need a cheap flamenco guitar,what should i look for?

[jwmtele]

I been playing flamenco/Spanish music latley and really have gotten
into it.I mostly play acoustic blues and bought a nice old Guild D35 not
long ago so my funds for another guitar is very limited.Whats out there
to play Flamenco on ,around $300 or less?The Yamaha flamenco
gets good reviews,is there something else out there in my price range?
Thanks for your help.
James

[Gostwriter]

the Cordoba C3, C5 and C7 are worth looking at; they all play extremely well. May need a setup if you buy it new, the dealer should do that for no charge.

[Herb Hunter]

I wouldn't necessarily look at a flamenco guitar, I'd look at all nylon-string guitars in your price range and pick one that appeals to you when you play flamenco music on it.

[BuleriaChk]

I agree; Takamine is my first choice. However, you probably will want to get the action lowered (the Tak body is also deeper than traditional guitars --distance from front to back is thicker)

I especially like the cutaways. But for beginners, the inexpensive versions of Takamine, Yamaha, and Cordoba are probably all acceptable - hold off an investment until you've had a chance to develop some technique and compas....

Originally Posted by Herb Hunter

I wouldn't necessarily look at a flamenco guitar, I'd look at
all nylon-string guitars in your price range and pick one that appeals to you when you play flamenco music on it.

[jwmtele]

Found the Cordoba C3 online for cheap.Read somewhere they make good flamenco guitars.What do you think?

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by jwmtele

Found the Cordoba C3 online for cheap.Read somewhere they make good flamenco guitars.What do you think?

Have you played one? Let us know what you think.

[papajoo]

Check out the cordoba c5, I bought this as i made a similar switch from blues toward flamenco. Great sound acoustically even better plugged in. Plus the mahogany cedar is a pretty cool combo for a nylon guitar. For 350-400 new, its a great deal.

[BuleriaChk]

For Flamenco, you'll want to get tap plates installed (best to let your local luthier do it), and the action lowered (or at least set up).

Also, check out Ron Fernandez's site; he has a lot of valuable info there. I have purchased two Flamenco guitars from him (Sanchis Blanca and Negra), and am delighted with them.

http://www.fernandezmusic.com

[jwmtele]

Originally Posted by Gostwriter

the Cordoba C3, C5 and C7 are worth looking at; they all play extremely well. May need a setup if you buy it new, the dealer should do that for no charge.

I really like the look and the price of the Cordoba C3,wish there was one near me to play,but no such luck.You think the Cordoba with tap plate installed would make a good starter Flamenco guitar?I know its a classical guitar but have
read of many people using them for Flamenco.Thanks,
James

[BuleriaChk]

If I were starting over, knowing what I know now, I would get a Takamine EG128SC

For starters (no electronics or cutaway):

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...assical-guitar

With electronics and cutaway (my preference, not only for plugged-in, but the tuner is also very handy):

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...assical-guitar

Better still, and worth the difference if you can afford it

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...lectric-guitar

After lowering the action and installing tap plates (I would select clear) it will be fine, both plugged and unplugged. Not specifically a Flamenco, but a great all around starter guitar, that will work perfectly well for Flamenco.... You won't get the raspy Flamenco quality (but quality is iffy anyway with low quality Flamencos), but if you develop decent technique, it will sound quite acceptable, and it does have the electronics, which aren't as good as the CTP-2, but are still better than most of the alternatives. Very few guitarists regret purchasing Takamines..... Will work fine until you upgrade to a quality Flamenco (I also have a Takamine TH-5C and a TC132SC (special order Flamenco), both of which have the Palathetic pickup and CTP-2 preamp, and sound gorgeous...)

[BuleriaChk]

Update: I just received a Cordoba GK Studio for $385 ($340 + $35 shipping) from Spaghetti-Eddie off of EBay, with a practicably unnoticeable "humidity crack" (although there is no break in the finish).

I bought it for a "beater" guitar, but am very, very surprised at its quality - and it definitely has that raspy Flamenco sound, with low action. I think for the price you can't go wrong, but I sure wish Takamine would make a quality thin body Flamenco using their CTP-2/Palathetic preamp/pickup combo, which IMO is the best around....

