windminstrel
C.O.G.
Posts: 147
My main instrument is: Tanglewood Sundance Historic TW40
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Post by windminstrel on Jun 2, 2015 15:52:20 GMT
I am thinking I 'may' buy one of these sometime in the coming months: Alhambra Classical Guitar
They come in Cedar or Spruce top and having Googled and You Tubed a bit, am none the wiser on preference. I realise I may be limiting my audience here, but if anybody has played both and can share their thoughts ....
I enjoy playing my old B&M flamenco, but would like to further my playing with a decent nylon stringed guitar.
Paul.
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Post by earwighoney on Jun 2, 2015 16:05:42 GMT
I can't tell you whether to go for spruce or cedar, but I played the flamenco counterparts by the same brand in the same range at that shop and they weren't the best guitars. I'd be really reluctant to buy one of those guitars without trying it first.
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missclarktree
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,427
My main instrument is: It varies
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Post by missclarktree on Jun 3, 2015 15:38:11 GMT
I've got one of those with a cedar top, but I'm afraid I might not be much help as I don't really know how to describe its characteristics. I would say it doesn't sound typically cedar-like. In fact, if the shop had told me it was spruce I'd be none the wiser. I can only compare it with the Vicente Sanchis model 29, which I think is a good student model but I don't know what it's made of.
It's deeper than the Sanchis, and heavier. The "seam" where the back joins the sides is notched, like many steel string guitars. The action is low for a classical. It seems to magnify everything compared to the Sanchis. Its good sounds are better, and the bad sounds caused by bad playing seem more prominent. I feel as though it forces me to play better because it doesn't tolerate rubbish playing as well as the other one did. I'm sure a good guitarist could make it sound a lot better than I can, but I haven't tried to spruce top so can't compare.
In fact I'm thinking of selling the Alhambra as well as my Seagull steel string because of my finger injury. The flamenco guitar is much easier to play than either of them, so it makes sense to stick to that.
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Post by jonnymosco on Jun 3, 2015 22:59:30 GMT
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windminstrel
C.O.G.
Posts: 147
My main instrument is: Tanglewood Sundance Historic TW40
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Post by windminstrel on Jun 9, 2015 17:37:21 GMT
Thanks for the information.
My new plan (a good plan is one that can be changed) is to go to Forsyth's Music Shop in Manchester and have a hands-on session with some that have caught my attention, for instance the Sanchez below sounds like it's worthy of a look:
Sanchez 1030
....anyway, it is a couple of weeks off yet, so will do more research before I make a final decision. I have my old B&M Espana Flamenco to keep me happy on the nylon string side.
Thanks again, Paul.
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Post by earwighoney on Jun 9, 2015 18:01:27 GMT
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Post by arthurp on Jun 9, 2015 20:42:20 GMT
Hi windminstrel. As far as Cedar vs Spruce goes, my experience is pretty much in line with the conventional wisdom on the subject which is that: -Cedar is more open from the start, whereas Spruce needs time to realise it has been made into a musical instrument -Cedar can't be "pushed" whereas Spruce, being harder, can be played harder without it losing its tone - then there is the tone itself, which is an extremely subjective thing. For me, Cedar is maybe softer, (not quieter), less sharp or clear, something to do maybe with attack or decay, but not dull. I ended up with a Hanika 56 in Cedar. I've had it now for 3 years and it still sounds lovely to my ear. I also have a Stonebridge in Cedar and a little Brook Lyn in Spruce. And whilst they are all very different animals, I think the above still stands. But there are so many variables, not least, what is on the back and sides. And I am sure that a Dave White or Colin Symonds could make almost anything sing, as they would finesse the soundboard on an individual basis. also, missclarktree is bang on when she mentions the difference in action between a flamenco and a classical, or Spanish guitar. oh yeah, that reminds me that the Hanika is utterly different with different strings. I normally use Savarez Corum Alliance, so called carbon fibre strings, but the D'addario equivalents are quite different and conventional nylon strings are different again. Your plan to go to Forsyths has to be Positioin A. Good luck and let us know what happens.
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Post by creamburmese on Jun 10, 2015 15:18:34 GMT
I do think you have already been given excellent advice. Go play as many guitars as you can and buy the one that speaks to you! As with steel string guitars though I would caution against buying based on maker model or specifications. I have a spruce topped classical that has a mellow enough sound that it has been mistaken occasionally for cedar. I personally love the sound of cedar classical a - Good cedar guitars have a wonderful rich deep round mellow sound. However the downside is that the less good ones to my ears sound muddy and because cedar is so soft they easily get dinged. . I will say though that you might try a la PATRIE guitar if you get the chance. I played one for the first time last week in a shop and did side by side comparisons with guitars costing twice as much. Both I and a friend decided it was the best sounding and easiest to play of all the guitars we tried including several Spanish guitars. Made by the same people that make seagulls ...
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