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a guitar shop in Barcelona
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Ed Sorinas
Posts: 2
Joined: Mar. 29 2012
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 RE: a guitar shop in Barcelona (in reply to mottallica)
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All guitar shops in Barcelona are heavily tourist oriented.
Perhaps Casa Luthier could the only decent one but they deal with classical stuff mainly, I would not spend my money there either.
Beware of this:
- Musical Emporium is a nice old shop (full of cheap instruments), take a look but you'll see what I mean. Buy a cheap uke or a mouth harp, not much else.
- Casa Parramon specializes in violins and so on, they do not make guitars themselves: they buy average middle priced guitars from factories in Valencia and put their stamp on them. By the way, some lower priced guitars from big names in Madrid do the same.
- avoid streets near Las Ramblas like the plague: they deal with electric guitar stuff. They have some classicals or flamenco guitars but they're not very helpful, don't know much about them and in some places you will not be able to try any guitar when they label you as a "tourist". (Unfortunately I know all this too well as I had to work in one of them for several years...).
Go to Granada if you have big bucks, otherwise you can have several middle-prices factory made guitars which fit your budget. Check these brands in you price range:
- Alhambra (they make both classical and flamenco, different prices: the higher the number, the more expensive the guitar) - made in Valencia
- Camps (made in a little factory, some of them are not very conventional: they even have truss rods!) - made in Girona (north of Barcelona)
- Prudencio Sáez (Guisama): nice for the money, cutaway models, good electronics installed in certain modesl if you need them - made in Valencia
- some other brands in Valencia are OK, but not very consistent in their quality: Raimundo, Aparicio... all factory made in Valencia.
- some small manufacturers make "Concert Models" (big bucks, no big deal on most of them) but they have "Studio Models" too: these are nice, decent, not very expensive guitars aimed at beginners. An old guy called "Farré" (Vilanova) is now nearly retired, but maybe you can find some studio model for some 400-500 euros. Don't pay more than this.
Be extremely careful when you play ANY instrument (after asking for their permission, of course:): speak some words in crappy Spanish and they'll treat you better, smile, be aware of buckle marks, nail marks, imaginary paranoid marks that most sellers think they will find in their "precious" polyester finished guitars after you have played them (just because you're a tourist, don't forget this...
In your price range you could get solid top, back and sides, do not expect the highest quality woods though. Finishes will be poly on any of them.
There are some small makers around Barcelona but their guitars are more expensive and they don't deal with Barcelona shops (for a reason...)
If you cannot find anything that makes you fall in love, do not buy just because you're in Spain and all that romantic hype (I'm Spanish, by the way): save a little bit more, contact a maker and buy a handmade instrument... wherever. There are excellent guitarmakers anywhere now, and if you go to Granada you'll find out that many of them are not Spanish anyway. So...
Enjoy football and -if you drink- bad beer at huge prices, Barcelona has nothing else to offer you appart from the sun (which is still for free, as of today) and some crowded dirty beaches. Most people who used to live in Barcelona live on the outskirts, you will mostly find foreigners now ("tourists": the rich ones, who spend their hard-earned money on sub-standard products of any kind; and immigrants from South-America, Eastern Europe and Africa: the ones who work like slaves for those tourists). Welcome to Barcelona.
My advice: go north (next to France, Cadaqués... Dalí used to live there) and enjoy good meals, good beaches, beutiful sights. Or go south, before Valencia (Delta de l'Ebre, great authentic paellas)
Wow, what a rant for my first post!!!
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Date Mar. 29 2012 13:53:35
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Ed Sorinas
Posts: 2
Joined: Mar. 29 2012
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RE: a guitar shop in Barcelona (in reply to mottallica)
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Hi John,
I wanted to say "I would not spend my money there" if I were looking for a flamenco guitar: they just don't have many of them in stock, that's all. I guess this guy wanted to try several middle-priced guitars, Casa Luthier don't specialize in flamenco as far as I know. They have excellent classicals -yours among them- and at least they're nice to people (tourists or non-tourists) so if someone looks for a classical it's a decent place, as I said.
