NEED INFO ON GUITAR

[Faya]

HELLO OUT THERE, I HAVE A 1957 A. SOLAR GONZALEZ FLAMENCO GUITAR. DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS GUITAR OR MAKER?

[calum]

I have a Gonzalez too, and I'd also like to know more about it. It's labelled:

A. Solar González, Madrid, 1966

My father bought it for me in 1982 when he was working in Madrid. A quick Google finds an instrument maker:

ANSELMO SOLAR GONZALEZ
CALLE DE LA JABONERÍA, 28921, ALCORCÓN

Alcorcón is a town SW of Madrid.

Anyone else know anything about this maker, please?

[brian richardson]

FFFAAAYYYYAAA!!!!

what's up bro???????? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[Sandra]

HELLO OUT THERE, I HAVE A 1957 A. SOLAR GONZALEZ FLAMENCO GUITAR. DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS GUITAR OR MAKER?No, but you might want to look into buying a new computer keyboard that doesn't have a broken caps lock key. ;)

[Jubilee Valence]

"IT'S GOT WHITE GOLPEADORS AND IT'S OWNED & PLAYED BY THE BADDEST MUTHAH OUT THERE!".....signed, "MONRO' J.V.--XXX 1%"..................... :arrow: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:.....................................aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

[Jubilee Valence]

:wink: :arrow: ....WECOME CALUM!! :arrow: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[calum]

WELCOME CALUM
thanks :)

I don't even know whether it's a classical or flamenco. It occurs to me that I'm not sure I can reliably tell the difference, although I've played it for 20 years. It does have golpeadores, but I don't know if they're original, and that's probably not conclusive anyway...?

What's the most reliable way of telling the difference between classical & flamenco? String/fret gap at 12th?

[MWA]

Usually a flamenco is made of cypress wood instead of rosewood. Also the flamenco bridge has a somewhat lower profile than the classical bridge. Of course the resulting action is much lower. In the 50's most flamenco guitars probably used wood pegs instead of machine tuners. However these characteristics are not carved in stone. It is my understanding that until about the 50's the makers didn't differentiate between classical and flamenco. The tradition is that the flamenco players, being mostly poor Gypsies, tended to opt for the cheaper guitars which tended to be made from cheaper woods like cypress.

[calum]

thanks very much MWA. I can see how that would enable me to tell the difference between two guitars if both were in front of me, but with just one...

Is there an obvious difference in colour between cypress & rosewood? And that's under any stain/varnish applied?

apologies for my woeful ignorance :(

[MWA]

Check this web site for examples of both the flamenco and the classic guitar. However be aware that since the 60's there have been flamenco Negras that are flamenco guitars made with rosewood (the cycle has come full circle.) As far as I know there are no examples of cypress flamencos that have been stained to the point they are not recognizable as cypress. It is my understanding that good cypress is as valued for its blonde color as rosewood is for its darker red to brown hues so there would be no need to stain it.

[calum]

thanks again - the back and sides of mine are a very dark brown, so I imagine that would be rosewood and thus likely a classical?

[Faya]

Yo Bri.....!!! 8) Yo Jubi........!!!! 8)
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Thanks and welcome calum!!! :D Good info!!

Eh Sandra!!!!!!............i originally posted that in 2003 when i first got a computer...........it was one of my first post and i have long since learned how to turn the caps lock OFF!!!!!..............DAAA!!!!!!! :roll: :roll: :mrgreen:

[calum]

Thanks and welcome calum!!! :D Good info!!

thanks Faya; did you ever find out more about your González?

[Jubilee Valence]

