Classical guitar recommendations

Dante_A

Hi all,
I am looking for a recommendation of a classical guitar up to £800. Important: solid spruce top and solid sides. Bone saddle and pre-installed golpeador would be preferred extras. 

Main usage: playing for fun after 10y of break (I used to play flamenco and classical music at intermediate level, so I will be playing that from time to time, but I will be using it mostly for singalong/fun/bored-in-winter playing, which is why I am not getting a flamenco guitar).

I am currently looking at :
- Cordoba C9 (£715)
- Camps M10 (€879) [what's the difference between "M" and "SP" designation in Camps guitars?]
- Raimundo 140 (£810)
- Juan Hernandez Profesor Spruce (€1090) [ok, this one is outside the budget... but it looks sooo goood]
- Paco Castillo 205 Spruce (£940) [also slightly outside the budget] 

Have any of you had any experience with the aforementioned, whether good or bad? Anything else I should add to the list? Any preferences? 

I am happy to travel to Spain to pick it up, if it results in better quality / lower price / etc.

Thank you all for your help!

Pete24v

Not sure if it's of any use, I have Cordoba GK limited edition and its lovely. Even the fisherman Preamp sound good. 

guitars4you

check out Ivor Marriants in London - they are meant to be a decent stockist of classical guitars - not sure who else in London to consider

earwighoney

Dante_A said:

Main usage: playing for fun after 10y of break (I used to play flamenco and classical music at intermediate level, so I will be playing that from time to time, but I will be using it mostly for singalong/fun/bored-in-winter playing, which is why I am not getting a flamenco guitar).

I am currently looking at :
- Cordoba C9 (£715)
- Camps M10 (€879) [what's the difference between "M" and "SP" designation in Camps guitars?]
- Raimundo 140 (£810)
- Juan Hernandez Profesor Spruce (€1090) [ok, this one is outside the budget... but it looks sooo goood]
- Paco Castillo 205 Spruce (£940) [also slightly outside the budget] 

If you are looking something with a Golpeador, then I would recommend going for a flamenco.  Otherwise it isn't too much trouble to get one and stick it on the classical - that is what I did when I first started playing flamenco.  IMO, you can play classical on a flamenco but not vice versa. 

Some of the guitar makes you mentioned can be tried in Kent Guitar Classics, who have an excellent reputation in the classical guitar side of things and are a short train journey from London.  London Guitar Studio off Dean Street have some Camps in stock, and I'd recommend heading there.  LGS are for sure are an excellent guitar shop and they specialise in classical/flamenco guitars. 

Col_Decker

I had a Raimundo a few years ago though mine was in the £500 range. Absolutely outstanding guitar. It even smelled great.

Sold it of course.

CHRISB50

When I was looking @Evilmags had some suggestions of reasonable Spanish luthiers.

Here's my thread...

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/45897/classical-guitar

From your list I know the Paco Castillo's have a good reputation with Miles from Kent Classical Guitars. I had a conversation with him via email about them and he seems to rate them quite highly.

I may well be back in the market for one of these soon and I will be going for a Paco Castillo I think.

proggy

Check out the London Guitar Studio, it's a classical guitar shop in central London.

Duke Street, Mayfair. They might have something of interest for you.

Also, Hanks on Denmark Street have a classical section up on the 1st floor.

The two shops are only about a 15 minute walk apart.

Dante_A

Thank you all for the advice!

I have looked at other fora and people seem to prefer Hernandez Profesor over Camps M10 or Paco Castillo 205, so I am very much leaning towards it. However, if any of you have any direct experience with any of the aforementioned guitars - your thoughts would be much appreciated!

@earwighoney - regarding flamenco vs classical... I thought about this and I ultimately decided on the classical one, as I expect to be playing 60% pop/rock/fun, 30% classical/Spanish, 10% actual flamenco... (I know, theoretically I could look at a flamenca negra,  try to slightly increase the action to eliminate any annoying buzz... and I will end up with "almost" a classical guitar with a thinner neck...)