Loriente guitars

[frank]

Well, I think I have read every thread concerning Loriente guitars plus a review from Acoustic guitar magazine that tried a low end model and I've looked at another forum. It seems there is alot of opinions and discussions but I've yet to hear anyone say that they have sat down and played one. Is there anyone out there that has and can give me their honest opinion of this instrument barring what label it has or who didn't make it??? I just want to know how it played, felt, sounded, etc. Thanks

[M. Stephenson]

I played a Carmen - the flamenco model - and I very much liked the way it played. I played several other flamencos in this price range and thought the Carmen was the best. The sales associate thought that it played the best, but he liked the sound of another flamenco better (I forgot the brand).

It was a very pretty guitar and it had a good smell (most good flamenco guitars I have played have a good smell, but some do not - this is important to me). It was kept behind glass and needed a sales associate present to play it. It was only in the music store a few weeks before it was sold.

I almost bought it, but as fate would have it I bought a hand made flamenco that the luthier sent to my instructor out-of-the-blue (he had not asked for or expected it). Talk about timing.

[deAlmeida]

I almost bought it, but as fate would have it I bought a hand made flamenco that the luthier sent to my instructor out-of-the-blue (he had not asked for or expected it). Talk about timing.

which luthier would that be?

[M. Stephenson]

Luis Sevillano - my instructor has a very good relationship with him and they talk on the phone frequently. It is the guitar pictured as my Avater.

I wish that I could have bought both the Sevillano and the Loriente Carmen.

[frank]

Thanks for the feedback regarding the Carmen thats the most I have found out about these guitars.

[itsdono]

Frank,

I just purchased the Loriente Isabel Cedar - I'm expecting to get it next week. I've had a Bernabe 5P spruce, so that will be an interesting comparison. I'll put in my .02 after playing the Isabel.

[itsdono]

Loriente “Isabel” CD/PF review

Background

The Loriente line of guitars was commissioned by Tim Miklaucic of GSI, primarily designed by Edmund Blochinger with input from Pepe Romero and is built by hand by a team of luthiers in Spain, regularly overseen by Mr. Blochinger.

The Isabel is almost identical in design to the top of the line “Sofia.”

Materials & Workmanship

Top – Perfectly matched Spanish Cedar halves, very tightly spaced grain with only a very slight increase in grain width on the sides. French polish finish on the soundboard – nice job. Rich honey color – very similar to picture on GSI site. Flawless rosette and purfling execution.

Back & Sides – Pau Ferro wood, great looking – lighter color than typical Brazilian or Indian Rosewood. Back is well-matched except one side has a dark grain pattern in one area that other side has light grain.

Fingerboard – 19 frets.

Headstock & Tuners – Fustero tuners, with beautiful mother of pearl keys and a very solid feel to the touch.


Sound Volume, Intonation, Quality & Playability

Both guitars were strung with D’Addario EJ45 medium tension strings. The Isabel has roughly the same volume as the Bernabe 5. However, the Bernabe 5 is very easy to get loud with – it seems to have only two volumes – quiet and loud…The Isabel takes some heavier digging into the strings to get volume. Also, modulating the quantity of sound was much easier on the Isabel. I consider it much more responsive to the fingers, whereas the Bernabe is harder to get fine gradations of sound out of. (Maybe that’s just operator limitation.)

Intonation – good intonation, with the G and D strings experiencing some sharping at the 12th fret.

The Quality of sound is very warm, what I typically would expect from a cedar top. What struck me was that when compared to my Bernabe 5 spruce, the Isabel had a much sweeter sounding tone.

The back of the guitar gives great feedback in providing significant vibration. Perhaps it is indicative of sound “leakage” from the back and less volume out of the sound hole, but I found it helpful in modulating volume.

The neck of the Isabel is slightly smaller in circumference than the Bernabe. The frets are slightly higher off the fingerboard than the Bernabe and the action appears to be lower, since it was easier to get the 6th string buzzing. In my case, slightly lower action is a welcome thing since I don’t play pieces that require heavy-handed plucking.


