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Pre-owned Classical Guitars.
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Michael Gee Layered Top.
2010 Spruce Model.
£5800
On very rare occasions a person buys a guitar only to find the style of instrument is not to their liking. This type of error opens up the opportunity for another person to benefit by immediately acquiring a very special guitar for a reduced price. This Gee guitar is such an instrument; the normal waiting time for a new guitar is up to 12 months.
On playing this guitar I could immediately feel and hear it’s ‘in built’ energy and spirit!
Her voice is lively and full of colour and excitement, encouraging the player to explore the sound and look for new ways to communicate the music through the guitar.
This may sound over enthusiastic but I really felt that this was an instrument that I could ‘speak’ through.
Her voice has a fluid, bell like projection with sonorous, full notes that remain clearly defined across the range allowing for a lot of detail and texture, which I particularly noticed in playing rich and dissonant harmonies
I especially love her bass voice, which is strong and focussed with a wonderful depth that allowed me to sink into the notes – my favourite thing!
This guitar is still only a baby and, as such, can be excitable and unpredictable, which I love, but she already has an intensity and substance that speak of great things to come. There are a wide range of colours to explore and develop from vivid to velvet, and she is very responsive to subtleties of touch and nail angle.
To put it simply she is fantastic fun to play and ready for a musical journey of discovery – just the thing!
£5800 GBP
Buy !
Manuel Rodriguez 100th anniversary model.
2005 Spruce Model.
£2500
Built to celebrate 100 years of guitar construction by the Rodriguez family 1905 - 2005 this instrument in No24.
The best way to describe the voice of this guitar at the moment is rounded, confident and secure.
This may seem a strange way to begin a review but I want to make clear that, even though this guitar is from 2005, it has not been played a lot, especially recently and so has not been given a chance to develop its own voice and character.
The essentials that you have to work with are good.
The bass sound is rich and the overall tone is ‘round’ and smooth. The voice is strong and even across the strings with a brighter treble E that remains clear into the higher registers.
Because the spruce top has not done any work recently the voice is lacking in depth, although, with strong playing you can hear the sound ‘filling’, an indication of more to come as she is put to work.
With this instrument you definitely get a guaranteed quality to the sound that gives confidence and encourages experimenting with colours in your music.
£2500 GBP
Buy !
Teodoro Perez.
2007 Madrid Cedar Model.
£2800
This guitar has a very immediate and bright sound that gives it a vibrant and lively character. There is very good clarity and even tone across the strings and she has an open voice with easy projection for the player.
Overall I found the colours to be oranges and reds but as I played I could hear a supporting sweetness to the treble voice, indicating that there is plenty more colour to be found.
This also demonstrates how guitars adapt to their players technique and touch; this guitar obviously still has a lot of room to develop her voice.
The bass is focused, with intensity and background warmth that lends itself to full-bodied melodies and rich harmonies.
I really enjoyed experimenting with Prelude no.4 by Villa Lobos, highlighting the contrast between the crisp accompaniment and rich, deep melody, as well plenty of distinction and texture in the busy middle section.
I found the guitar to be easy under the left hand and uninhibited in conveying the life in the music, what I like to describe as an enthusiastic and smiling guitar!
£2800 GBP
Buy !
Manuel Contreras.
Carlevaro 1986 Spruce Model.
£5000
Based on an idea brought to Contreras by the Uruguayan guitarist Abel Carlevaro this guitar has its place in the history of the classical guitar. An unconventional instrument having no normal soundhole and no waist on the base side of the body the Carlevaro guitar generates increased levels of voulme and projection. Designed with a second set of internal sides and back to isolate the player from the body of the guitar the Carlevaro demonstrates the desire of luthiers, during this period, to further the musical abilities of our instrument.
This is, of course a very unusual guitar and I have to admit to having my initial preconceptions proved wrong!
I thought that she would be heavy and difficult to hold but she is actually quite light and really felt no different to play than a standard classical guitar.
I am not sure what I expected of the sound but I was surprised by its immediacy and responsiveness and particularly by the volume!
The overall character of the voice is bright and intense with focused, precise notes and clear separation.
There is a full inner resonance bringing warmth to harmony with a strong vibrant bass in support and a distinct, ‘punchy’ yet polished treble E.
This is an instrument that you have to learn to play and control - I definitely found my sound developing and improving from my initial efforts as I played.
I enjoyed the volume, clarity and vigor of the bass playing ‘Asturias’ and ‘Prelude no.1’ by Villa Lobos, and was able to get fluid sustained melody lines across the treble strings in Bach’s Cello suites.
