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Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal
Paco's stolen guitar
There's a comment on this video saying this particular guitar was stolen from Paco in Barcelona. Never heard of this story, anyone knows anything about it?
There's a comment on this video saying this particular guitar was stolen from Paco in Barcelona. Never heard of this story, anyone knows anything about it?
In guitar player magazine March 1981, with guitar trio on the cover, each player was asked about their guitar. Paco admitted the guitar he used was only 5 or 6 years old (1974 or 5), but it was not his best guitar. His best was stolen from the car last year (1979 or 80). He did not specify which city this happened. Maybe this person who knows it was in Barcelona is the thief? 😮😃. I believe this guitar was a 1968, but not certain. Need close photo. I know the blanca he used most was a 1968. Here are both guitars, Ramon using the blanca:
And here is the replacement guitar he used after his tour w Mclaughlin and Coryell (when the above guitar was stolen):
He only used this one for two years (Castro Marin solo quiero caminar and San Francisco recordings) and then replaced it with what became his famous Conde discussed most often due to its make overs from 1982 till his death.
Just noticed this by accident, it looks like 12 years later it shows up again. Doesn't this look like the stolen guitar? Could he ever had gotten it back?
Also here. this really is paco's best sounding guitar. it might be the same guitar that he uses with manolo sanlucar! though it sometimes seems to me that on the old recordings the tieblock inlay is plain bone without any decoration.
Just noticed this by accident, it looks like 12 years later it shows up again. Doesn't this look like the stolen guitar? Could he ever had gotten it back?
No... this guitar is a little older and used on Paco’s first album fabulosa. It has a unique tie block and though the rosette looks similar it is actually inverted compared to the other guitar (red outside here, green outside on his favorite).
Also note the extremely dark wood on the neck and head, and the tall 19th fret... both in comparison to his “favorite”. Here again same guitar at 30:22.
At the time Paco started to retire the above guitar for his favorite, he made Ramon use it a lot. Here are both guitars:
Pretty sure older guitar is Indian rosewood and his favorite was Brazilian or some other exotic rosewood.
I presume the main difference is the pulsacion (aka bouncyness/stiffness of the top) as the guitars sound quite similar after all. At least judging from YouTube...). My impression is that the Condes of the sixties (those which I have examined) are quite different from those of the late seventies and beginning of the eighties but I have not infos enough to let me make a general statement..
I presume the main difference is the pulsacion (aka bouncyness/stiffness of the top) as the guitars sound quite similar after all. At least judging from YouTube...). My impression is that the Condes of the sixties (those which I have examined) are quite different from those of the late seventies and beginning of the eighties but I have not infos enough to let me make a general statement..
Well two main things: The older guitar was deeper woody basses and metallic trebles. He also tend to tune it sharp of A 440 (possibly too low tension?) You can hear it well only when tuning with Sanlucar then the audio changes ... possible a different guitar in the recording studio. Also malaguena is fair true audio. Most other examples are playback. He used this also on the two festival flamenco gitano discs ... it’s a very recognizable sound. The favorite of his has a more solid mid range, not as deep sound imo.
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