Looking to buy a high quality Nylon classical guitar

[PlayerSTill]

Looking to buy a high quality Nylon classical guitar. not flamingo, more like a full ballad sound, almost like the high strings have some reverb on them

Any recommendations for a guitar, or a shop/builder

Could be used I suppose but prefer new

Have about $4000 to spend for a budget

Thank you!

[Gitfiddlemann]

Originally Posted by PlayerSTill

Looking to buy a high quality Nylon classical guitar. not flamingo, more like a full ballad sound, almost like the high strings have some reverb on them

Any recommendations for a guitar, or a shop/builder

Could be used I suppose but prefer new

Have about $4000 to spend for a budget

Thank you!

New could get you a decent one, but with 4K, used is the way to go to potentially score a really nice instrument.
Keep your searches to reliable and established houses. Guitars that are on consignment or being advertised as used. Don't be shy about making offers.
Patience and due diligence will be your friends. Good luck!

[hubcapsc]

I came across this ebay seller of (high end?) Japanese-made
guitars when the agfbot posted one of his items on here. Now I
frequently look back at his store because it is fun to scroll
through... lots of (high end?) classicals in his store...

https://www.ebay.com/sch/victork1962...1&_ipg=&_from=

-Mike

EDIT: I just clicked on the link I posted to make sure it works... there's a bunch of classicals
there across a vast price range... there's one for $9,000 that has 22 people "watching" it !

[MikeMcKee]

Have you checked out DreamGuitars?

[SBalderrama]

Flamingo:


Flamenco:

[Bax Burgess]

Don't knock a flamingo until and after you've put strings on one.

[FrankHS]

Originally Posted by Bax Burgess

Don't knock a flamingo until and after you've put strings on one.

What are the best strings for a Flamingo?
Anyone tried Nile-gut?

[SBalderrama]

Originally Posted by FrankHS

What are the best strings for a Flamingo?
Anyone tried Nile-gut?

the Labella 820's with Red Trebles, obviously.

[CodyToonz]

I'd highly recommend Guitar Solon International.

https://www.guitarsalon.com/

They are in Santa Monica Ca. My wife bought her Sakurai guitar from them. We made a special trip from Wyoming to go there. Interesting place. Nondescript brick building in an unlikely neighborhood. We made an appointment. They have a wonderful testing area. Our salesman was more of a guide. He was a superb player bringing out and playing many different guitars. It was great to hear them being played by someone so talented. Many world famous players drop by and have been known to record brief videos. I believe some are offered on their website. My wife's instructor bought her amazing Ruck guitar there back before demand drove his prices through the roof.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by SBalderrama

Flamenco:

Thanks for that. Very fun!

PlayerSTill, very hard to recommend anything with such vague criteria. There are lots of classicals out there. For me, it would be a shame to spend $4000 with out knowing exactly what you want.

Check out Alan Carruth, a very knowledgeable forum luthier. His prices come close. Or do more homework. Or talk to Alan.

[SBalderrama]

Originally Posted by PlayerSTill

Looking to buy a high quality Nylon classical guitar. not flamingo, more like a full ballad sound, almost like the high strings have some reverb on them

Any recommendations for a guitar, or a shop/builder

Could be used I suppose but prefer new

Have about $4000 to spend for a budget

Thank you!

Honestly for that price I'd look around your area for local luthiers who would have some product you could go get hands on and test out first.

Or go with a well known online dealer with a very good return policy that won't panic if you cycle a few trying to find what you want.

4K is honestly kind-of a difficult number. Hard to find that price point locally usually in stores, but luthiers working at that point tend to be less known without as long term of a reputation maybe ( but not saying there aren't some good ones). That range is basically the high end pro shop name brands ( ie, getting the best from Takamine, Yamaha, Spanish brands like Alhambra, etc), or less known luthiers. Honestly, if I didn't have an easy chance to play beforehand, I'd be more willing to plunk 4K over to Yamaha than a luthier I don't know much about.

Luthiers who would be the kind that you can trust sight unseen generally are more like 8K-12K and will probably have a quite long wait list. The Lester Devoes, etc, of the world.

There are a lot of used options in that range, but you might have to cycle through some to find what you are looking for.

[Red_Label]

Originally Posted by CodyToonz

I'd highly recommend Guitar Solon International.

https://www.guitarsalon.com/

They are in Santa Monica Ca. My wife bought her Sakurai guitar from them. We made a special trip from Wyoming to go there. Interesting place. Nondescript brick building in an unlikely neighborhood. We made an appointment. They have a wonderful testing area. Our salesman was more of a guide. He was a superb player bringing out and playing many different guitars. It was great to hear them being played by someone so talented. Many world famous players drop by and have been known to record brief videos. I believe some are offered on their website. My wife's instructor bought her amazing Ruck guitar there back before demand drove his prices through the roof.

1) I second the GSI suggestion.

2) I assume that you live in Cody (where I was born and raised, and where my dad still lives.

3) I assume that your wife's instructor was Elizabeth Adcock in Billings (where I live now)? I assume this because she's got a Ruck and is in the Cody region.

[CodyToonz]

Hey Red_Label---You hit the nail on the head. My wife had a lesson with Elizabeth Sunday. We spent the night and drove home over the Beartooths.

[Fishermike]

I'd recommend spending some time over at classicalguitardelcamp.com. You'll find a ton of info, and they also have a pretty amazing classified section for classical guitars, from student-level to world class.

[dyingsea]

Originally Posted by Fishermike

I'd recommend spending some time over at classicalguitardelcamp.com. You'll find a ton of info, and they also have a pretty amazing classified section for classical guitars, from student-level to world class.

This. Many of the classical guitar retailers are heavily over priced. They try and sell you on the fact that you don't have to wait 2-3 years and can buy now. You can buy from luthiers directly and find some absolutely stunning instruments in the delcamp classifieds (many luthiers post their guitar availability there as well)

OP for the sound you are describing I would look heavily at maple classicals. They have this amazing angelic tone to them that is very different from rosewood.