Time to Upgrade My Guitar!

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Tomaso

Posts: 3
Joined: Jan. 21 2011

Time to Upgrade My Guitar!

Hi - Although this is my first post, this forum has been a great reference and resource! I was hoping to get some opinions on an upgrade I am thinking about. Currently I have a Cordoba Solista, which is already more guitar than my talent warrants. However, I am looking to move into a guitar with MORE Power/ Projection, and fuller basses.

In trying to keep my spend under 3k, I have been considering the following; Castillo's Flamenco Negra (Palo Escrito/Cedar), Anders Flamenco (Rosewood/Cedar) - which is stretching it financially a bit, or possibly a Navarro Reyes Model.. I appreciate any feedback or additional suggestions.. Cheers!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 21 2011 21:47:03

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to Tomaso)

Under 3k you will find great guitars.. Just take your time and dont take the first one that seems to be ok. IMO blancas have more power than negras.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 21 2011 22:11:31

BarkellWH

Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to Tomaso)

In my opinion, forget the Castillo and Navarro. Go for a Manuel Adalid Viviana, either blanca or negra. I purchased a blanca last year, and for US$2,500 I got a fantastic flamenca. It has a great flamenco sound and tone, and it is made by Manuel Adalid, the chief luthier for the House of Esteve in Spain. The Viviana is his own make. I purchased my Manuel Adalid Viviana from Zavaleta's la Casa de Guitarras, which you can find online. I found the owner, James Greenberg, very gracious and easy to deal with. I strongly recommend the Viviana as probably the best mid-priced flamenco guitar on the market today.

Cheers,

Bill

_____________________________

And the end of the fight is a tombstone white,
With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

--Rudyard Kipling

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 0:16:19

Leendert

Posts: 153
Joined: May 27 2010
From: WI, USA

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to Tomaso)

Check the classifieds section there are a few on sale from Foro members.
Including a beautiful Anders for only 1500!! (Euros I believe)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 4:23:02

sean65

Posts: 414
Joined: Jan. 4 2010
From: London

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to BarkellWH)

quote:

In my opinion, forget the Castillo and Navarro. Go for a Manuel Adalid Viviana, either blanca or negra. I purchased a blanca last year, and for US$2,500 I got a fantastic flamenca.

To dismiss two of Mexico's finest isn't the best advice.

Not sure where you're based, but if you're in Europe you could make your way to a dealer that stocks all of the guitars you're after and the same store even has a few Viviana's so you could make you're own mind up. I'm curious about the Viviana guitars as I've heard a few good reports, but you'd only be spending half your budget.

I'd imagine it would make all the difference if you were able to try all the guitars you're interested in, in the same room.

Keep us posted with what happens as I'm interested in two of the guitars you mentioned.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 5:06:53

gbv1158

Posts: 410
Joined: May 29 2009
From: Italy

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to Tomaso)

Hi Tomaso,
Go for an Anders…. with no doubt!
I have an His Blanca ...... I can tell you : is a concert guitar (basing my opinion on concerto Conde and Ramirez of few friends of mine - I have heard).
About the cost, in my modest opinion, it is much lower than the guitars value ….so far, for few hundred euro less, I would not buy a lower-grade guitar.
what else....the blanca has so impressed me that I have just placed an order for an Anders negra.

good luck,
ciao
Giambattista

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 8:37:37

BarkellWH

Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to sean65)

quote:

To dismiss two of Mexico's finest isn't the best advice.

To dismiss them in a vacuum would not be good advice. In the context of comparing them to a Manuel Adalid Viviana, however, (which I purchased and very much recommend), is another story. Why spend more just because you have more to spend, if you can get an excellent guitar in the lower mid-price range?

Cheers,

Bill

_____________________________

And the end of the fight is a tombstone white,
With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

--Rudyard Kipling

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 13:19:44

sean65

Posts: 414
Joined: Jan. 4 2010
From: London

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to Tomaso)

quote:

Why spend more just because you have more to spend, if you can get an excellent guitar in the lower mid-price range?

Absolutely Bill. But I guess if you've set aside a budget of 3k then it's quite likely you'll spent about 3k.

Is it a Blanca or Negra you have Bill?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 14:33:34

BarkellWH

Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to sean65)

Hi Sean65,

I purchased a blanca. Last year I went to Tucson, Arizona to visit Zavaleta's la Casa de Guitarras personally, as I was looking for a nice blanca, and, as you will note on their website. Zavaleta's carries some nice mid- to higher-end instruments. I went with the idea of spending around US$5,000 and tried out several in that range. But I kept coming back to the Viviana because it sounded great and had a fine set-up. In the end I settled on the Viviana, which cost US$2,500. I know there are a lot of subjective factors that go into a decision like that, but I have been very satisfied with the choice.

Cheers,

Bill

_____________________________

And the end of the fight is a tombstone white,
With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

--Rudyard Kipling

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 15:19:02

Tomaso

Posts: 3
Joined: Jan. 21 2011

RE: Time to Upgrade My Guitar! (in reply to Tomaso)

Thanks guys - I appreciate all the good feedback. I agree, it is tough - making such a personal investment, without being able to play and compare. I'm based in Chicago, and there aren't many options here to test the Spanish waters.. To my knowledge the closest dealer with a wide inventory is in Toronto. The Manuel Adalid sounds like a good value, and definitely worth checking out. I will also keep an eye on the classified section of the forum. My ultimate goal is to find a guitar that I won't feel the need to upgrade.. but I suspect that might not be possible..;)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 22 2011 16:09:23