Final Thoughts

My goal was to obtain a warmer-sounding guitar, since many of the pieces I play are more suited to a darker sound. So in that sense, the Isabel fits my needs perfectly. My second goal was to have an excellent guitar and not pay a premium for a big “name” guitar.

Is it worth $3,500? That amount of money has a different meaning to different people and it is a significant amount of money to me, but in my view, Isabel is a fine quality guitar and is very much worth the money.

[Pepe Vergara]

Loriente “Isabel” CD/PF review

..............and is built by hand by a team of luthiers in Spain, regularly overseen by Mr. Blochinger.



Sometimes, I wonder what this means!

[itsdono]

According to GSI, Mr. Blochinger visits the shop once every six weeks, to inspect the guitars and oversee procedures. Quality control.

[J]

I ordered a Loriente “Clarita” with a Spruce top last week. I was reeled in by GSI’s testimony and their 48 hour no hassle/no risk return policy. Was looking for a guitar in the $1000 to $2200 range and they said that I would be impressed by this instrument.

2 days later I received the guitar. I was very impressed with the workmanship for the pricerange. It is a simple but beautiful guitar. The nut was a bit low on the bass side causing a buzz. I shimmed it temporarily and GSI assured me they would fix this issue in the next couple days. Until then it now plays nicely and I expect the Bass to get a bit better with a new nut. I’ll let you know how that works out.

Sound: It took a few hours to open up but the sound is clear and precise. The tone and volume is very even across the whole instrument. The bass is deep and the highs are clear. The high “E” is a little soft between the 10th and 13th frets but it’s not a big deal. After you get used to playing it you can get the sound you want out of it. The sustain is good even on the highest frets. The volume is what I expect from a high quality student instrument but not as loud as you would expect from a professional concert guitar.

Playability: The neck feels nice and plays easily. The action was a bit lower than I’m used to but still played easily. The instrument is fairly light and well balanced.

Workmanship: Excellent. Very clean and impressive for a guitar in this price range. The materials are all of good quality and the soundboard has a nice tight grain. It looks like they spent their time and money on building a quality instrument out of good materials rather than decoration.

Overall you would be hard pressed to find an instrument as good in it’s price range or even a bit above it. I compared to about 15 other guitars in the $1300 to $2300 price range including Ramirez, Cordoba, Esteve, New World Guitar, Cervantes, etc…. and none matched up in every category. The Loriente was far superior in every way to almost every one. A couple of the more expensive ones may have had a slight bit better bass, more volume, or clearer highs but none matched up in all the sound categories enough to make me consider them.

Overall the Loriente “Carita” is a great buy and value. It has the characteristics I expect to find in instruments in the $2300 to $3000 range but at a much lower cost. I would recommend it to any beginner, intermediate, or player on a budget. It also works great for an expirienced player’s second guitar who doesn’t want to lug around their main instrument. I look forward to playing this instrument in a few years when it’s had time really open up.

[cool59]

Hello everyone,
I am new to this board. I am considering getting the "clarita" myself. It is in my price range right now. I'll have to order it through the mail though, so all of this feedback is very helpful to me.

[daniel711]

I think you'd be much better off contacting Zavaletas, and checking out a Huipe. For the price range you're looking at, you could get a real handmade guitar, from a well known luthier, and which has gotten phenomenal feedback.........

[cool59]

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for showing me this. I believe I like the Spruce top with cocobolo Rosewood back and sides. What do you think ?

Cool59

[cool59]

I listened to the Estudio model and it sounds the same as the concert model; the only diference being the Mexican Rosewood back and sides. Is Mexican Rosewood not as good as cocobolo or Indian Rosewood ?

Cool59

[daniel711]

Cocobolo is a more exotic and beautiful wood. Tonally it is very close to Brazilian, and a lot of high end makers are now using as an alternative to Brazilian. As for any individual guitar, I would not use the back and side wood as an important criteria. The sound of the guitar is all that matters in this case. Now if I were having a guitar built for me, I would go with Cocobolo hands-down...

[Jubilee Valence]

I listened to the Estudio model and it sounds the same as the concert model; the only diference being the Mexican Rosewood back and sides. Is Mexican Rosewood not as good as cocobolo or Indian Rosewood ?

