Fakes!!??

[condebob]

Guys,

I have just seen a very questionable Barbero. The label was like no Barbero I have ever seen, the rosette was rough, and the sound board has very, very wide grain, complete with knot! the frets also looked all wrong (not unusual for an old guitar though).

I was wondering if there are many fakes out there? any experiences?

GSI, do you see many?


cheers


Condebob

[Miguel]

Hi there,

It is indeed sad to say that it is not uncommon to find fakes floating around. There are unfortunately many 'less-than-honest' people who want to make a profit out of one person's name and a second person's desire. On the other hand, we obviously cannot make that determination for the guitar you are referring to without closely inspecting it.

Do keep in mind that wear and tear is expected on used guitars (particularly flamenco guitars). The frets, for example, are not a good parameter to measure by, because they can be easily replaced, and it is not uncommon for collectors and/or performers to re-fret their instruments. As for the grain of the wood, it is hard to say without looking at the instrument: even Torres on a few known instances used pieces of wood that were not as straight-grained as he himself would have desired (this normally happened out of need, when no other wood was available to him).

The best bet would be to take the guitar to a reputable dealer or repair-person close to you. There may be a fee associated with an appraisal, but at least that way you will be more certain as to what the real origin of your guitar is. Do remember that there are also a few bad apples among appraisers, so it is always good to do a little research of your own before going to one.

Hope this helps,
Miguel
GSI

[Dimitri]

Condebob,
You should contact Richard Brune from Evanston, IL.

He's a flamenco luthier and the leading expert on Barberos in the US.

I know which Barbero you are talking about BTW. I, too, share your hesitation, which is why I won't bid on it.
Dimitri

[keith]

when dimitri said he knew the guitar, which means 2 people half way around the world from each other know of that guitar, it means one place. i went to that place. $9000 for the opening bid. for that kind of money, i would demand that puppy be inspected by someone who knows guitars and especially knows barberos.

condebob: if you are interested it that "barberos" maybe you could forward the info/photos to richard brune to get a rough idea. maybe someone else could provide assistance. however, be prepared for a huge spike in the price. the place where that guitar is being "sold" is known for huge spikes in prices just minutes before the deadline. that is part of that ballgame.

if you are looking for a barbero but do not want to shell out huge amounts of money, the next best thing would be to do what dimitri did--go green. :mrgreen:

and if it is a used flamenco you want, give me a hoot. i can having you saying ole faster than a picado run played by paco (i exaggerate on the this, but you get the idea).