Benito Huipe guitars

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Benito Huipe guitars - how good?

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Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

Benito Huipe guitars - how good?

Now that I have two weeks of flamenco under my belt with my negra from Marlon Navarro, my OCD is kicking in and I think I should also buy a blanca! There are a couple of brand new Benito Huipe guitars that are described as "concert" flamencos that are for sale and apparently around $6-700 and the seller says they were both made by Benito, Sr. Are these great guitars? Especially for that price? One has pegs the other mechanical tuners. Feedback?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2020 17:31:30

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Hey Blind Dog,

I helped a student of mine get a Benito Huipe guitar. This was about 15 years ago or so. It was a really nice blanca for the price. Sure it had issues, but for 800 to 1000 what do you expect? Huipe, has alcohol issues so there is some okay stuff out there and then there is awful stuff out there. For a starter guitar it was very decent. How old are the ones you're looking at?

Suerte!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2020 16:57:22

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to mt1007)

Brand new! One of them is a blanca with pegs the other has mechanical tuners. Otherwise the same.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2020 17:25:31

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Also, the seller says these guitars (there are 3 of them - two blancas and one negra) were made my Benito Sr. I found some thread on here that said he was retired and not making guitars any longer. Guitars have signed labels inside, that's all I can confirm.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2020 17:57:20

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Of the ones I see on sale right now, I would get this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Benito-Huipe-Flamenca-Blanca-2020-Concierto-Special-Model/324236821523?hash=item4b7e054413:g:co8AAOSwF~9fE1MT

That being said, did he really make it or was it someone in his fam that made it with him and put his sticker on it? I think he is still making guitars just how many I dont know. FYI About 1 or 2 years ago he was renting space out of German Vasquez guitar shop in LA to make his own builds, so I guess he is still building?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2020 18:23:49

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to mt1007)

Thanks - I'm interested to know why you picked that one with the mechanical tuners (maybe that's why) instead of the one with pegs. The one with pegs has an ebony fretboard, the one you picked has rosewood. Or should I just wait and get a Navarro blanca? I just bought the Navarro student negra and love it, I would be perfectly happy to have another Navarro but it would be cool to have something different plus save about $500.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2020 18:50:53

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Of the Benito guitars I saw on ebay for sale, I picked that blanca for its overall visual aesthetics. It looks traditional, so if you ever need to resell this one it would probably be the easiest to resell. At the 600 price mark, I don't think any of the materials are master grade. Or have been cured for a long time. I wouldn't worry much about ebony, etc... I think if anything at all, just make sure it plays well, can't ask for more at this price point. I'd have the guitar setup by a luthier. One that you like how they setup flamenco guitars. German Vasquez sets up guitars for about 150, meaning frets get crowned and smoothed at edges, string action, etc.. So you at least walk away with a instrument that will play the best it can within limits. There are other luthiers that do awesome setups, I'm just using German as a reference though he does setup guitars very good.

Suerte man

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2020 19:38:48

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to mt1007)

Also looks like the nut width is 54mm. I'm already getting used to 52 on my new Navarro after playing steel strings for years. I wonder if that would be very noticeable? When demoing a few guitars at GC, I could tell the difference between a 50 and a 52. What's the point in going wider?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 12:13:29

Ricardo

Posts: 15140
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

quote:

What's the point in going wider?

I believed there is a psychological component where the right hand feels a certain spacing and when the nut forces an extreme taper down in first position, for the left hand, it messes up your coordination. I for one always feel wide nut guitars to have a better balance and geometric feel, fingerboard feels “flatter” somehow. But be aware it’s not only the width it’s also the nut string spacing. My student had a fabulous low end sanchis but it felt cramped. We changed the nut for one with wider spacing, and man it felt like a completely different instrument. You just have to be careful because with the wide space nut, you might accidentally push one of the E strings right off the fingerboard when playing fast.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 15:24:29

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Ricardo)

Here are pictures of the two nut widths of the two blancas available. He told me they were both 54 but clearly the one is a 52. How does that string spacing look on the 54? Looks off center to me but maybe that's just the angle of the photo.

Attachment (2)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 15:52:01

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

String spacing can always be corrected, like I said before you're going to need a setup if you buy either. Question you should really be asking yourself is why he built one with 54mm nut width and another with 52mm nut width. Was it done on purpose or is his work so inconsistent that he can't even get nut width to be the same on builds that were probably done around the same time?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 16:32:27

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to mt1007)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mt1007

Question you should really be asking yourself is why he built one with 54mm nut width and another with 52mm nut width. Was it done on purpose or is his work so inconsistent that he can't even get nut width to be the same on builds that were probably done around the same time?

