Flamenco in Hollywood

[Kainarezo]

Hey all - I'm doing shows tonight and tomorrow at the Fake Gallery in Hollywood, CA. After many many years of playing for dancers, I've tried to create a show that features the guitar a little more than the dance, though I do have some amazing dancers. It'll be me, Antonio De Jerez singing, Gerardo Morales and the legendary Joey Heredia on percussion, Walter Molina on guitar, and an astonishingly good bass player - Janek Gwizdala. Briseyda Zarate and Rina Orellana will be dancing.
So if you're anywhere near, come on out. It's a funky little space, but I'm trying to start small as I develop this new show, and your support would be greatly appreciated.
Tix and info are here: www.kainarezo.com/tix.html
Cheers,
Kai Narezo

[Tom Blackshear]

Hey all - I'm doing shows tonight and tomorrow at the Fake Gallery in Hollywood, CA. After many many years of playing for dancers, I've tried to create a show that features the guitar a little more than the dance, though I do have some amazing dancers. It'll be me, Antonio De Jerez singing, Gerardo Morales and the legendary Joey Heredia on percussion, Walter Molina on guitar, and an astonishingly good bass player - Janek Gwizdala. Briseyda Zarate and Rina Orellana will be dancing.
So if you're anywhere near, come on out. It's a funky little space, but I'm trying to start small as I develop this new show, and your support would be greatly appreciated.
Tix and info are here: www.kainarezo.com/tix.html
Cheers,
Kai Narezo

I sure would like to help you on that guitar sound, man. I feel sad that you haven't been able to upgrade. Or perhaps you've already done that. No offense but that sound is not my cup of tea.

[Great Googly Moogly]

I sure would like to help you on that guitar sound, man. I feel sad that you haven't been able to upgrade. Or perhaps you've already done that. No offense but that sound is not my cup of tea.You're talking about in his songs previews? You're listening to the same clips that I am? I can't imagine anyone having a problem with that tone. I couldn't see myself changing one single thing about it.

[83Reyes]

I sure would like to help you on that guitar sound, man. I feel sad that you haven't been able to upgrade. Or perhaps you've already done that. No offense but that sound is not my cup of tea.

You have got to be kidding me. You've outdone yourself with this one, Tom. I've come to expect the narcissism, self-obsession and lack of social awareness that weigh down all of your posts, but this one is completely out of line. To knock an excellent player's tone, with the hidden agenda of pushing your own guitars? You should be ashamed.

[NGiorgio]

Tom,

What do you think of this clip of Kai with his Ramirez?

http://www.guitarsalon.com/product.php?productid=3272

[Pepe Vergara]

... I sure would like to help you on that guitar sound, man. I feel sad that you haven't been able to upgrade. Or perhaps you've already done that. No offense but that sound is not my cup of tea.

Tom: I think you forgot to add the smile emoticon to symbolize your joking around, you can't be serious!

[Tom Blackshear]

You have got to be kidding me. You've outdone yourself with this one, Tom. I've come to expect the narcissism, self-obsession and lack of social awareness that weigh down all of your posts, but this one is completely out of line. To knock an excellent player's tone, with the hidden agenda of pushing your own guitars? You should be ashamed.

The man can play but his guitar is way out of balance with the third and possibly the second string, and if you don't hear it then there is a possibility that you are tone death, or certainly not a builder who can hear sound and where it is unbalanced.

And if he uses hard nails then that could contribute to some of the problem.

The problem I have with lists like this is that someone always wants to be an expert with very little knowledge or true passion for the instrument. I can be kind to people, as I'm always kind, but when I hear a problem with a guitar I try and point it out.

I don't kick people in the backsides for telling tell me the truth, but in your case, with attacking my character and expertise, I would have to put you in the arena of being a slanderer. Everyone here knows that your attitude and comment are way out of line; much like a coward who will have to have other people put in a good word when he is caught in the act, imo.

Now this is the hardest thing I've ever said on any list.

[Tom Blackshear]

Tom: I think you forgot to add the smile emoticon to symbolize your joking around, you can't be serious!

