Bernabe Guitars
Model Original

An exciting new guitar from one of Spain's most famous makers.

The sides are double, but the back and top are joined in such a way as to allow the top to move and resonate to the fullest.

In making this guitar Bernabe has designed something totally new.

External purfling is used to join together the top, sides and back resulting in a strong join yet giving freedom for the top to deliver musically.

In addition the raised edge keeps the players arm from contacting with the soundboard and thereby helps to eliminate the possibility of dampening the guitars movement.

Visually ones expectation would be of feeling the raised edge whilst playing; this is not the case. Movement is unencumbered; in fact the rounded profile is more comfortable than the traditional 90 degree edge of a traditional guitar and far less cumbersome than an instrument fitted with an external arm rest.

Selina's review.

Bernabe Original Spruce

On first playing this guitar you cannot fail to notice how loud, strong and vibrant the sound is, even when you are not trying too hard to project!

However, as I discovered through playing, she has a lot more to offer over and above these initial attributes, in fact she can produce the sort of sound and colour that inspired many of us to learn the classical guitar in the first place!

My favourite thing is the colour and the sheer expansiveness of sound and texture.
Her overall character is vibrant and rousing producing full and ‘intense’ notes across the range of strings and fingerboard.
As you start to play you realise that she is not predictable and ‘safe’ but a guitar that encourages experimentation and variety of strokes.

For example the treble voices are clear and polished with colour ranging from sharp and crisp, through sweet and seamless, to fat and fruity! All this can be achieved by adjusting strength and angle of attack “on the spot” as well as using the length of the string.
Initially the strings feel firm under the right hand, which is great as it gives you plenty of ‘feel’ and scope and promises a lot more sound to come.

The guitar loves to be pushed and produces great, full-bodied apoyando sound creating real impact and depth. As for the bass its colour palette includes deep rich purples through to intense reds and zesty orange! A big voice that can be articulated and exciting as well as velvety and mellow with an overall expansive breadth and depth.

This may all sound a bit ‘artistic’ and not a terribly practical description but it really is the best way to describe the guitar, which is an instrument that will bring music to life as you learn to express your emotions through your fingers.
After all this is what it’s all about!

I decided that Ponce’s Sonata Meridional would be an excellent piece to experiment with and I was not disappointed. The full-bodied harmonies were great fun with plenty of distinction in the voicing and room for contrasts such as ‘con grazia’, ‘animando’, ‘espressivo’, ‘pesante’, ‘robusto’ and ‘tranquillo’. She loved the bright invigorating Spanish rasgueado and the haunting ‘Moorish’ feel to the Copla.

This is a guitar that will immediately give a full and wonderful sound to her player and will then help them on a journey where emotion, expression, colour and communication are paramount.

Selina.

• Top: German Spruce
• Back: Madagascar Rosewood
• Sides: Madagascar Rosewood
• Neck: Honduras Cedar
• F/board: Ebony
• Tuners: Rubner

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