Cool59 :? I read an interesting post recently,referring to a "duplication" in some of the sound samples. I "apologize" in that I don't know if the "issue" was further investigated :oops: ; my personal feeling was "it" was a simple "goof", not a "deception"-however, I felt I should mention it! 8) Cool59--the "implied" advice you'll always get,(around here!)-Is to, if at all possible, "play" the several instruments that you're considering.I believe that GSI has a policy regarding 'satisfaction of purchase'-my term!-but as I haven't been in the "buying" mode, I can't quote them exactly.BTW-daniel711 "knows" his wood!--but if the price of Cocobolo "skyrockets" monday a.m.......LOLOLOLOL,uh,gotta run!..where's that phone # for that wood guy..... :twisted:

[cool59]

Hi
Has anyone here ever played a Huipe, or know anyone who has, or know of where I can read some reviews of this guitar ? I talked to Zavaletas on the phone and he said the workmanship of this guitar is top notch. What is the difference in Mexican Rosewood and Indian or Cocobolo,except for the price ? Does using Mexican Rosewood no provide as good of a sound ? Would it really be worth it to pay $350.00 more for Indian or Cocobolo as opposed to Mexican Rosewood. Iam still interested in buying the Antonio lariente "Clarita" as well, but I am seriously considering going with the Huipe. I have to go with the best buy for the money ($1000-$1500) right now though.

Cool59

[Jubilee Valence]

Hi
Has anyone here ever played a Huipe, or know anyone who has, or know of where I can read some reviews of this guitar ? I talked to Zavaletas on the phone and he said the workmanship of this guitar is top notch. What is the difference in Mexican Rosewood and Indian or Cocobolo,except for the price ? Does using Mexican Rosewood no provide as good of a sound ? Would it really be worth it to pay $350.00 more for Indian or Cocobolo as opposed to Mexican Rosewood. Iam still interested in buying the Antonio lariente "Clarita" as well, but I am seriously considering going with the Huipe. I have to go with the best buy for the money ($1000-$1500) right now though.

Cool59First--I want to point out--that I've(me,personally) been lookin' real close at the Loriente line for awhile and will be making a flamenco purchase in the near future--not certain yet. But to answer your question go here: http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=7 register and post a new topic simply: Huipe, or the like...you will be answered...ask for FrankB,tell 'im Jubi sent'cha or not...he'll find you!--He's somewhat of an EXPERT on the subject.--Jubi

[stevel]

BOCOTE (Cordia elaegnoides) Mexico Bocote (often referred to by its genus, Cordia) has contrasting black, green and golden yellow vibrant color with tight wild figure patterns. Commercially known as "Mexican Rosewood", Bocote is available in relatively small cuttings and the wood has a waxy texture similar to teak.

COCOBOLO (Dalbergia retusa) Mexico & Central America This highly exotic wild grained species is brilliant orange, rust, purple and yellow with distinctive superimposed lines of purple and black. The brilliant color seems to oxidize gradually with air exposure after cutting. Many woodworker's react specifically to the cinnamon-like sawdust that typically causes itching or sneezing. Nonetheless, the unusual vivid beauty and color contrast of this wood overshadow the allergic risks. It is typically available in small cuttings due to the relative small size of the tree.

Cocobolo in guitars could easily be GRANADILLO (Platymiscium yucatanum) Mexico Reddish brown to purplish orange dependent upon the source of origin, Granadillo (not to be confused with Grenadillo or African Blackwood) is a catch all term for a number of look-a-like species that have properties relatively similar to Rosewood (specifically Cocobolo), though the grain and figure are often more bland in comparison.


EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia latifolia) India Predominantly light to dark purple, with occasional red and brown streaks, East Indian Rosewood is prized for it's consistency and it's size. When Brazilian Rosewood began to become scarce, East Indian Rosewood quickly filled the vacancy. The wood was more stable, met grade lumber specifications easier, and came in larger planks. Within the last ten years, embargoes and regulations have severely limited the sizes of East Indian Rosewood pieces allowed out of India. Some "plantation" growth of the same species is available as "Sonokeling" from Indonesia. Another close relative includes Dalbergia sissoo from the region in and around India.

BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD (Dalbergia nigra) Brazil Sometimes referred to as "Jacaranda", this preferred species ranges in color from dark brown to violet with spidery black pigment lines that often overlap giving the illusion of landscape, hence the term "landscape grain". The smell is like roses when freshly cut. Brazilian Rosewood is the optimum species for the reflective back and sides of acoustic guitars. The species was so popular as sliced veneer for the furniture and plywood markets during the first half of the century that it has been driven to near extinction, though some sparse new growth timber has appeared on the market. The highly resinous wood turns beautifully, polishes well and is very durable. It is very expensive if available at all.

[daniel711]

Cool59 - Listen to Jubilee Valence and follow that link. You'll get reviews of Huipe guitars in spades.....

[J]

Cool59,
If you end up getting a Huipe let us know. I've been looking for a good Flamenco guitar for about the same price and I am interested in picking up another Loriente but the Huipe's look like a really good option.

[Doc Greg]

I'm considering buying either a maple "Angela" or the cypress "Carmen", as I like blondes more than brunettes. :D What are the tonal differences between these two guitars. assuming the same piece is played on each?

[cool59]

Hi All,
I finally decided to buy the Antonio Loriente "Clarita" today. I hope to be recieving it in a few days. I was really leaning toward the Huipe but someone bought the one that I wanted. But really when I talked to the folks at Guitar salon I was sold on their service and satisfaction gaurantee. The "Clarita comes with a lifetime warranty, the Huipe has no warranty. Zavaletas only offers to allow a trade in for another guitar of equal or greater value if you are not satisfied, guitar salon gaurantees satisfaction, if I don't like it I can pack it up and send it back. Guitar Salon gave me free shipping and insurance; all of this gave me peace of mind about my purchase. I will definitely be making all of my future guitar purchases from Guitar Salon. The Huipe will have to wait for now.

Cool59

[J]

Same reason I went with the Clarita. Got the spruce top. I rec you change the strings to Extra Hard Tension when you get it. Sounded good w/ the original strings but didn't have volume. I'm used to the harder tension anyways.

[cool59]

Hi J,
Yes I like hard tension strings as well, makes the execution of slurs much easier. I like MH strings myself, to me they are the best strings I have ever played on. May I ask how you like the "Clarita"? How long have you had this Guitar ? Has it opened up well for you as you have played it ? Any feedback will be helpful. 8)

Thank you
Cool59

[J]

I really like the Clarita a lot. I've had it for about a month now but I only have about a week and a half of real playing time on it. I cut my finger 2 days after I got the guitar and it put me out for a bit. :( I figure I've had an average of 3.5 hours per day for the past 1.5 weeks. At first it took a bit of work to get to really open up. About a half hour of playing every session before you could really hear it. After a week of that it loosens up enough so that it doesn't need to warm up nearly as much. The only draw back I've had is that I wish the highs were a bit sweeter. It's a spruce top so I know that will come with time. Just impatient. Overall I'm very impressed with the guitar given the price. It's an overall very precise sounding instrument so you get nice clarity when recording. I've been using Daddario Pro Arte Extra Hard Tension and it sounds great. Never tried any other strings. Been playing these on every guitar since I started.

[cool59]

Hi J,
Thanks for the feedback. Man sorry about the finger, that would be a bummer. I've been fighting a broken thumbnail, trying to keep it from ripping all the way off. I believe I have succeeded with a little self adhesive nail silk and some sealer; I'm ready. :lol: I've played on the pro-Arte strings too and they are an excellent choice. But ever since I've tried the MH strings, I've been sold on them; but as the saying goes "to each his own". Hey thanks J for the excellent feedback, man I wish that Guitar would hurry up and arrive. 8)

Cool59

[Faya]

i would love to try out one of them All French Polish Carmens!!!!

They look pretty nice, and judging by the few classicals of them i have tried i bet that AFP Carmen singsssssszzzzzzzzz!!!!

By the way GSI.........if you read this........how long will the AFP Carmen be around for?????


Thankszzzzzz!!!

