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Bernal guitars?
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Pimientito
Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella
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 RE: Bernal guitars? (in reply to mark indigo)
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I have a long connection with the Bernal workshop. I bought my first Bernal way back in about 2000 and at that time the prices were in Spanish pesetas. I needed a decent guitar that was not expensive so friend of mine showed me a Bernal Guitar which I bought off him for about 100,000 pesetas (about 400 euros).
I was so amazed that the guitar sounded so good for so little money that I went to Algodonales and met Valeriano and his family. When I got to the workshop I found I had paid too much for the guitar which was selling at 80,000 pesetas. At the end of the day I was so convinced by his workshop that I did a deal to buy his entire output of guitars for a whole year. This was the begining of my guitar selling job in Spain. I dont remember how many instuments I have sold but even to this day there is noone in Spain who can match my price on a Bernal.
During that year I took 5 models and renamed them. Previously they were called the 80C or 80F which meant 80,000 peseta classical or 80,000 peseta flamenco and 100F, 160 F etc. This was not very good for me as everyone could see the prices from the models so I called them the amigo, the prodigio, the sueño, the gitano and the meastro. I even had my own special labels put in the guitars. If you see "fabricado por Jingle y Marcos" inside one then you know they came from me. The names of the Bernal guitar models are still to this day from my involvement with the workshop.
The Bernal workshop make handmade guitars and all of them exept for the very cheapest student models which come from valencia are made on the premesis.
The only part of the guitar that I am aware of that is not made on the premesis are the rosettes. Whereas most makers are individuals who devote their time to making 1 or 2 instruments at a time, the Bernal workshop is a family business where all the members are guitar makers. They have a kind of production sysem that can produce about a dozen guitars every 3 weeks with a total output of about 220 instruments per year. During August it is too hot to produce instruments but they make bridges and bindings and do repairs in summer.
Valeriano Bernal is an unusually methodical Andalucian and before he was a guitar maker he was an engineer in the Navy. He studied acoustics and applied the 2 disciplines to instrument making. The guitar necks on even the cheaper models have 2 carbon fibre rods running under the finger board. This allows sound to eminate from the fingerboard itself and guarantees the neck will not warp. The fingerboards are the most accurate in my opinion of a production guitar and every single one is identical but I'm not going to reveal that secret. The finish is hand laquer so each instrument is a slightly different colour. Valeriano has a huge personal stock of very well seasoned wood including a source of Brazilian rosewood that will guarantee the workshop still continues making palo santo models for many years to come.
The instruments are exceptional value for money. Because of the output, it means the prices are less than half what you would expect to pay for the same sounding instrument by an individual luthier. They have been overpriced by many dealers on the net. My advice is to either come and buy directly in Spain or contact me for more information.
The Bernal Family
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date May 2 2009 4:46:22
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mark indigo
Posts: 3625
Joined: Dec. 5 2007
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RE: Bernal guitars? (in reply to Pimientito)
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quote:
I have a long connection with the Bernal workshop
i knew it was a good idea to ask this on here, and that someone would know some about Bernal.... glad i asked, thanks pimiento, that's all really interesting info 
quote:
Ramon is a very decent, straight guy
i didn't doubt that Ramon is honest.... i just wanted more info/
opinions on the guitars
quote:
a good student model
i've been playing what i think is a reasonably good "student" guitar for about 12 years now, and really want an upgrade. i've picked up a fair bit of playing experience, learnt some solo stuff, done a fair bit of dance accompaniment, and done shedloads of work on my technique, and i want a guitar that i can really move on with, something better sounding, maybe easier to play etc., something really quality that will last me the next decade or so at least.... unfortunately i don't have much of a budget at the moment, so i guess i need to work on that first! 
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date May 2 2009 14:07:14
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Anders Eliasson
Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006
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RE: Bernal guitars? (in reply to mark indigo)
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When I use the word soft on a guitar, I talk about pulsation. The stiffness and elasticity of the instrument. Its not something good or bad. Its personal, but most of us want a slightly higher pulsation with the years.
You cannot compensate pulsation with different string tensions. A low pulsation guitar is a low pulsation guitar and with higher tension strings it often feels even more elastic. (this is logical to me)
I personally dont like hard guitars or high pulsation guitars and VERY few players do. I like a guitar where you can relax and play close to the bridge. But it needs to have some tension and not be to elastic.
I´ve played, I dont know, 15 - 20 Bernals from the cheapest to the Duende model (5000,-€) None of them were bad guitars all had good setups. They were all a bit on the soft or elastic side but not to soft. Some of them a bit quiet, but in general very flamenco sounding. The consistancy of the output is more or less ok (I said, no bad one) Funny enough, the two I liked the most were the cheapest (simons) and the most expensive.
I compare Bernals to the similar priced Sanchis which are made more or less the same way. I cannot say which I prefer. I think that tonal wise I prefer the Bernals and pulsation wise, I prefer the Sanchis. As with most other players, over the years I put more and more emphasis in pulsation and feel than I do in sound. A good guitar is a guitar that makes ME sound well when I play it and that keeps inspiring and provoking me to work a little harder.
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Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date May 7 2009 1:16:05
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