However, even good shops have to sell anything to survive these days, and you notice that when you walk in: they may have beautiful handcrafted instruments but it's quite strange when you noitce they have middle-priced (and lower-priced) stuff on the walls that is not a very good sign, in my opinion: they have cheap steel-string guitars (eastern imported guitars) and I have even seen some banjos (?!), they may sell some of these "instruments" often (otherwise they would not have them), I'm not a snob of any kind -some cheap guitars are great- but this kind of mixture makes this shop a little strange (they used to offer good quality classical guitars only).
So, maybe that's just me but even if I wanted a good professional classical (like yours) I might try several of them there, but I would prefer to contact the maker and order directly from him/her, even if I have to wait. But that's just my option. The sellers at Casa Luthier may be nice but when I once talked to them -I just buy some books and strings from time to time- I asked their opinion about a certain maker and all they had to say was "We don't sell many of his guitars..." with a face that made you wonder why they hade them in stock (or why they said this to potential customers like me).
Anyway, a shop is a business and having a guitar shop nowadays is better than not having any kind of shop, at least good guitarmakers have a showroom to potential customers. Plus, I don't want to say bad things about anyone, I just report what I've found in places around here.
To mottallica: well, you can save some money (shipping cost and taxes, you're right: it's the same as if I buy something from the US) but just beware of what you buy (many cheap guitars are very well-disguised plywood, no solid woods) and let your ears be the guide. Bear in mind: when you change the strings (different brand), you may notice a change; if you live in a different climate (humidity and so on) your guitar will adapt to that; common sense, there's no better guide than that.
(EDIT: By the way, Casa Luthier specializes in classical -not flamenco- because the same owners also have a classical music school next door and on the same street (same logo, you'll notice it): it's aimed at preparing young kids (mostly) for official music exams -very "institutionalized" teaching, old school- and, as we all know, there's no real exam for "duende" and flamenco!!!)
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Date Mar. 30 2012 12:08:43
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rojarosguitar
Posts: 243
Joined: Dec. 8 2010
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RE: a guitar shop in Barcelona (in reply to mottallica)
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This is a late update of the OT through my newest experiences in Barcelona.
I have spent a few days last week in Barcelona and took the chance to see what I can find in terms of guitar shops there.
1. Llobet on Rambla is selling out and liquidating the shop. I have been there before more then 31 years ago and it seems they haven't stood the test of time... If it is not the usual rag shop trick: "total sales, shop liquidation..."
2. Casa Luthier: great museum of classical and flamenco guitars of famous maker. Only to see, no touching or playing. Some very interesting contemporary guitars.
I tried only a few flamencas, one great blanca by John Ray and one also very good blanca by René Baarslag; both guitars were truely remarkable; John Ray very traditional light blanca with the dry percussive sound; the Baarslag sounded almost like a negra...
There was a friendly young staff member who either didn't knew much or thought I'm completely dumb. A little dialogue: "Me: What strings does John Ray put onto his guitars? A: I will ask my boss". Comes back: "There are many different strings, but these are nylon strings..." LOL. The other two of the staff, including the one who was designated as the boss, were totally uninterested to even show a sign of welcome, totally unfriendly, almost inimical ... very strange for a shop...
Anyway, most likely for the greatest selection of guitars this seems to be the best address - though not up to the feel of an international metropolitan city ...
3. Casa Parramon c/Carme 8: 'Specialized' mainly in bowed instruments, but they have also classical and flamenco guitars; I asked there, whether they have a Antonio Mateu guitar (one of the great Barcelona makers) there. Answer: there are thousands of makers, we cant have everything in stock ... LOL. They were defending themselves against an attack that has not been mounted.
After these strange experiences I really lost my interest in seeing further shops in Barcelona. I really enjoyed being there, but had the impression, the salespeople in music shops have some peculiar problem I have never encountered anyplace else in the world. Maybe I have changed so much and became a person that is difficult to be sympathetic with??? 
_____________________________
Music is a big continent with different lascapes and corners. Some of them I do visit frequently, some from time to time and some I know from hearsay only ...
A good musical instrument is one that inspires one to express as free as possible
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