[Dave Tate]

Hi Faya,
The AFP Carmens were somewhat of a one-time deal. Once we sell these, we will not regularly stock them again.
After that, however, they can be special-ordered if you'd like one.
Please contact me if you'd like more information, or if you'd like to try one out.
Thanks!
Dave

[J]

I'm sure you'll like the guitar. I've played many much nicer instruments but rarely in this price range. I suggest when you get it to take it to a few shops and do a comparison. Hopefully you're as pleased as I am.
Sorry about the nail. Before I switched over to exclusively using fakes I remember the pains of losing a nail. Just couldn't handle it anymore. Now I'll never go back.

[Faya]

Thanks Dave! There's a local shop here that carries some Loriente Classicals that i've played and as i said before they seem like very nice guitars. Say......, is there anyway you could send them one of those AFP Carmens????............ :lol: or maybe i should just bug him about it until he has one sent to him......... :lol: :lol:

Thanks!!

[cool59]

Hi all,
Does anyone know who Antonio Loriente is ?
Just curious.

Cool59

[C. Vega]

The name is fictitious.
There is no one with that name involved in the construction of these guitars.

[cool59]

Hi C.Vega,
So are these Guitars well constructed and hand-made in Spain? I'm sure GSI wouldn't vouch for an instrument that is not up to par.

Thanks

[Pepe Vergara]

There is no Antonio Lorca either. Mervis Guitars of Spains sells Antonio Lorca guitars. Also, anybody knows who "The Great renown GARCIA" is? The one in the labels of the guitars sold by Sherry-Brener?

[C. Vega]

cool59,
It's my understanding that GSI/Tornavoz owns the name and is in control of the manufacture and distribution of the Loriente guitars.
As to the "hand made" part, I suppose it all depends on one's definition or how much of the advertising hype one chooses to believe. There are many well made guitars produced in Spain, by individual luthiers, small workshops and large factories alike but don't necessarily count on labels and sales hype to tell you what you're really getting. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors in the guitar business.

The idea of using fictitious names on guitars is certainly nothing new and the Spanish guitar business abounds with them. Often the same guitar can show up under different labels depending on who the distributor or retailer is.
The Antonio Lorca name that Pepe mentioned was also used at one time by Sherry-Brener. The guitars weren't even made in Spain. They were Japanese. Garcia is another one. They used to be labeled Federico Garcia originally and again were Asian made. Antonio Hernandis was another name they used. More recently I've encountered guitars labeled Domingo Ortega, Antonio Solera, Miguel Senovilla and a host of others...all fictitious names applied to factory produced instruments.

The guitar buying public often has this fanciful, romantic notion that Spanish made guitars all come from little Gepetto-like workshops and the advertising hype does little to dispel this myth. Rather, it perpetuates it. Yes, some of them do but 99.5% of them are made in factories or other large scale production shops and not by little gnomes in little shops in a back alley in Madrid or Granada. In most cases it's really a big workshop in an industrial park somewhere near Valencia, no matter what it says on the label.
Nearly every guitar maker's shop in Spain, the well known and not so well known, sells factory made student and intermediate level guitars bearing the name of the luthier. Sometimes they're very up front about where these guitars actually come from, sometimes they aren't. Even some of the upper end offerings from some makers are not made by them but outsourced to larger manufacturers. These manufacturers also sell under their own names and also make guitars for numerous wholesale distributors who add their own labels to them.
Some manufacturers do a better job than others but even seemingly identical models can vary considerably in sound and playability. Just because one Jose El Gordo "Esmeralda" model sounds good and plays great doesn't necessarily mean that the next one will.

[cool59]

HI C.Vega,
Thanks for the interesting info. Ken at GSI assured me on the phone that the Antonio Loriente Guitar was not made in a factory, but is handmade. I'm sure I can take his word for that on this one.

Thanks

[Jubilee Valence]

Welcome cool59!....everybody who's played & or bought one has given the big "thumbs up"!----says a lot to me!!!...on GSI,....same thing!......(I'm wonderin' if I was to show up with a "fancy cane"...& wearin' a "cape"....that "Jubilee Hauser"--sure is pricey.....hhhhmmmnn) 8) ....sigh...

