can be an apprentice guitar with the masters name on or it can be the master himself using some not so high grade wood he has lying around that he wouldnt use for his first grade model. It can be so many things that each case might be different, but in general, 2A guitars, we only make when we dont have enough clients for our top model guitars. Its a way of covering a cheaper market. Reaching clients that for different reasons dont want to pay what our top model costs.
In my own case, I dont buy wood for 2A guitars, but when I build one, I choose the wood that I find to be esthetically lower grade. A good example will be the 2A negra that I´m finishing now. The soundboard is german spruce, Very well quatersawn. Straight, tight grain and absolutely no runout. But it has some brown striping towards the edges. Top quality soundwise. The back and sides are form different sources. The sides are left overs from 2 sets, where I´ve cracked the other part during bending. One of them I´ve had lying around for 6 – 7 years the other is recent. Lookwise they are almost identical, but they are from 2 different trees. Besides that, 2A guitars from me have very simple ornamentation. A simple, but handmade rosette and less purfling on back and sides. Also, the French Polish is done a bit faster with less levelling between the layers.
Other times, my 2A guitars have been test guitars. I remember having made one which I finished with polyester lacquer on the back and sides and another, testing a bracing system
RE: What does a 2A guitar mean? (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
Thanks for this information Anders! Very interesting, how much would you charge for a 2a Blanca? And a different question: Is there any difference between regular tuners and pegheads other than estetic?
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Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: What does a 2A guitar mean? (in reply to koenie17)
quote:
Is there any difference between regular tuners and pegheads other than estetic?
I have both and I prefer the lightness of the pegs on my Anders. They are easy to tune and less mass means a little less sustain, to me. A dryer sound.
RE: What does a 2A guitar mean? (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
Koenie My 2A guitars normally go for 2000,-€
The pegheads feel lighter and more responsive and its more complicated to tune. I have a feeling that the fact that the string is wounded directly onto a wooden peg that sits directly in the headstock, gives a more direct response from the guitar. But we are talking small things here.
RE: What does a 2A guitar mean? (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
If I´m not mistaking the 1A / 2A category was introduced by the Ramirez shop. ( Or it must have been the most popular example.)
While buyers often think that 1A Ramirez got to perform better, the difference - like with Anders´- according to Jose R. I was rather of cosmetic differences with wood grain. -
In how far lesser weight of pegs will do better or worse, depends on a guitars general structure, and on what you expect from it.
With the dampened reaction of a heavier headstock I assume Simon´s estimation to be correct / supporting sustain with instruments that respond well already. Whereas with dull / too stiff ones, I´d expect the opposite effect.
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