Yes Pepe, I am serious, as I hear where the guitar is not balanced properly. If he plays a Ramirez, then in all humility and respect to Amalia, I have to say that it is not right in its third string, etc.

I'm trained in being able to hear it so I don't say that the player is at fault so much as the guitar has issues :-)

[Tom Blackshear]

Tom,

What do you think of this clip of Kai with his Ramirez?

http://www.guitarsalon.com/product.php?productid=3272

The guitar rattles a lot but this is most likely due to a lower action. The top seems to be a little too loose in its timber to allow for that low of an action.

It rattles more than it produces a good rajo in its timber. It might be better for a player with a very light technique.

BTW, many guitars have a real problem with the G string, so this is not at all out of line with what I hear on the player's website. But it is correctable.

[Tom Blackshear]

You're talking about in his songs previews? You're listening to the same clips that I am? I can't imagine anyone having a problem with that tone. I couldn't see myself changing one single thing about it.

No problem, as this is a little controversial to get the juices flowing. I hope the very best for the player and wish he had a guitar that fit his technique excellently. I like the Santos that he demonstrated on the GSI website, so much so, that I called Dave Tate and offered to build him a copy of that one.

You guys can have your fun, if it pleases you to disagree, but it's really about the deeper things in the sound for me. I hear things that are necessary for certain tonal aspects, that lend the guitar to propio sello.

If you don't hear them, then you are easier to please than this writer.

[Dave Tate]

Everybody settle down. Kai started this thread to announce an upcoming show, not to have his sound criticized. A reply like that is completely unnecessary and unrelated, and frankly, it seems mean-spirited to me. Perhaps there's some background I don't know about.

Either way, let's just get back to the topic of the thread. I doubt Kai appreciates his thread being hijacked, let alone like this.

Thanks,
Dave

[Tom Blackshear]

Everybody settle down. Kai started this thread to announce an upcoming show, not to have his sound criticized. A reply like that is completely unnecessary and unrelated, and frankly, it seems mean-spirited to me. Perhaps there's some background I don't know about.

Either way, let's just get back to the topic of the thread. I doubt Kai appreciates his thread being hijacked, let alone like this.

Thanks,
Dave

Oops! Spoke a little too soon, didn't we. You should give these posts a little time to gel properly before adding a comment. The subject of his post was to invite everyone to his show. It didn't seem to draw much attention or feed back until I made my comment on the guitar he was playing.

Anyone who can see his playing technique knows he would put on a good show, so what's to talk about there? :-)

If I were in his neck of the woods I would certainly attend his show and enjoy the heck out of it. But whose going to say much until after the show; it's then that they will give their opinions.

Now say you are sorry, and I'll be agreeable to build a copy of that Santos for you :-)

[Section10]

Tom, its great to see you build guitars! Unfortunately it sounds like you need some help with building aspects. The pictures i've seen are just horrible, it looks like the backs are about to come apart, id seriously consider switching glue companies. The ones you're using wont last even 3 years before loosening.
By the way, did I mention I have a glue company? Ya, we specialized in glue for guitars that last much longer than anything else you can use.




(bump, then plug)

[NGiorgio]

Tom, its great to see you build guitars! Unfortunately it sounds like you need some help with building aspects. The pictures i've seen are just horrible, it looks like the backs are about to come apart, id seriously consider switching glue companies. The ones you're using wont last even 3 years before loosening.
By the way, did I mention I have a glue company? Ya, we specialized in glue for guitars that last much longer than anything else you can use.




(bump, then plug)

Very, very funny. Thanks for the laugh ... ;-)

[Kainarezo]

Wow - this is fun!

for what it's worth, I love that guitar, and I've owned and played everything there is (this is overstatement, but I've played and owned a LOT of guitars). Never met a Ramirez I really liked til this one.

You guys have no idea how many people want to buy this guitar from me, so maybe the 'flawed' g string gives it some sort of character that is offensive to some, and attractive to others. A good g string is one of the things that really attracts me to a guitar (ask Dave), so perhaps the other five are the flawed ones?

Also, I raised the action a few months back and am very happy with the results.

I'll post some video of the show in which I play both the Ramirez and my Hill Reyes copy (another amazing guitar, by the way), and we can have some more fun.

