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Buying first flamenco guitar (~$800-1000)
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etta
Posts: 337
Joined: Jan. 20 2010
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 RE: Buying first flamenco guitar (~$... (in reply to soclydeza85)
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Good advice about the Yamaha flamenco; I have a great Yamaha CG1712F, but they are not all the same (new models as well). If you can go to several dealers, or big box stores and play several of the Yamahas, you will see that some are better than the others. I added a bone saddle and ported mine on the upper treble bout, 1 1/2"port, and it really sounds great. I have some fine luthier guitars but the Yamaha is a go to guitar for porch playing, camping, sofa doodling, etc. The advice about "$1000" guitars is right; you won't gain much even with a new $1500-2000 guitar; a good used upper end guitar might do better if you find one. To start, and to have as an extra guitar later, the Yamaha can't be beat.
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Date May 20 2017 15:37:58
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ric
Posts: 84
Joined: Dec. 27 2010
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RE: Buying first flamenco guitar (~$... (in reply to soclydeza85)
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I was in your boat a number of years back when i was using my sister's Aria classical and decided to move up. Got an Esteve GR07 and really liked it, then over time decided I wanted more. Traded a person (briefly) for an Esteve flamenco and it sounded worse than the classical! Bought a Montalvo with pegs from Ebay (used $500)and loved it, over time wanted more and bought my current Ethan Deutsch ($1600 ebay used) my first luthier guitar, then wanted an opposite sound and bought a beat up ($600 ebay used) (sorry can't think of the luthier's name) that had many cracks. Took it to my local luthier and they wanted $600 to repair, so I did it myself via youtube.
My thoughts are with hindsight: Esteve (meh) Montalvo, much better but not as good as a luthier made, although good for a first guitar. Love the Deutsch, and the other luthier made though not as much. If guitars are scarce and you are willing to take a chance, I would buy on Ebay or Craigslist with the idea that buying used you hopefully can resell without too much of a loss. Do your research on the luthiers and you may get lucky, and any guitar will be better than what you have now. It's a risk, and reselling a guitar can be iffy. When you bid, just figure the most you would want to pay for the guitar, place your bid and walk away. If it gets outbid, there are other guitars out there! Good luck!
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Date May 21 2017 15:40:21
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soclydeza85
Posts: 60
Joined: Feb. 27 2017
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RE: Buying first flamenco guitar (~$... (in reply to soclydeza85)
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Figured I'd give an update: I decided to drive up to Staten Island and pick up the used Yamaha flamenco for 285. I forgot that I had gotten my Ibanez nylon string with standard string spacing (by that I mean the strings are quite a bit closer together than flamencos/classicals, closer to regular non-nylon guitars), but I found that some of the techniques I was having trouble getting just-right felt more natural on the Yamaha with standard flamenco spacing. All-in-all, I'm digging this guitar, it's got that punchy, thin (I don't mean that in a bad way) flamenco sound which is great.
I had actually contacted a guy on Craigslist who was selling an Ignacio Razo F-1E for 675, which, from doing some online research, seemed like a great deal for a legit flamenco student guitar from a known Spanish luthier. We went back and forth for a while and I thought the deal was sealed, I just asked him to send me a quick video/sound clip of him playing it so I knew it was what I was looking for (I didn't want to drive all the way out to him to blow 700 on a dud guitar). He kept saying he was gonna send it but kept putting it off (seemed kind of suspicious) since Saturday. Come this morning, I said "screw it", decided to get the Yamaha and spend some of the extra money on learning materials. He still hasn't sent me any kind of follow up text, not sure what his deal was...
Anyways, thanks for all the advice, everybody! I still plan on getting a legit Spanish-made guitar in the future, after I increase my skills and bank account a bit, but for now I'm happy with that I have.
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Date May 24 2017 2:15:49
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estebanana
Posts: 9282
Joined: Oct. 16 2009
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RE: Buying first flamenco guitar (~$... (in reply to soclydeza85)
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That's me hiding behind the creepy screen name. I try to stay out of these kinds of talks unless they involve a guitar repair question.
I'll say personally I like the Yamaha entry level Flamenco guitar. They are set up well and feel more or less like a flamenco guitar.
The Navarro and montalvo guitars are both good. Recent montalvo guitars are built by a family trained by Abel Garcia, they are good makers. A friend of mine in the US deals Navarro, and another old friend deals Motalvo. Both places you can find a very nice guitar. Montalvo's can get you quite far, but best to play a whole room full. Same with Navarro, but I think if you mail order either you get some decision time.
There is other stuff out there if you luck into it. Aria plywood back and sides with solid cedar tops are really excellent, from the 1980,s . Japanese solid top guitars I'm general are worth a string to see how they sound. See them at estate and garage sales. Take the saddle down and stick on a tap plate.
Used solid top Japanese guitars from the 70 to 90 s are the Flamenco cheap convert sleepers today. Look for them and you can get surprise good guitar.
But I think we what you hear about Yamaha being the best choice untill you get to the 2.5 k zone is correct. Perhaps the Navarro could be the exception, but I personally would outgrow the Navarro fast if I had had one when I began. I feel they are a bit soft.
A trip to Spain, go to a factory on recommendation of morante and play as many as they have, often a super factory can be had. Of course relative to price.
If you feel really crazy get a PayPal credit card and buy a guitar from a foro Luthier, we all love to spoil regular foro members.
_____________________________
https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com
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Date May 24 2017 8:14:35
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estebanana
Posts: 9282
Joined: Oct. 16 2009
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RE: Buying first flamenco guitar (~$... (in reply to soclydeza85)
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quote:
Oh man, that would be awesome! I looked over your website, those are some beautiful guitars and they sound amazing too, would be worth the investment in the future for sure. You are one hell of a flamenco player too, how long have you been playing if you don't mind me asking?
I started taking flamenco lessons in 1997. Of all the makers who play I'm not the best, probably the least best. If I had not begun making guitars in 1998 I probably would have become a formidable player, but you pick your battles in life and I picked making over playing.
Jorge, Andy, Ethan are makers too, all play much better than I do.
The secret to getting a leg up in playing well is to get in early with a good teacher. And play a metronome regularly. You have to focus on compas everyday and let it enter your nervous system like breathing. And as a guitar maker, I like to say, don't try to force a sound out of a guitar, be natural and not pushy. Guitars really release energy, you find out how by having a sensitive but firm dialog with the instrument. Listen to it.
Even bad or not so stellar student guitars will release energy great guitarists can draw out sound from not great guitars because they have skill not brute force. It's hard to explain, but something to be interested in. So even if you don't have a great guitar yet you can aim at great playing.
_____________________________
https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com
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Date May 24 2017 23:20:10
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. In the mean time post some vids and get some feedback! 
