Need some advice on what to buy.....

[Roberta]

I am planning on buying a new classical guitar soon to replace an old flea market one. I play mostly classical music and really want to get something well made with wonderful sound. I plan on spending around $1000-1300. There are so many choices out there. Can anyone suggest a brand or model number that they feel would be good for me? Nylon strings only.

Thanks

Roberta

[Pepe Vergara]

.......................... really want to get something well made with wonderful sound. I plan on spending around $1000-1300.
Roberta
With very good luck, you will be able to find what you are looking for. The price range does not provide enough room to consider a custom-made or hand-crafted guitar. Sometimes, that amount is enough to pay for good material for one guitar only. However, you could find builders around that could make one for you for that price. I once made one in that range for a dear friend of mine.

[keith]

hey roberta from brookline mass...keith here from boston ma.

the guitar center on comm ave. has a used ramirez 4e that is a steal for the amount you mention. here is the catch--the person who owned it put a dime size ding in the top. the wood is intact and most of the damage is to the lacquer. i have played this guitar and it is struturally intact and has a very nice sound. i suspect with about $100 or so the ding could be cosmetically improved. a new ramirez 4e runs about $3K. check it out if you can. it has been there at least 2 years and i bet you could knock off the $100 if you waved cash in front of them.

if i played classical guitar (i play flamenco) i would have snatched up that puppy a long time ago...it is sweet and the ding looks worse than it is...it just scares folks.

there is guitar store in woooostah (worcester for you non new englanders) called union music. the owner is a classical guitarist and there are a few nice instruments there at a reasonable price. the guitars are in cases as compared to the ones hanging on the wall.

[tap116]

I highly recommend that you contact James at http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/. His web site has lots of sound samples from his inventory. He carries a line of guitars in your budget range built by Arturo Huipe that are reported to be absolute killers for the money. James also offers excellent prices and a great return policy.

[Pepe Vergara]

I highly recommend that you contact James at http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/. His web site has lots of sound samples from his inventory. He carries a line of guitars in your budget range built by Arturo Huipe that are reported to be absolute killers for the money. James also offers excellent prices and a great return policy.
Be careful at Zabaletas. You will find that some of the sound clips are duplicated in several guitars. For example, the Santos, the three I tested, are all the same piece played who knows in what guitar. Nothing against it, it is just that I love the truth in marketing.

[Roberta]

Thanks Keith for the info about Guitar Center. I have been a bit intimidated about going there..........But I will now do that. I had called Mr Music and they recommended The Music Emporium out in Lexington. A bit of a hike for me. Especially since I most likely will need to go a few times to test out etc. Unless I fall in love at first sight...........which coul d happen.

I will look at that Ramirez.

To me $1000 seems like so much money considering my first guitar back in the 70's was a $50 Yamaha and it was a pretty nice sounding instrument. But maybe I'll need to re-visit my price range...........

Anyway...thanks everyone for your advice and help.

[keith]

roberta--i was at guitar center yesterday--the guitar is still there. actually the ding is smaller than the dime i had mentioned. the music emporium has a few classical guitars--they are primarily a dealer in steel strings and banjos--more appropriate for a hootenany. mr. music is....????? i am not quite sure what goes on at that place. i think folks who came to boston to go to college got caught up in a space/time warp and ended up there. you might also want to check out cambridge music in cambridge (mass ave.). a friend of mine teaches there (gregor harvey) and if you need to find a good teacher (he teaches classical and celtic fingerpicking style music and lives in j.p. if travel is an issue) you might want to give them a call. cambridge music often has fairly decent used guitars. they use to have a shop near berklee but that closed.

if you can get past the ding on the ramirez, it is a steal. check out how much g.s.i. is selling a 4e.

but if you want my recommendation for a new guitar, for about $1100, i would recommend the asturias--hands down. i picked up a used one last year at cambridge music and it beats other guitars in the same price range--the trebles and basses are clear and not muddy like many guitars in that price range. g.s.i. sells them and they give you 48 hours for a trial.

[Roberta]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I will check out Cambridge Music. I just knew that there had to be a place closer than Lexington!

There is also a place called Daddy's Junky Music. Do you know anything about them? They are over by Berklee I think. I haven't been to any of these places yet since I am just beginning my quest for the perfect or near perfect guitar.

You have been a really great help. The best so far! I know a few musicians and frankly they haven't been all that helpful....

Indeed at some point lessons will be in order. I am self taught and so I am sure I have way too many bad habits going on. Like the way I don't use my pinky enough..HA!

[keith]

Roberta: Daddy's Junky Music (DJM) is best described as: if you are into electric guitars it might be "cool, daddy" but if you are looking for a good classical guitar, it probably is "junky"--they are geared for more head banging music. DJM is a chain--you may even remember their ads around Christmas time--we don't want socks and gloves, we want guitars.....

Guitar Center, in the Boston area, is probably the most reliable source--and even then it is "iffy.

Give Gregor a call at Cambridge Music for lessons. Presently he is in Florida doing a 6 week gig but should be back next week or the week after. He has a master's in classical guitar and will definitely help you out with that pinkie issue.