This guitar certainly feels different, most obviously for me in not being able to feel the resonance that I could hear.
She has intensity and vitality with a full sound and easy volume, meaning your hands don’t have to work hard! - an interesting and fascinating journey to embark on.
£5000 GBP
Buy !
Christopher Dean 2008 Spruce
Torres Model.
£4550
Repairs to any instrument can be of concern to a future owner however when carried out by the original maker there is little need to worry. This is such an instrument; being in excellent condition and having been played in to produce a full and open character with great responsiveness and projection.
My immediate impression was of a beautiful, singing top ‘E’ supported by rounded and creamy trebles and a depth to the bass that is more than I expected, since she is not a ‘big’ guitar in a physical sense.
She seems to have the best of both worlds in that the ‘creamy’ character of the treble voice gives warmth but there is no loss of clarity or definition. In playing Brouwers ‘Berceuse” I could easily obtain the separation between melody and accompaniment and was able to enjoy beautiful, high register notes singing with plenty of sustain.
Overall she is a musical guitar and one with development of sound still to come; as I played I could hear her responding to my technique and ideas - always a great feeling!
I was able to get a wide variety of colour and attack, particularly evident in ’Smoke Rising’ by Gary Ryan, which is a dark, moody and evocative piece.
For me this is the most important thing in a guitar – the ability to respond to the emotion being channelled through the player’s fingers.
This guitar has that ability making her easy to play both physically and musically, with a resonant and rounded sound giving lovely blended harmonies, focus across the strings giving clarity and definition and quick responses giving contrast and plenty of attack.
£4550 GBP
Buy !
Alastair McNeil.
£3495
Spruce and Rio Rosewood model 2006.
This guitar is in very good condition and the rosewood on the back and sides is almost black, and very beautiful.
I think that the best way to describe her character is "understated"; she is not an "excitable" guitar but the focus and support in the sound is very noticeable giving the guitar balance, strength, depth and control. There is also a "sparkle" in the treble voice, which noticeably developed as I played, and a lot of potential for growth, with strong, full and direct bass strings.
In playing a wide variety of music, I found that the definition of notes across the range of strings and fingerboard is very good and especially noticeable in contrapuntal music. This clarity has a "soft" edge, not sharp or bright, emphasizing warmth in harmonies and chords.
There is the potential for strong playing with this guitar while retaining a comfortable playing action, and as you push for more sound, you notice the freedom developing in the treble voice, and the overall projection coming out.
Overall, this guitar will give you a strong, focussed and full tone, which supports the right hand technique allowing you to use less effort!
Her voice is one that a player can rely on and develop to their playing style.
£3495 GBP
Buy !
Contreras C7.
£700
Cedar 2005 model.
The Contreras C7 model guitar is an exceptional student guitar from a World Famous guitar maker. Beautifully made in Cedar and laminated Indian rosewood this guitar would give any aspiring student a wonderful musical experience. Sold by ourselves in 2005 this guitar has been well cared for and is in perfect condition. In fact if it was not for the makers label carrying the build date one would think the guitar was barnd new. I read many comments on the internet where laminated rosewood guitars are thought of as inferior to solid wood well this is not the case and the Contreras C7 is proof of this. What matters is how an instrument sings and here the C7 is a leader in its price range. I seldom receive student guitars in this condition; priced new at
£934 here is an opportunity to make a good saving over a new instrument.
Sold July 2010
Jose Marin Plazuelo 2004
Spruce Model.
£3200
Nephew to Antonio Marin Montero whom he works alongside in their Granada studio this guitar bears witness to the Plazueol, Montero, Bouchet lineage. The guitar is in excellent condition and immediately comes across as light, bright and sunny in character.
“Lightness” does not refer to the amount of sound or projection – this guitar has plenty of both – but more to the character or colour of the sound. I would describe the colours here as reds and oranges and the “lightness” as clarity and distinction to the notes.
The bass has plenty of strength and focus adding excitement and ‘zest’ (continuing the orange theme!) to your music. She loves bringing out the vitality in music with a very easy response that helps the player to transfer emotions and bring out contrasts and textures.
Articulation is clear and the quick response leads to relaxed speed and also uninhibited, long, singing melodic lines making my Bach cello suite an absolute joy! This music is also enhanced by the evenness and clarity across the strings and the range of the fretboard.