Cheers,
Kai

[Tom Blackshear]

Tom, its great to see you build guitars! Unfortunately it sounds like you need some help with building aspects. The pictures i've seen are just horrible, it looks like the backs are about to come apart, id seriously consider switching glue companies. The ones you're using wont last even 3 years before loosening.
By the way, did I mention I have a glue company? Ya, we specialized in glue for guitars that last much longer than anything else you can use.

(bump, then plug)

Good, let me know the specs on it and I'll try it. Right now I'm using LMI's white builder's glue that many Spanish builders are using. And any separation you might see is most probably the very thin French polish that has shrunk into the pores along the glue lines; not glue failure.

Any guitar will exhibit this if pure French polish is used very thin. Gernot Wagner's guitars with French polish were settled quite a bit with his French polish time and technique that he used. This was observed last time I did a repair on his guitars. But listen to me a second. If you guys want me to stay off this list, just say so and I'll bet that you can hold a thread all by yourself from then on :-)

Now to the player who started this thread, my apologies to you, Sir. I like your style. And you are a much needed asset to the GSI forum, especially their website where you demonstrate their guitars. It's a real treat to actually hear the different guitars played by a very competent stylist as yourself.

[NGiorgio]

Wow - this is fun!

for what it's worth, I love that guitar, and I've owned and played everything there is (this is overstatement, but I've played and owned a LOT of guitars). Never met a Ramirez I really liked til this one.

Kai,

I'd be willing to give up one of my kidneys for that guitar. Needless to say, I like the sound you get from it as well. :-)

Good luck with your show. I am in Florida. Perhaps you will be performing here sometime in the future.

[83Reyes]

I don't kick people in the backsides for telling tell me the truth, but in your case, with attacking my character and expertise, I would have to put you in the arena of being a slanderer. Everyone here knows that your attitude and comment are way out of line; much like a coward who will have to have other people put in a good word when he is caught in the act, imo.

What? Everyone here knows that I'm out of line? Me? For speaking up about your ridiculous reply to Kai? And who, might I ask, knows this? Anyone care to chime in? Anyone?

Good lord, Tom. You clearly had no right polluting this professional guitarist's listing with your comment, don't you see that? It was irrelevant to the thread, and possibly could now be costing him concert tickets, CD sales, new fans, etc. His reputation and performance are his livelihood, and he posts his events online for a reason. You, badmouthing his sound on his own announcement? If anyone, it is YOU my friend who is verging on slander. You did the right thing by apologizing to him.

You need to start thinking before you post publicly. I know many people who would never consider owning one of your guitars, solely due to your online persona. Your posts over the years have done far more damage to your "character and expertise" than I could possibly do if I cared to.

Lawrence

[Kainarezo]

Well, the upshot is that I now feel kind of warm and fuzzy about those of you who stood up for me (or was it my guitar?).

As for Tom - I've never met a guitar maker (and some of my best and oldest friends are guitar makers) who didn't say something along the lines of 'you should let me make you a guitar that really works for you.' So no hard feelings. On the contrary, I've stepped on some toes by playing the guitars that I play. Luckily, I have some guitars whose sound I like and which are really comfortable for my hands, so what more could I ask for? It's not like I don't know about some other guitar out there that would suit me better. And no one has ever left a show complaining about any of my strings in particular.

Now I'm off to my show.

Cheers,
Kai

[Tom Blackshear]

What? Everyone here knows that I'm out of line? Me? For speaking up about your ridiculous reply to Kai? And who, might I ask, knows this? Anyone care to chime in? Anyone?

Good lord, Tom. You clearly had no right polluting this professional guitarist's listing with your comment, don't you see that? It was irrelevant to the thread, and possibly could now be costing him concert tickets, CD sales, new fans, etc. His reputation and performance are his livelihood, and he posts his events online for a reason. You, badmouthing his sound on his own announcement? If anyone, it is YOU my friend who is verging on slander. You did the right thing by apologizing to him.