....th' "golp's" are a "dead giveaway" Senor!!! Su tiene "la negra"-Si?? What color Golpeadors BTW? Also Pepe cleared up some "bridge" particulars with the statement that flamenco instruments have a "zero" neck relief--that's still a little too technical for me but the "relationship" of the "bridge height" vs the angle of the neck on a flamenco is such that the saddle can be successfully lowered to where the strings may buzz-but won't "fret-out"- i.e. "slammed" all the way down--mine are typically 1.5mm or just under; Faya's is more like 2mm--but he's a Professional and more "heavy handed"---even more than me!!!--On your typical classic--say my Ramirez for example, the neck angle is"different"-(the term "higher or lower" escapes me :oops: )-but is such that with the saddle "removed"(!) and the strings "lying" on the front lip of the bridge proper, the action--as measured at the 12th-bottom of string to top of fret---is "higher"-around 2mm and not further adjusted without surgery to bridge-not smart btw!; odd examples do exist such as the "Sunlight" classic ($99)that I bought, lowered and recorded with...it's "lower" than 1.5mm...but my old blanca is retired and in need of repair and as I anxiously await my custom built '51 MB blanca(pegs?)-I've but no choice but utilize the "sunlight"......oh well!.....cypress or sycamore.....the lighter woods used in traditional flamencos is "blonde" hence the term "blanca; You have a very FINE negra!!!!-Rare and collectable!--"Tim" who occasionally lurks here, can give you a realistic assessment of it's history and value; Although "selling" i.e. "side deals" are frowned upon and not permitted here........'it fer' sale?--Hey!-I'm only askin'!!!--"I" ain't got no $$--EVERYBODY knows that!!! ;) --Jubi

[Jubilee Valence]

Yo Bri.....!!! 8) Yo Jubi........!!!! 8)
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Thanks and welcome calum!!! :D Good info!!

Eh Sandra!!!!!!............i originally posted that in 2003 when i first got a computer...........it was one of my first post and i have long since learned how to turn the caps lock OFF!!!!!..............DAAA!!!!!!! :roll: :roll: :mrgreen:We must be both on!!--ppsstt!! "Sandra"--'that LOUD enough for ya'?--LLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! ;)-Monro' Jubi'san-Moriyama Shinkisei; RRRRRRR-RRUUUU-UUUUUUU-UFFFFFFFFF-FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! p.s. Tim-I got 1st "dibs"--"deposit forthwith!!!.........the gitanos from hell!--on Gonzalez's..........chris'a'mighty!--can you imagine.........?!?!?!....an' Heidi!!! :shock: ...OMG OMG OMG--"XXX"!!!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[calum]

....th' "golp's" are a "dead giveaway" Senor!!! Su tiene "la negra"-Si?? What color Golpeadors BTW?
...
)-but is such that with the saddle "removed"(!) and the strings "lying" on the front lip of the bridge proper, the action--as measured at the 12th-bottom of string to top of fret---is "higher"-around 2mm and not further adjusted without surgery to bridge-not smart btw!;
the one-piece golp is clear, or at least seems to be.
I do wonder, since the action on mine - as is - seems to be almost 4mm, for both Es.
the guitar - which I love - was a present from my Father, so I'll be hanging onto it, I think :)

[Jubilee Valence]

--GOTCHAAA!!!!.....if you do decide to "fiddle" with the action-"save"--"retain in whole"--untouched your original saddle and purchase a new "bone" or "tusq" piece(3-4 dollars max!) or several, to experiment with; This instrument may just indeed be a "classic" with a golpeador--I'm not an expert in that regards-but "ENJOY!" ;)

[MWA]

I'm not so sure the presence golpeadors are a definitive indicator of a flamenco as these may be added afterward. In any event I have heard that Anselmo Solar Gonzalez was a good maker so it appears that what ever configuration you have it is valuable, made more so by the sentimental bonds. One person that may be able to give you information on the maker (other than this web site's owner) would possibly be R. E. Brune (www.rebrune.com). He knows much about Spanish guitar makers and it is very likely he has run across guitars by this maker.

[calum]

thanks much for all the comments - very helpful.

[Jubilee Valence]

"testing" one anna two buckle my shoe.....

[calum]

have you gotten any info yet?
no, nothing further, unfortunately. My friend in Madrid seems to have gone quiet, so will have to ask him again.

[tanolonco]

Whether a guitar is a flamenco or a classical is easy to tell: play it. If sounds jumps out and then dies quickly (i.e., minimum sustain), if the tone is earthy and bright, and if you like what it gives for that style (i.e., flamenco) then you have figured it out. Manolo Sanlucar use to play a Ramirez 1A classical modified to handle flamenco chores.

As to colors: pale yellowish: blanca;
brown: negra;
international harvester safety orange: conde hermanos.

[calum]

thanks much.
international harvester safety orange: conde hermanos.
:)