I noticed by looking at the sold listings on Reverb, he had a number of both 54 and 52 widths sold. I think he's a pretty well regarded (at least I think) lutherie from Paracho, I would be surprised if the nut width was by accident, but then again I don't know much about guitar building. I thought it would be pretty cool to have one with pegs, all solid, blanca, ebony fretboard. I probably wouldn't be looking at it except I could probably get it for $650 all in. Or I could wait and get another Navarro for around $1100.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 17:17:04

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Man sounds like you know what you want. Handle...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 17:47:17

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to mt1007)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mt1007

Man sounds like you know what you want. Handle...

Yeah - I don't have a clue - I think I'm trying to be talked in or out of buying this guitar!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 17:56:19

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

hahahaha You keep coming back with reasons to get a Benito or Navarro so hence my comment. Look man if you really want a new axe, just save up and get a luthier made one. Classified section has plenty of deals. You're talking about spending between 600 to 1k, imagine if you save up until you have 2k. Now you can start looking at classified section and probably get a nice axe that will be miles better than the above mentioned. Peace...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 18:09:33

Mark2

Posts: 1929
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

I'll help talk you out of it.

Two weeks and you want a second guitar? By the time you have 5 years in you'll have 20 guitars. I'd hold my powder and wait until you have a couple years in. Then you know you'll stick with it and by then you may come across a better guitar. There is a vast difference between a 600.00 guitar and 4k one. Ultimately if you keep playing you will want a guitar that gives you the sound and play-ability that you have come to appreciate.

I'm left handed, and for years I was restricted to almost zero choices in electric guitars. Then came the internet and all these left handed guitars became available. I didn't want to spend a fortune on all the guitars I ever wanted so I bought a few copies- a 335 copy, a 175 copy. I never play those guitars. I only play the good ones.

You have a student level guitar-why buy another? Save your money and keep your eyes open is my advice.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 18:16:32

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Hey I looked on reverb and found this deal and in your price range:

https://reverb.com/item/34789919-francisco-fernandez-flamenco-1964-french-polish-incl-shipping

I've tried Francisco Fernandez guitars before, they are legit. This one if anything would need a refret/setup. If you need a new nut and saddle along with fret job, your talking about 500 bucks total. So offer the guy 700 to 800 plus a fret job/saddle etc.. your talking about maybe 1400 to 1500 total for a legit luthier made axe.

I tried the one at Dan Zeffs shop. That one sounded just as good if not better than the Arcangel Fernandez guitar he has for sale. Difference is about 18k. The one at Dans Zeff is about 2500 plus it needs a fret job, golpaedor etc

I have no affiliation with either the guy on reverb.com or Dan Zeff, just looking out for the vatos on foro

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 18:25:23

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Mark2)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark2

I'll help talk you out of it.

Two weeks and you want a second guitar? By the time you have 5 years in you'll have 20 guitars.

You have a student level guitar-why buy another? Save your money and keep your eyes open is my advice.

Yep, actually I already have 7 guitars (4 electrics - three acoustics) and I've been playing for around 30 years. This is just my first foray into nylon string even though I've loved spanish style music for many years. The main reason though is just OCD to be quite honest, I can't seem to buy one of anything! Your advice is good though, I do have a very good student guitar and I should just learn to play it and who knows how my tastes and needs will evolve. I'm just not sure I can resist!! haha!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 19:19:41

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Jul. 28 2020 19:26:59

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 19:25:37

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to mt1007)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mt1007

Hey I looked on reverb and found this deal and in your price range:

https://reverb.com/item/34789919-francisco-fernandez-flamenco-1964-french-polish-incl-shipping

Thanks for finding that, it does look like a nice guitar! I should probably just hold my breath and let the negra I just bought break in a little. I'm enjoying learning from YouTube videos, but this flamenco style is not easy! So far I'm just playing basic rumba chords and trying to learn some right hand technique. It's just that I have a little money from selling a couple of other guitars and I have ZERO discipline to save it! HAHA! If my wife finds out I have it and thinks she's gonna buy some furniture, I'll have to pull the trigger on one within minutes to make that money disappear!!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 19:28:07

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

yo man don't get in trouble with the wife... unless you like the dog house hahahaha

suerte

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2020 19:36:58

JasonM

Posts: 2089
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

Wise advice from Mark. Spend the money on lessons.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 29 2020 0:05:53

Ricardo

Posts: 15140
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Blind Dog)

quote:

Yep, actually I already have 7 guitars (4 electrics - three acoustics) and I've been playing for around 30 years.

And you DON’T have a Conde yet?

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 29 2020 16:11:56

Blind Dog

Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 7 2020

RE: Benito Huipe guitars - how good? (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

And you DON’T have a Conde yet?

Haha! Up until about two months ago, I had absolutely no interest in anything with nylon strings. I've always loved listening to it all, but never thought about playing anything spanish myself. In fact, it's this lock down that motivated me to start playing again after a 10 year hiatus. Pretty sure I'll have a Conde real soon!! First I have to learn to play Am/G/F/E !!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 29 2020 16:56:53