[cool59]

Hi Jubi,
Well that just means a lot to me. Nobody knows better than those with hands on experience. Thanks man. My Guitar should arrive today. I've been playing on a La Patrie collection model for about 10 years now, and I learned recently that it has a bolt on neck and laminated sides,but I think it has a nice sound and has been a work horse for me. If the "Clarita" is twice as good as this one I will be satisfied. In a few years I hope to be making another step up to a higher level concert Guitar; so I am happy to be moving forward at this time. Thank you all for your comments and feedback. :D

Cool59

[Pepe Vergara]

All guitars are hand made. A 100% hand-made guitar, that is, made with hand tools as Torres used to do takes too long to complete. MY first one took one year. I made two like that for learning purposes. Then, I purchased a band-saw and the process improved timewise. Then, I purchased an electric drill press, and the process continued improving. Then, I bought a router and a trimmer and the process got even faster. Then I made a universal bending maching and dumped my old iron pipe to bend the sides, and the process got faster. Bottom line, with those power tools, I can now made 5 to 6, and it is possible that by purchasing the kerfind and purfling already made, I can get to ten in one year. I do control every process visually and tactifully inspecting step carefully. My dimensions and adjustments are right on the edge. I once visited one factory (10 thousand guitars per year) and the guy bends 100 sides in one day. A guy with a machine cuts 80 neck per day. The dimensions of the tops and backs are not at the edge, they are conservatives, etc. etc. The guitars from that factory look really nice when they are done, but the entonation and fine adjustments are not made because of the time limitation. However, I saw that the machines alone were not doing the work. There were hands of men operating them and gluing and putting them together. So, hand-made has to be defined: 100%, 80%, 50%, 10%? How much to be considered hand-made? There is no machine made guitar, that is 100% made by machines.

I do believe that when there are so many guitars of certain kind or brand or label in the market, a factory has to be involved, or they are hand-made in China, Singapour, or any place in Southasia. Do we know what factory are the guitars made? Location, shop, etc.? Do we care, if the guitar sounds good? A different thing is: I purchased a Rolex for $60, but gave me the time just like one that cost $5,000. Two days ago, in a meeting, the screw that sets the time jumped out on the table in front of my colleagues who were very suprised htat my Rolex was falling appart. However, it looked just like the real thing. Of course I knew something like this was going to happen. Another story would have been if, the $60-buck Rolex was sold to me for $2,000 or $3,000 through a false advertisement., assuring me that it is the real thing.

[cool59]

Hi Pepe,
Thanks for your comments. I do understand that powertools are part of the process of handmaking Guitars today. I'm sure if all Guitars were handmade as they were in the old school; then not many of us could afford to buy them today. Machines can not only speed up of the process of manufacturing, but can be more precise than human hands too. I was assured by GSI that the Loriente line does not come off of an assembly line, but is a handmade instrument. Whatever that entails I don't know, but you are right what really matters is how the Guitar plays and sound. I would like to have a Guitar that improves with time as I play it. I hope it does, $1,500 may as well be 10,000 dollars to me right now, cause it is all that I could afford.Thanks Pepe. 8)

Cool59

[Pepe Vergara]

I personally played the Loriente guitars at GSI's booth at NAMM and found the Carmen more to my liking.

[cool59]

Hi all,
I recieved my "Clarita" today, and to me it is great. It is beautiful and appears to be very well made. The volume and playability is already better than my La Patrie, and I know that the more I play it the better it will sound in time. I am going to enjoy playing this Guitar for a few years, the Lord willing, until I can afford a better concert instrument. I am really pleased with the quality of this Guitar right now. It came with a Humi case. Since I live in the Heart of Dixie (Alabama), where the humidity is high; do I really need to use these humidifiers in the case. Any help from an expert here will be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all of you for your input. :D
Cool59

[GSI Fan]

Hey Cool,

Congrats on the recent addition to your family! Hope you enjoy it for years and years!!

Humidity?
Check to see if the case has one of those "Relative Humidity" gadgets (I think they're called hydrometers). If so, based on everything I've read and heard, the RH should remain between 45%-55%. If it doesn't have one, stop in on a high-end cigar store and purchase one. They have some pretty small and safe digital gadgets. Come to think of it, GSI may have something better suited for the job, give them a call.