You need to start thinking before you post publicly. I know many people who would never consider owning one of your guitars, solely due to your online persona. Your posts over the years have done far more damage to your "character and expertise" than I could possibly do if I cared to. Lawrence

It's not that we have a closed community that requires that everyone be in lock-step with the general norm. If this were true I would never feel compelled to post here. You should know this as many on this list are aware of it. What you should do is take your foot out of your mouth and speak with a more gentle quality about people's character instead of promoting your own hatred about things you know nothing about.

You saw Pepe's retort on my comment and he was perfectly with-in his right to put it like that. You, Sir, have no right to slander another person's name on this list or any other list. In my opinion, it goes without saying that you are acting like scum of the earth to be so callous in calling people names, when a slight rebuff would have done just fine.

I'm through posting to you, for future reference. That is if I can remember not to post to you.

[Tom Blackshear]

Wow - this is fun!

for what it's worth, I love that guitar, and I've owned and played everything there is (this is overstatement, but I've played and owned a LOT of guitars). Never met a Ramirez I really liked til this one.

You guys have no idea how many people want to buy this guitar from me, so maybe the 'flawed' g string gives it some sort of character that is offensive to some, and attractive to others. A good g string is one of the things that really attracts me to a guitar (ask Dave), so perhaps the other five are the flawed ones?

Also, I raised the action a few months back and am very happy with the results.

I'll post some video of the show in which I play both the Ramirez and my Hill Reyes copy (another amazing guitar, by the way), and we can have some more fun.

Cheers,
Kai


All kidding aside, I would love to see a video of your performance this week-end. No doubt there are good Ramirez guitars; I've had a couple in my years of playing flamenco guitar. One was a 1958 flamenco guitar styled after a Sabicas guitar on one of his early albums. I actually sold that guitar to finance my trip to Madrid in 1965; then bought a new guitar from Sr. Martinez, who was managing the Ramirez shop at the time, and then I sold it to pay for the rest of my expenses when I got home. And the Kenny Hill is very nice from what I hear, as he and many other guitar makers world-wide, have used the 2003 Reyes plan that I drew for the Guild of American Luthiers.

Since no one here on the list seems to care about this, I'm thinking about going on an extended vacation. Do I hear a Yeeaaaaaa!?? Actually, I've got work to do. Prosper and be in good health.

[Great Googly Moogly]

Everyone here knows that your attitude and comment are way out of line.I don't believe I've ever seen someone be more wrong in my life. No one here "knows" that 83Reyes' attitude and comment were way out of line. Everyone here "knows" that yours were. Am I not correct in saying this?

[oc chuck]

For what its worth, ( from previous threads ) I suspect Tom is trying to
advance his belief that he has found the secret to a clear g' string.
Maybe he has, but then again I don't know what is going through
head.

Tom, why not record your guitars next to some others so we
can hear for ourselves.

You have been a great asset to our forum, but I think
you attitude creeps in from time to time and turns people off.

ps. Glad to hear you're BUSY....

pps. Kai, Best of luck to you and your show....

[Tony D'Arco]

As far as I'm concerned all the guitars I listened to on Kai's web site sound great. Excellent recordings and an excellent player. I like flamenco but I'm not a real big enthusiast. Anyway, my favorite was the John Ray. -Tony

[Y-2-H]

Hello Mr. Narezo. Just wanna say I heard some of your GSI recordings and i thought you were just amazing. I really hope I catch one of your shows sometime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tom Blackshear]

[QUOTE=oc chuck;115959]For what its worth, ( from previous threads ) I suspect Tom is trying to
advance his belief that he has found the secret to a clear g' string.
Maybe he has, but then again I don't know what is going through
head.

Tom, why not record your guitars next to some others so we
can hear for ourselves.

You have been a great asset to our forum, but I think
you attitude creeps in from time to time and turns people off.

QUOTE]

No, really what I'm doing is spending a little time on my coffee break to stir things up a little :-)

And thanks for the understanding, as I'm not putting down anyone but trying to get you excited about the inner workings of guitars. As you know I'm not offering my guitars much at this time, as my building schedule always stays full with my small out-put. However, I'm still learning things about sound/voicing in guitar construction and I'm always available to share this.