[toomanyknots]

Originally Posted by jwmtele

I really like the look and the price of the Cordoba C3,wish there was one near me to play,but no such luck.You think the Cordoba with tap plate installed would make a good starter Flamenco guitar?I know its a classical guitar but have
read of many people using them for Flamenco.Thanks,
James

I would say it would do fine to learn flamenco on. Alot people wouldn't because it is a classical, but it really plays great and to me seems well suited to practice and even play flamenco on. It sure is alot funner to play flamenco on to me. My first choice would be the c3m, then the yamaha cg172sf. Most everyone else's first choice would be the yamaha cg172sf though, which is nice. Check out http://www.foroflamenco.com/ to see what I mean, alot of people really like it. And I do like it too, it sounds more flamenco-y. But to me the c3m just plays better, is louder, has more projection, and comes with an adjustable truss rod. It also typically has the same height or sometimes even lower action than the yamaha cg172sf. With the adjustable truss rod combined with sanding down the saddle, it would be easy to get a lower growly flamenco usable action. The c3m comes with composite, like tusq or graphtek or something, for the saddle and nut. The yamaha comes with just plain plastic, which just kills the sound of an otherwise good guitar. I never understand that. The cedar c3m is gonna get all kinds of dented though from being so soft, you are going to have to have good technique as well as some good golpeadors. But I don't play flamenco seriously, this is just my personal 2 cents. I mainly play classical. If anything, you could probably get a used yamaha on ebay for like 50 bucks to just learn and practice technique. I have read on delcamp, that a famous man (forgot the quoter, sorry, LOL), said that there is no such thing as a classical guitar or a flamenco guitar, there are just good guitars and bad guitars.

[BuleriaChk]

Originally Posted by toomanyknots

I have read on delcamp, that a famous man (forgot the quoter, sorry, LOL), said that there is no such thing as a classical guitar or a flamenco guitar, there are just good guitars and bad guitars.

For anyone who can and even does accompany a Flamenco dancer or singer, that is ridiculous.... Ask someone in Jerez.....

Because any Flamenco guitarist has to know how to dance (the guitarist has the best moves in any Flamenco fin de fiesta). Of course, delcamp is a classical guitar forum; somebody there would say that, especially one who hasn't been in the battlefront of a real Flamenco cuadro....

And I do think my Takamine TH5C and TC132SC sound gorgeous (for my two classical pieces), but not as gorgeous as my Sanchis Blanca and Negra for Flamenco. The Cordoba GK may not sound (as) gorgeous, but it sure sounds Flamenco.... and it does have a pickup which isn't bad for most indoor gigs...

[toomanyknots]

Originally Posted by BuleriaChk

For anyone who can and even does accompany a Flamenco dancer or singer, that is ridiculous.... Ask someone in Jerez.....

Because any Flamenco guitarist has to know how to dance (the guitarist has the best moves in any Flamenco fin de fiesta). Of course, delcamp is a classical guitar forum; somebody there would say that, especially one who hasn't been in the battlefront of a real Flamenco cuadro....

And I do think my Takamine TH5C and TC132SC sound gorgeous (for my two classical pieces), but not as gorgeous as my Sanchis Blanca and Negra for Flamenco. The Cordoba GK may not sound (as) gorgeous, but it sure sounds Flamenco.... and it does have a pickup which isn't bad for most indoor gigs...

Oh yes, I remembered who said that, it was this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ_v9...eature=related

Although I can't say if he ever played a classical in his life. I believe that most takamine cutaways, and most cutaways in general, are a bit over built on purpose to deter feed back when plugged in (or so I am told), and because of it they do not respond well acoustically. So they end up being kinda heavy, which is not good for flamenco I would think in any way. The classical I am referring to is quite a different story, as it is light and percussive for a classical. The antithesis of a lower end yamaha. I have only played a couple gk studio's, but honestly I if it were me, I would rather save my money and buy a francisco navarro student flamenco for 1000 if I was gonna spend more than 300. If not, then I would go for a used c3m or yamaha cg172sf. Or maybe a used cg171sf. Anyway, there goes my 2 cents.

[BuleriaChk]

Sabicas said there was no difference between classical and Flamenco guitars? He always played Flamenco guitars when I saw him..... But he often put people on who asked stupid questions...

(I once asked him if he used 3-finger picado once at a fiesta in SB when he came here for a concert, and he told me "only when I want speed and power". And then proceeded to use two with speed and power....)

The Yamahas may be good, certainly for beginners, but I want/need decent electronics these days, and I do like cutaways, since I sing with the capo on the 4th fret, and I can still get way up high (mostly to use double strings for power chords....)