[cool59]

Hi GSI fan,
Thanks for the advice. I will check into that meter.I definitely want to take great care of this Guitar.

Cool59

[Pepe Vergara]

Hey Cool,
They have some pretty small and safe digital gadgets. Come to think of it, GSI may have something better suited for the job, give them a call.

Or buy one at Home Depot for $20.

[Jubilee Valence]

Hey Cool,

Congrats on the recent addition to your family! Hope you enjoy it for years and years!!

Humidity?
Check to see if the case has one of those "Relative Humidity" gadgets (I think they're called hydrometers). If so, based on everything I've read and heard, the RH should remain between 45%-55%. If it doesn't have one, stop in on a high-end cigar store and purchase one. They have some pretty small and safe digital gadgets. Come to think of it, GSI may have something better suited for the job, give them a call. :shock: :?: :idea: :twisted: Hey,...fan! :lol: :lol: ...what's... :lol: :lol: ...GSI... :lol: oh,man! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ...stand... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ...for? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll: :wink: 8)-------YO! cool59!!!!!AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!

[GSI Fan]

Jubi,

Are ya' sure ya' wanna know? Well, if you insist.

It has 2 meanings. First, "Guitar Salon International" Fan. No BS Jubi. I was very very pleased with my experience at GSI. I became an immediate fan. The second is a little more unique and the actual meaning.

A little over 20 years ago I was recruited to a national banking concern. During orientation I was introduced to senior mangement and department heads. After a speachless introduction to one of the department heads I turned to the orientation facilitator and exclaimed, "Wow, what a GORGEOUS and SEXY ITALIAN young lady! A couple years later I married her. Hence the real meaning of GSI Fan.

Jubes, were you expecting that? If ya' call me a sissy I'll head your direction and slap ya" :lol: :lol: ...with my wifes' permission of course.

[Jubilee Valence]

...I'm Mama Chirico's a'little'a boy!!!!....hhhhmmmnn....comin' up on 20 yrs now...you had yer' "blood initiation" & sworn allegience to PASTA yet?????...congrats!

[cool59]

Hi,
The more I play my "Clarita" the more I am coming to love it. This is a very well built Guitar for the price. I bought the one on special because of the minute scratches( and I mean hardly noticeable) on the soundboard under the finish. For $1080.00 I am very satisfied. This Guitar is only going to get better with time; and with a lifetime warranty, what a deal. Maybe in a few years I will want to take a step up to a higher quality Guitar, but for now I am going to take my time enjoying what I have. Hats off to GSI for coming up with such a quality Guitar for the price. 8)

Cool59

[selma600]

I am in Selma...email me!!! tremont600@bellsouth.net
We need to talk, Cool!!!!!!
I don't recognize "Valley" maybe "valley grand?"


Hi all,
I recieved my "Clarita" today, and to me it is great. It is beautiful and appears to be very well made. The volume and playability is already better than my La Patrie, and I know that the more I play it the better it will sound in time. I am going to enjoy playing this Guitar for a few years, the Lord willing, until I can afford a better concert instrument. I am really pleased with the quality of this Guitar right now. It came with a Humi case. Since I live in the Heart of Dixie (Alabama), where the humidity is high; do I really need to use these humidifiers in the case. Any help from an expert here will be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all of you for your input. :D
Cool59

[keith]

i think c.vega hit the nail on the head here: the guitar biz is full of smoke and mirrors and a lot of the responses given in this thread, be it first person or third person, are good examples of smoke and mirrors.

yes it it true that all guitars are hand built in that robots and/or chimps are not used in the construction. big wooo! and guess what, independent luthiers use power tools... again, big wooo! jose oribe, who makes world class instruments, uses power sanders and planes that would rival G.M. (if G.M. used wood in the construction of cars). again, big wooo!

the key point as i see it between a guitar built to specs by a committee of people (a.ka. factory guitar) and a guitar built by a luthier (a.k.a. hand built) is this: a guitar built to specs by a committee is built to a blueprint by several folks according to the specs....i.e., the specs say X for the top and X it is. a guitar built by a luthier is built according to all the components and each may be modified so that, in theory, all components are working together given the luthier's ears rather a committee of ears. using this approach, different parts of the guitar (especially the top) are modified to bring out the the tone for which the luthier is aiming. this may mean shaving a little off here and there...etc.

