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There are 2 kinds of nylon string guitars. One is the classical and the other is the flamenco guitar. The flamencanegra is definitively a flamenco guitar, not classical. negra means the wood of back and sides is made of rosewood instead of cyprus which is typical for flamencas. The cyprus guitars are also called flamenca blanca, just in opposite to the flamencanegra.
Can you "make" a classical guitar into a flamenco negra?
Depends on the intitial set up, but I think it is possible. If it was meant to be a classical, it may never sound like a well made flamenco negra. But if you can lower the bridge so the strings are only above the soundboard, the height of cigarette diameter, than you are getting close. If the action on the fingerboard is too low (buzzing notes REALLY bad), and the bridge is not as low as you need it, then you have to deal with it being more "classical". Not good for right hand strumming techniques. So of course you need a tap plate too, which can affect the sound negatively if it was not designed to have one.
I suspect that Manolo Sanlucar used a Ramirez 1A classical guitar, and lowered the action and put a golpeador on it. Sounds and works fine as flamenco negra. I personally prefer the sound of a Conde negra, but that is my taste. Compare the sounds of these two guitars:
What would I measure to determine if the guitar I am looking to buy is a flamenco negra and not a classical? What would those measurements have to be? The guitar I am looking at was made in 1970. Were flamenco negras made in those years?
If it is a flamenco negra, it will probably have quite a few cigarette burn marks on the varnish, and be beat to h--l above and below the strings near the bridge. It will probably show signs of being left out overnight and not in its case, and perhaps even one of those circle-shaped marks you get when you leave a beer on it overnight.
:)
Ricardo, good call on that video. It does show an amazingly different sound (although much of that is playing style, I'm sure). Damn, I love Manolo Sanlucar. Is he quite short or is Paco kind of tall?
If it is a flamenco negra, it will probably have quite a few cigarette burn marks on the varnish, and be beat to h--l above and below the strings near the bridge. It will probably show signs of being left out overnight and not in its case, and perhaps even one of those circle-shaped marks you get when you leave a beer on it overnigh
According to flamenco historian Norberto Torres, Manuel Cano is said to have been the first player to ask a luthier to make negra guitars, probably in the early 60s. I believe he had very different reasons for wanting such a guitar to Paco - Cano wanted to make flamenco into a more refined and classical art. His philosophy was influenced by his friend Andres Segovia. As a result of this, his flamenco sounds way too "payo" for my own taste - however some consider him an important guitarist.
The impression I get is that Paco wanted a negra for an increased range of tone and timbre. There may have been other reasons - he certainly wasn't aiming for a more "classical" sound IMO.
Get Rito y Geografia. Look at the date the program was recorded, and observe the number of fine players, Gitano and Payo, that were using negras. Melchor de Marchena had a nice one. Did not appear to be a "cutting edge" idea even then. They seem very comfortable with rosewood flamenco guitars. I can't believe Paco was the "first". But still he is on the cover of "Fantasia Flamenca" with one, 1969. The CD I have that has all these artists is dated 1968:
Someone told me Escudero used a Herman Hauser with a tap plate!
Who cares anyway. Blancas will always be more flamenco.
Sorry I meant who cares if Escudero used a Hauser. I mean if he did it long ago, does that constitute being a "flamenco negra"? If so, then the idea of using a rosewood classical guitar for flamenco could possibly pre date any flamenco videos, or records, or even photos. So "who cares" is refering to what does it matter who or when it was started, they were certainly in use since before 1970.
In my opinion, anything with dark back and sides used to play flamenco is a Negra. All the rest is personal taste
Negras have been made for flamenco for MANY years.
The main difference is the neckangle, meaning that the strings should be close to the soundboard. Later you can discuss whether a negra should be thinner or not, have another bracing system.
When I build a negra I make it slimmer, with another bracing system, a thinner fingerboard, a lighter bridge, and a lower pitch in taptone. This compared to a classical guitar.
Negras are often said to sound like classical guitars. what should be said is that they have the same sound of rosewood, because both use (mostly) rosewood. The rest is very different. Different attack and sustain
In my opinion, anything with dark back and sides used to play flamenco is a Negra. All the rest is personal taste
Yep. And after reading your personal way of making, I remembered that (maybe it is my imagination?), but flamenco negras vs classical guitars are often lighter weight overall. I sometimes forget until I pick up someone's classical guitar and am a little taken off guard by how much heavier it is compaired to what I am used to. Again, could be just the negras I personally like.
Ricardo
PS. I remember reading in Jose Ramirez III book the short chapter on flamenco guitars. he said he had his grandfather's "Tablao" model guitar, which he said was popular for pro flamencos to use in dance accomp. gigs. The guitar he had from 1918 was made with maple back and sides, not cypress. But he said rosewood guitars were not popular like light wood of cypress, because flamencos thought playing on "black" guitars was bad luck. But at least we know there were flamenco guitars not made with cypress back then.
I suspect that Manolo Sanlucar used a Ramirez 1A classical guitar, and lowered the action and put a golpeador on it. Sounds and works fine as flamenco negra. I personally prefer the sound of a Conde negra, but that is my taste. Compare the sounds of these two guitars:
Amalia Ramirez told me a while back that Manolo's guitar is in fact their 1a Tradicional model fitted with a flamenco bridge.
Man, I'm getting all excited reading this guitar geek stuff. I love guitars!
I have a sweet Tezanos Perez which is my main squeeze, negra. I was foolish enough to let a big-handed friend play it recently and he put some dents underneath the tapplate with some out-of-control golpes!
I play for gigs, my Cordoba Gipsy Kings model. Thin bodied. Very powerful trebles and of course always plugged in. Ricardo is to blame for this occurrence.
And I met my parents this August and had them bring the guitar I had in high school... a cedar topped classical by someone called Matsuoka. Surprisingly nice guitar, with that rich, bassy, somewhat undisciplined Spanish sound. I have a great variety.
but flamenco negras vs classical guitars are often lighter weight overall.
In General yes, but some classicals are quite light as well, especially made on the Torres/Hauser pattern or Romanillos. Some classical guitars can be very heavy. Imagine one made with Macassar Ebony. It´s like a concrete guitar.
Quote Ricardo "flamencos thought playing on "black" guitars was bad luck"
Watch out Ricardo, maybe the boogeyman will come after you.....
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But at least we know there were flamenco guitars not made with cypress back then.
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