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Captain Esteban: Caballeros! I believe you all know each other? Don Diego from San Fernando. Don Francisco from San Jose. Don Fernando from San Diego. Don Jose from San Bernardino. Luis Obispo from Bakersfield.
When I first started playing flamenco (14 months ago) I went to guitar center to try their flamenco guitars. I had a student classical yamaha at the time. I thought the GK studio was the best thing invented since the wheel and almost bought one. Good thing I didn't, because later I got to try (and buy) an Alhambra 3f CW2 and a Burguet 1fb which I consider superior guitars for the same price. My Alhambra 3f (250$ at ebay) is a cutaway with a fishman tuner. I think these guitars (GK Studios, Alhambras CW2s) are supposed to be a little more versatile. You can play rock and/or blues with them and they sound pretty decent. Many people say that the cutaway has no effect on the sound when others say that it does. (there is a thread) I can do some Greek song solos beyond the 12th fret, so I like it. I think the Cordobas look good, are easily playable and are marketed by the Gypsy Kings but I think this is all evidence that they do not have any substance. The alhambras are drier and have better intonation. This is of course my opinion. Hope it helps.
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ORIGINAL: mark74
Yes Cordoba GK Studio
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Captain Esteban: Caballeros! I believe you all know each other? Don Diego from San Fernando. Don Francisco from San Jose. Don Fernando from San Diego. Don Jose from San Bernardino. Luis Obispo from Bakersfield.
I'm a Cordoba dealer, so I can give you my recommendations. Since this is a flamenco forum, I assume you want this for flamenco. If not, let us know. But if so, I would not recommend the GK Studio as a flamenco guitar. It's a cutaway electric that if played un-amplified will not sound very good.
If you want a true flamenco guitar – with the understanding that these are just factory guitars – spend $100 less and get the Cordoba F7. Or better yet – if it's in your budget – go for $200 more and get the Cordoba 45FM, which is a really fine factory guitar for the price.
Another alternative would be the Alhambra 3F. You should also consider a Navarro student model in the same general price range as these. Navarros have been getting excellent reviews, and would be worth looking at.
I always wondered who you were. I really like your opinions. So how does the new Alhambra 8P sound? How come there are no prices on the website?
Thanx D.
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Captain Esteban: Caballeros! I believe you all know each other? Don Diego from San Fernando. Don Francisco from San Jose. Don Fernando from San Diego. Don Jose from San Bernardino. Luis Obispo from Bakersfield.
When you say the "New 8P" I assume you're referring to the 8FP which is a negra. I haven't had a chance to play one yet, but I have played the 7FP, which is one of the better factory flamenco guitars in its price range.
The difference between the 8 and the 7 is – the 7 has laminated rosewood back and sides, and the 8 has solid rosewood back and sides. From photos that Alhambra has sent me it looks like the top of the 8FP is a Conde orange, and it looks great.
TO MARK –
Getting back to what kind of guitar you might be looking for, if it's for other music as well as flamenco, you might want to think about a negra. In broad general terms, other music – classical, pop, folk, etc., sounds better on a flamenco guitar than flamenco on a classical guitar. So a negra works well as an all purpose guitar.
Yeap. I meant the 8FP. It looks really nice indeed.
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Captain Esteban: Caballeros! I believe you all know each other? Don Diego from San Fernando. Don Francisco from San Jose. Don Fernando from San Diego. Don Jose from San Bernardino. Luis Obispo from Bakersfield.
I'm going to see if I can drive up to Chicago and try out a Cordoba F7 at a Guitar Center sometime this week
Prominent Critic is on to something though...I think I'm just partial to Rosewood guitars since I had some background in classical guitar and love the sound of a well built guitar with rosewood back and neck
That's why its tempting to modify the Takamine 132 but Im thinking maybe the neck is too thick to execute rasgueados correctly
There is a difference between a negra and a modified classical guitar. The classical may have the dark back and sides, and a little more bass, but a negra is built as a flamenco guitar – lighter top and bracing, lower action etc.
On another note – no pun – I'm not sure I see where the thickness of the neck has anything to do with executing rasgueados, since the neck involves the left hand, while rasgueados are executed with the right hand. If you mean that somehow for you a thicker neck makes it more difficult to press the strings, or something like that, then that would affect all your playing, not just rasgueados. Maybe you could clarify that.
In any case, I think you would be better off with a negra for all around music.
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