if you were to see a luthier at work you would see him get the top to the generalized thickness (by hand or machine) and then begin tapping away, scraping and sanding, tapping, and then repeating this over and over and over. some areas may be thinned differently given the nature of the piece of wood being used. this process is time consuming which in the guitar biz means money. for the upper end guitars built in a "factory", this process probably occurs to some degree--most likely based on the expectant wholesale cost. for lower end guitars, it is doubtful given the economics of such intense labor costs.

now there is nothing inherently wrong with a "factory guitar". you get what you pay for and for most guitars, the equation works well (top of X matched to sides/back of Y). however, the jewel guitars rarely appear in factory built guitars whereas the dogs can be plentiful.

[symodiezel]

Cool59, how is the Clarita now man, im looking into one myself maybe, one of a few im juggling around.

[fodera6]

I got a Clarita cedar top back in October of last year from Rudy's NYC. They had at least one of each model in stock and I played them all. There was something special about the Clarita that made it stand out from the others. Now, seven months later, I couldn't be happier with my choice.

So far it has opened up very nicely and it already projects quite well. It's always rewarding to observe the many subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes that the guitar goes through as it matures. The first acoustic instrument that I owned that was decent enough to notice mature was my Summit mandolin. It has parallel tone bars instead of X-bracing (which is fast-becoming the industry standard for mandolins and has been the standard for steel-strings for quite some time now). The prevailing sentiment is that X-bracing provides great bass response right out of the box but the midrange and treble frequencies fail to develop as much as instruments with parallel-bracing (obviously very dependent upon the maker). Parallel-braced instruments, however, are known to take significantly more time to open up with all frequencies developing very gradually. At first the bass opened up and only after about a year did the midrange and treble begin opening up. Some days it would be very 'middy' and other days, it'd be shrill while others, it would be puffy. (Now the mandolin has a very even response with a perfect blend and projection of all the frequencies. If I may be so bold, it reminds me very much of the way Chris Thile's Dudenbostel sounds!)

I find the Clarita has been opening up much like my mandolin, with small but significant changes over a long period of time. It was still a little stiff at the store despite being on the showroom floor for several weeks. At first I noticed the basses starting to breathe, then the midrange became more complex and penetrating and then just recently I've noticed the trebles and the first string speaking quicker and more true. Everytime I play it, the basses get deeper, the mids get punchier, the trebles sing better and overall, everything is becoming more even and more balanced. I've been lusting for a spruce top classical but this guitar doesn't let me put it down for very long to think about anyone or anything else!

The only complaints I have are that there are slightly sharp notes in the first positions on the G and B strings (pretty common) and a miniscule hairline crack in the top near the edge of the upper bout on the treble side (which I didn't notice until after I got it home). It sounded so good that I couldn't bare to take it back. Upon closer examination, the crack is clearly under the finish, doesn't seem to affect the top structurally, and appears to be a remnant of production and somehow made it past QC at Loriente (and Rudy's). I realize a compensated nut is a bit much to ask for at this price point but it would have gone a long way to make this guitar play in tune better. I am going to compensate the nut in the near future but for now, at least, I can get it to play pretty well in tune with the right strings. Right now I'm favoring the Galli Genius set in medium tension. I also liked the Galli Genius in hard tension and the Savarez Alliances in hard tension. The intonation seemed to be best with the composite Alliance trebles, no doubt due to their smaller diameter and hence, slightly lower action at the nut. Still, none of these things are enough to bug me enough to want to change anything about this guitar but the strings.

I think this guitar is a great value. I've had more than one person come up to me and comment on its tone and ask me if it was a handmade concert instrument. Many are shocked when they hear how much it cost.

As much as I'm in love with this instrument, I still want to get a spruce top guitar and right now, I'm seriously considering either one of the top Loriente models (Sofia/Isabel) or one of the Cervantes artist models (like the Romanillos). Has anyone done a direct comparison of these two and if so, would you care to share your findings?

Cheers!