Classical Guitar

CHRISB50

I'm starting to gas for a classical guitar.

 

I'm happy enough playing classical stuff on my Lowden but I'd quite like to have a go at the real thing.

 

I've known plenty of people who have one hanging around. But I'm yet to see one where the strings aren't approximately a foot off the fret board. Equally I've never actually heard a decent sounding classical in person. However, I can't imagine they are all a nightmare to play and sound shite.

 

My quest is to find a nice classical guitar. I don't want to pay more than 1200 quid. I want solid woods. And it needs to be the right way round i.e. Left handed.

 

I've had a trawl on eBay. If you're right handed it's ok. It's a barren wasteland for southpaws though. Brand new I've seen a couple for just under 1k. Alhambra and Raimondo are the 2 makers. The specs seem to be very similar for classicals - cedar or spruce top, RW back and sides, 50-51mm ish at the nut, and a 650mm ish scale length.

 

Anything in particular I should be looking for? Any advice / experiences would be appreciated.

 

Edited for paragraphs!

BigLicks67

There's the Yamaha GC series all solid wood classical. 

http://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/GC12-Grand-Concert-Classical-Guitar/pidYAM-GC12-GTR-SUPER

There's the Stafford Guitar Shop as well a lot of choice there.

http://www.staffordguitar.com/shop/alhambranew.asp

Regards the action they generally are high to allow the strings to vibrate freely due to the fact there is less string tension, if you want lower action have a look at Flamenco style guitars. 

CHRISB50

Cheers. I'll check out the links.

 

I understand the need for a higher action and that I'm not going to find a classical set up the same as a steel string, but I reckon I can

do better than what I have seen in person so far, hence the question.

CHRISB50

From what I can see, there are no Yamaha left handed classicals (at least they don't mention them), so they are out the window.

 

The shop has some left handed guitars though. I'll have a more detailed look when I get home later.

steveh

Kent Guitar Classics should be able to sort you out. They don't stock crap and can work to a range of budgets. Miles is a good bloke. If you've never heard what a great nylon can do, that's a great place to start. Once you have heard what they can do, you might drop the rest of your axes...like I did. www.kentguitarclassics.com

CHRISB50

Thanks. They seem to have a lot of choice and not the same 2 or 3 makers that everyone else has. Nothing in the way of left handers but I can ask about availability I guess.

Evilmags

If the high action is an issue, then Flamenco and Jazz Nylon are made with much lower actions. (although lowering it is not a hard job). Flamenco guitars come in two types Blanco and Negro and the Negro ones (the first was made for Paco de Lucia who liked the sound of Rosewood classical guitars) sound very similar to classical guitars.

(one in action here, piece deliberately chosen you can compare to classical guitar tone, Narcisco Rodriguez and Andres Segovia both recorded it)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9RS4biqyAc

Info here:- http://www.flamenco-guitars.com/flamenco_guitar_negra_and_blanca.html

https://www.lasonanta.eu/en/guitarras-flamencas/flamenco-guitar-hermanos-camps-primera-14.html 

(Builder has a good reputation, and that is a very good price for that quality level) 

The very top Spanish luthiers are mentally expensive but very good. Conde Hermanos, who made Di Meola´s  have a workshop in Madrid and they start at about 6 grand!!!

CHRISB50

Cheers Mags.

Their website is the best I have seen yet, and they have muchos choice of models, but no left hand guitars at all. It's still nice to browse and see what's what but I'm finding being left handed is a big draw back when it comes to sourcing a classical style guitar. It's a shame, as you said, some of them are really good value.

You saying about them getting expensive. I heard of some Ozzie luthier the other day - Greg Smallman. His guitars seem to start at around 15 000 GBP upwards. Crazy money.

snakemanStoo

I got a stagg electro classical left handed.

It's nowhere near pro level, but it got me through my grade 5 classical exam.

BigLicks67

Where are you based - Here's another dealer in Manchester :

https://www.forsyths.co.uk/guitars/classical-guitars/burguet/115489-burguet-model-2m-spruce-classical-guitar-.html

Might be worth contacting your local dealer and checking what the script is with regards decent left handed classical guitars, also how difficult is it to convert a right handed guitar to a left handed guitar? I imagine the saddle is the stumbling block?

Evilmags

CHRISB50 said:

Cheers Mags.

Their website is the best I have seen yet, and they have muchos choice of models, but no left hand guitars at all. It's still nice to browse and see what's what but I'm finding being left handed is a big draw back when it comes to sourcing a classical style guitar. It's a shame, as you said, some of them are really good value.

You saying about them getting expensive. I heard of some Ozzie luthier the other day - Greg Smallman. His guitars seem to start at around 15 000 GBP upwards. Crazy money.

If you find one you like the look of, PM me and I´ll call them and ask about left handed models. Most Spanish luthiers speak Spanish.

CHRISB50

@snakemanStoo good to know. I'm not after anything pro level. Just something that sounds nice.

@BigLicks67 I'm based in South London but cheers for the link.

@Evilmags cheers. I appreciate it.

I'm gonna have a think about what to do. I'll give you a shout if I find something on the link you sent.

First I think a trip to Kent Classics is needed to get a decent idea of what is on offer at what price. Once I understand a bit more I'll make a decision.

mellowsun

Try a Cordoba flamenco negra. Low action and I think they start at around a grand. Not sure if they do LH though.

tbh with most classicals the problem isn't the action, it's the very wide baseball bat necks.

CHRISB50

Cheers @mellowsun, I've never found the necks a problem. It forces me to change my thumb position from over the top, to behind the neck. But I find them ok. I had a butchers at a freind's classical the other day and the action isn't actually that bad. It's higher than I'm used to, but didn't make it hard to play. As I I mentioned in an earlier post I'm going to speak to Kent Classics about what they have / can get, and go from there.