I particularly enjoyed playing through Tansman’s Cavatina Suite with its strong harmonies, driving rhythms and contrast in texture and colour, and a little piece by Gary Ryan which is slow and gentle and where the guitar responded beautifully with a sweet, full tasto sound in the treble and full bodied, honeyed bass notes.
There are lots of contrasts to be found with this guitar, which is easy to play, and has plenty left to explore and develop.
Sold June 2010
Kevin Aram.
£4200
2004 model Spruce with 3 Piece Back.
As you would expect from an Aram guitar this instrument is beautiful with a stunning three-piece back and silky smooth oil finish. Unfortunately she has had some “flamboyant” playing in her life and the table has recieved some significant nail damage, mostly through “sweeping” scuffs, there is also a small repaired split in the left hand shoulder of the rosewood side; the rest of the guitar is in pristine condition.
If you do not mind this wear and tear, which is after all down to lots of playing, then this very fact means that she has a very open and developed voice with plenty of volume and easy projection.
The Aram characteristics of purity of tone and focussed sound are there with a brighter edge and freer resonance leading to an easy right hand action, and quick response for both hands.
Articulation is precise which gives the player a lot of control over quality of sound. She also has loads of sustain and responded very well to me playing around with single melodic lines and mellow tone colours.
A powerful and focussed bass that gives the whole guitar a feeling, for the player, of strength and projection, supports and enhances the trebles.
She has been played strongly resulting in her freedom and openness of sound. In playing my part of “La Vide Breve” by Falla, I found this ideal for the excitement of the music, with her clarity and definition highlighting distinct voicing and texture.
Sold May 2010
Bernabe M50.
£3750
Spruce and Rio Rosewood model 1997.
This guitar has a very striking appearance with a light, figured rosewood back and sides blending beautifully with the honey coloured, spruce top. As I started to play, I was immediately aware of the strength of her voice, which is full, mature and resonant giving the player great confidence and room to improve.
Despite the warm resonance around the sound, there is plenty of definition across the whole range. This helps to bring more volume and texture to the music, as there is a lot to listen to! I particularly enjoyed playing with the chord voicing in Bach's Chaconne and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get the control and clarity necessary for this complicated piece.
I played a wide variety of music, and found that she was able to respond to different techniques of right hand touch quickly and easily. This is very satisfying for the player and demonstrates that although she is a big and powerful instrument she also has control and finesse.
As you would expect from a guitar of this quality she is well balanced across the bass and treble voices with a supported sound that delivers clarity with resonance and warmth. She still has a lot to give to an enthusiastic owner.
Sold March 2010
Antonio Marin Montero.
£4400
Spruce 2007 model with 3 Piece Back.
This guitar has simple, classic good looks with a striking three-piece back and beautiful French polish finish. It is in excellent condition.
On first playing her I was at once comfortable with her quick response and easy playing action, relaxed with her smooth and easy tone, and excited by the amount of sound and colour!
She is wonderfully responsive to a light touch with a honeyed and glowing character to her overall voice.
Within this there is great definition and clarity across the strings. The notes in all areas of the fretboard are "full" and supported, leading to fluid movement across octaves as I played the prelude to the 4th lute suite by Bach.
The really exciting thing about this guitar is the combination of classic warmth, definition and underlying vitality. The polished and golden treble sound can be woken to "zest" and vivid colour with subtle right hand variations, and then move as easily to velvety smooth tasto tones.
The clarity and balance in the inner strings brings out the textures and harmonic colours in the music beautifully; I had great fun playing Mertz, Regondi and particularly Aguado’s Adagio and Polonaise.
The depth and focussed power of her bass strings gives a great feeling of strength and projection.
This instrument is deceptive:
She is a light guitar, only requiring a light touch that produces an open and free voice with loads of sustain.
It is as you continue to play that you discover the range of sound and colour and the power and intensity that make her exciting and compelling.
Sold March 2010
Teodoro Perez.
£3950
Maestro Model Cedar and Madagascar Rosewood 2008.
This guitar has a direct and bright voice, immediately responsive to right hand touch, with strong, clear projection. Her character is vibrant and exciting, highlighting the oranges and reds of the colour palette.
The treble E has a "crystal" singing voice, very rounded and polished, with a warmer, resonant sound on the inner trebles that I found to be less defined.
I would describe her character as "alive", encouraging experimentation with tone and colour. This became obvious as I was playing through Gerald Garcia’s "25 Etudes Esquisses", pieces that require many different sounds, timbres, tempos and moods. This guitar responds very well to changes in mood and attack and so offers a perfect vehicle for training the musical ear and the fingers!
