Views on some guitars

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>Lutherie >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Skai

Posts: 317
Joined: Sep. 12 2004

Views on some guitars

I recently tried out a few guitars at a guitar centre that sells handmade guitars and organises recitals, so I couldn't go wrong trying out the guitars there. The funny thing was, I tried the lowest end SGD$3000+ PdL blanca model and compared it with a SGD$1100 Antonio Aparicio one and PdL's model couldn't even come close to it.

The PdL had new strings but sounded so much like a classical. However, the Antonio Aparicio had laminated backs and sides and rusty strings but it still had this tone that cut through everything. My rasguedos sounded sharp and precise. Picados sounded great too(not excellent though but it's due to my playing).

One difference though, was that the PdL guitar was more playable, maybe due to the newer strings? And also because it was tuned lower lol

What I wuld like to find out is, why do some of you guys love the PdL guitars so much? The name? Or are they really that great? If so, then it's probably my fault and my ears need some fixing.

I had previously tried SGD$600+ flamencos from Manuel Rodriguez, Yamaha, Azahar and Cordoba. Manuel Rodriguez was slightly more expensive but the Yamaha was slightly better than the MR. Cordoba sounded neither like a classical nor flamenco and the Azahar was too classical (and more importantly, costs SGD$700+). None of them sounded impressive but then again, the Antonio Aparicio costs almost twice the price.

Now I've fallen totally in love with the Antonio Aparicio and I'm dying to get it. In fact, if I don't get it soon, the price might just continue rising due to the increasing strength of the Euro.

Now I just need to find a job to get the money..

http://www.tomas-music.com/antonio_aparicio_aa40.htm
http://www.tomas-music.com/lucia_f_blanca.htm

Skai

_____________________________

Try some Enrique Iglesias for some great cante.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 14 2004 3:05:54

Guest

RE: Views on some guitars (in reply to Skai)

Hi Skai

First, I cannot say about prices, because I dont know what a SGD$ is. Sorry for being an ignorant.

Second, The guitars you mention, none, except maybe the PDL, are handmade guitars. They all come from factories.

When I worked in a guitar store here in Granada, Spain, I sould a couple of AA40 . They are based on a classical body and have sycamore laminated back and sides. They are OK Guitars for beginners and low intermediate. They sound flamenco with rasping rasgueados, metallic buzzing and are more or less easy to play.
Problem is that if you wanna get rid of the buzzing, you raise the strings, and the guitar turns out to be very ordinary with very little volume and very little debth of expression. So my advice is that if you can wait, get a bit more money and find yourself a better guitar. It'll be cheaper in the end. Another solution is to buy the Aparicio and use it later on as your swing aroud guitar, and save for a "real" handmade guitar.

Anders

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 14 2004 7:35:46

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Views on some guitars (in reply to Guest)

quote:

First, I cannot say about prices, because I dont know what a SGD$ is

Singapore Dollar - about 2 SGD to 1 EURO I think

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 14 2004 9:03:24

Skai

Posts: 317
Joined: Sep. 12 2004

RE: Views on some guitars (in reply to Skai)

Amazing! Someone knows what 'SGD' stands for

Thanks.

In the case of the PdL guitar, when do people still look up to it so much? I can easily get a classical with more volume and install golpeadors on them. Why not just get another handmade guitar which sounds 'flamenco' instead of having just PdL's name on it? I'm sure there are many others which can sound better and cost as much. But I must mention that the guitar was amzingly smooth when I tried pieces like Capricho Arabe on it lol

As for the Aparicio, there wasn't much buzzing. It's volume and playability cannot be compared to the guitar that costs a fews times more though it's still quite great for the price. From the specs, the Aparicio is undoubtly a factory-made student guitar and at this point in time, I don't even deserve to try out a real hand-made guitar, let alone own it. I want something that'll last me some years before I'm good enough for a hand-made.

Skai

_____________________________

Try some Enrique Iglesias for some great cante.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 16 2004 1:32:51

Guest

RE: Views on some guitars (in reply to Skai)

Skai,

I fully understand what you say. Both about the PDL and the Aparicio. And since you know its limits, go ahead and buy the Aparicio. It'l serve well for a couple of years.

Anders

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 16 2004 7:06:41

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Views on some guitars (in reply to Guest)

Hey Skai. Was the PdL model you tried the top of the line 1a? They also make a PdL model 2a and various student models as well. As far as I know, Vicente Carrillo only makes the 1a's. I had heard that the 2a is decent but the student models weren't that great.

_____________________________

Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 16 2004 12:34:29

Skai

Posts: 317
Joined: Sep. 12 2004

RE: Views on some guitars (in reply to Skai)

Actually I tried the cheapest blanca from PdL. Horrible though I must say playability was good and there was volume without the buzzing. On the whole, rather unimpressive for the price considering I was looking at a 'flamenco' guitar and what I played turned out to be a classical.

Skai

_____________________________

Try some Enrique Iglesias for some great cante.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 17 2004 3:04:09