My previous work, which began 34 years ago with the Miguel Rodriguez classical Guitars, is essentially what caused American builders to speak out about their own tuning ideals. It was much needed to raise the bar in American building techniques. And of course my particular fine-tuning is just another way to tune guitar tops; as Micheal Cone once said, this technique, coupled with his electronic tuning technique, takes him there faster.

And I suppose that you might be able to hear the sound with Chaconne Klaverenga's You-Tube performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGlcOi0DVtM

[Pepe Vergara]

Tom: I envy your 50 years of experience making guitars. I bet you have made over 400 hundred guitars. I would like to hear some of them. Since you are also a flamenco player, I am sure you got the flamenco beat down. Is there any other player, in addition to Chaconne, that I can get a hold of? Especially flamenco players. Thanks,

[NGiorgio]

Hey Tom,

Where can we hear a clip of one of your flamenco guitars?

[GlissandoMusic]

Wow... this is the new Ruben style thread.

[Sandra]

I'll post some video of the show in which I play both the Ramirez and my Hill Reyes copy (another amazing guitar, by the way), and we can have some more fun.
Looking forward to the vid, Kai. :)

I don't believe I've ever seen someone be more wrong in my life. No one here "knows" that 83Reyes' attitude and comment were way out of line. Everyone here "knows" that yours were. Am I not correct in saying this?
I'm with you on that.

My previous work, which began 34 years ago with the Miguel Rodriguez classical Guitars, is essentially what caused American builders to speak out about their own tuning ideals. It was much needed to raise the bar in American building techniques.
Wow, ego much? You make it sound like you single-handedly revolutionized guitar building. :rolleyes:

Tom, if you've been building for 50 years, you ain't no kid. Honestly, I know 12-year-olds that act more mature than you have in this thread.

[Tom Blackshear]

Looking forward to the vid, Kai. :)




Wow, ego much? You make it sound like you single-handedly revolutionized guitar building. Honestly, I know 12-year-olds that act more mature than you have in this thread.

If you guys are interested in my information then start a new thread, let's not hijack this one. My reference was to the gentleman player about his third string and it's not my intention to keep it going on this thread.

And yes, nobody was talking about fine-tuning when I started it. I was the first to be pulished back in the late 70's in one of the GAL's booklets on top graduation techniques, that I know of in the intuitive style.

And if someone has information on any other American maker's fine tuning techniques, of this nature, before that, then please, let's hear about it, I'm not proud.

BTW, this is not in reference to electronic style techniques but intuitive techniques by hand. When I first started building there were practically no books available except from the HL Wild store in New York with a book by AP Sharpe.

That was in 1958 when perhaps some of you weren't born yet :-)

[Jubilee Valence]

I sure would like to help you on that guitar sound, man. I feel sad that you haven't been able to upgrade. Or perhaps you've already done that. No offense but that sound is not my cup of tea.

ah-hemm-mmnnn.......lighten up folks, sheeeeeshhh!? It ain't every day that Tom ever offers to give a consultation etc....

Back to Kai Narezo----Congrats big time on the new troupe!!!

"BREAK LEGS!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Kainarezo]

Thanks, man. The shows were a lot of fun, and my 3rd string offended no one (unless they're just being polite and not telling me). I'll post some stuff when I figure out how.

Cheers,
Kai

[at_leo_87]

i'm glad your g string didn't offend anybody. i know mine does when i take it out in public.

[Great Googly Moogly]

If you guys are interested in my information then start a new thread, let's not hijack this one. My reference was to the gentleman player about his third string and it's not my intention to keep it going on this thread.

And yes, nobody was talking about fine-tuning when I started it. I was the first to be pulished back in the late 70's in one of the GAL's booklets on top graduation techniques, that I know of in the intuitive style.

And if someone has information on any other American maker's fine tuning techniques, of this nature, before that, then please, let's hear about it, I'm not proud.

BTW, this is not in reference to electronic style techniques but intuitive techniques by hand. When I first started building there were practically no books available except from the HL Wild store in New York with a book by AP Sharpe.

That was in 1958 when perhaps some of you weren't born yet :-)Hey, thanks for getting us back on track there, Tom!

[thedrizzle]

i'm glad your g string didn't offend anybody. i know mine does when i take it out in public.


lol