The initial brightness of the trebles is combined with a sweetness that comes to the fore in, for example, slower, more wistful melodies. This brightness and response is however lost a little in the very high registers.
The bass is a highlight of the guitar, with good projection and support to the overall voice, and capable of rich melodic lines.
Sold March 2010
Peter Barton.
£4950
Spruce and Rio Rosewood 2007.
This guitar has a beautiful dark, almost black rosewood back in three pieces and the finish still reflects the quality of the Luthier as she has been well looked after by her previous owner.
She has the lovely focus and direct, confident voice, characteristic of Peter’s guitars with the added bonus of developing maturity. I am realizing more and more the importance of the "feel" of a guitar and how this relates to the sound, that is the link between movement or effort in your fingers and the resulting quality of tone. This guitar feels firm under the fingers with plenty of sound to give now, and even more potential. You can hear and feel the guitar opening out as you play and she likes to be pushed and played strongly. The treble voice is creamy in character, very smooth and even, with excellent depth and clarity to each note. The bass strings feel firm and produce naturally full and fat notes, helping to fill out and blend for full-bodied harmonies. As I continued to play and learn about the guitar I started to find her exciting side and a wide range of tone colour and dynamic, from smooth and even to bright and dynamic. Articulation is fluid and easy giving the player plenty of control.
This is a guitar that loves to be pushed to realize her full potential, and also produces a silky, full tone when played gently. She is very enjoyable to play and, for her new owner, has an exciting musical journey ahead.
Sold August 2009
Ramirez 1a Elite.
£5350
This beautiful Cedar and Brazilian Rosewood model built in 1987 is in as new condition having been treasured by its original owner. The finish is immaculate in fact, having been wrapped in silk for most of its life, there are not even any of the light marks usually attributable to the case lining.
From the first touch of this guitar, the player is aware of its power, which is enhanced by a supported and focused sound. The trebles are rounded and polished, and there is a very good transition in tone from string 1 to string 3 with no heaviness apparent on the latter. The bass voices are crisp and vibrant which came as a surprise to me. They offer excellent support to the harmony and melody and compliment the trebles beautifully helping to create a traditional "Spanish" voice with a real added zing!
As you would expect from a guitar of this quality she is very well balanced. The overall character is of warmth and strength with a clean edge; the warm resonance is not overly dominant and the notes across the full range remain focused. This means that control is not a problem at all giving the player freedom to experiment with sound and phrasing.
My impression is that she would really benefit from a strong player to bring out every aspect of her voice. The sound does come easily and smoothly under a gentle touch (as I have) but there is definitely more in the tank that needs a firmer hand!
Sold July 2009
Paul Fischer.
£3950
Virtuoso Model, Spruce and Maple 1996.
Firstly I have to say that the combination of maple back and sides with a spruce soundboard give this guitar a stunning appearance that I love!
It has a smooth, sweet tone that is well balanced across the guitar with an easy playing action. The sound is focussed and "rounded", giving the player depth and excellent control especially when playing through the strings with good right hand technique. There is plenty of colour to be found but I don’t think that she will respond well to hard hitting or harsh playing. The voice is more subtle than vibrant, without a bright edge, emphasizing a more velvet character.
The top E string sings cleanly supported by a full, rich bass voice and warm rounded inner harmonies.
This is not an "excitable" guitar but one that offers the player support, control and an even, balanced and full tone.
Fitted with Rodgers German Silver Machine Heads.
Sold June 2009
Bernabe Especial.
£5900
Spruce and Madagascar Rosewood 2006.
Although the date on the label of this guitar is 2006, she is still only a baby since she has been in a different country from her owner and has never been played in! This of course means that there is work to do in playing her in but you can hear the potential as soon as you start to play so it will be very enjoyable work!
The traditional Spanish character of overall warmth and colour is prominent with strong, vibrant basses that give us a hint of the amount of power and sound still to develop in this guitar. Having said that the projection and responsiveness are already excellent and the strings have the “spring” that gives you the confidence to keep pushing for volume and colour.
Resonance and richness are key words for this guitar. The notes have a depth and shape that fills in sound as you play producing rich, full and rounded harmonies and legato melodic lines across the strings.
The changes in, and development of, her voice were obvious to me as I played various pieces from Bach to Garcia studies to Brouwer’s “Decameron”.
This is a guitar that is desperate to be played to bring out her best and this will be an improving and exciting journey for her new owner.
Sold May 2009
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