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1974 Ramirez 1a questions
Hello all,
I have some questions about the 1974 Ramirez 1As Top, cedar or spruce? french polished or not. If not what is the finish? Assembled using Hyde glue or something else? Hope someone can answer my questions. Thanks, George Last edited by kaplang; 04-06-2018 at 05:57 PM. |
#2
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1974 Ramirez 1A
Can’t tell you for sure, but I had a 67 1A. It was French polished. My friends shop had a 71, or 72 (I don’t remember which now) and it was French polished. Mine and his were both cedar tops. Both were Brazilian back/sides. As far as I know Ramirez used hide glue.
Both were 664 mm scale, with the canted ebony fretboard. Mine had a leaf case with the hygrometer on it. Mine was a Sherry-Brenner guitar with the Andres Segovia model sticker inside. That dumb little sticker made it more rare, as it was something that the distributor put on, and they were later forced to stop putting them on. That little sticker got me a 2 thousand dollar higher price when I sold it, than I would have got for the same guitar without the sticker. Can you believe it? It’s very easy to find old, long scale 1As for around three to four grand, depending on condition, and mine was beat to hell, and I still got over six for it Do you have, or are you looking for one? |
#3
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Quote:
The finish on older Ramirez guitars can darken considerably, turning a spruce top a warm orange shade which can be mistaken for cedar. |
#4
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1974 Ramirez 1a
"Usually cedar top but spruce was an option. Ramirez used their own proprietary lacquer/varnish finish on guitars of this period and it wasn’t shellac, the substance used with French polishing."
This is correct, hide glue was used. |
#5
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
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#6
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I bought a 1975 1A new for about $1700. It had a cedar top & I was not aware of a spruce option. The finish appeared to be high gloss but don't now any more detail. The sound was magnificent, better than any I knew of. Gave it to my son.
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#7
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Here's something that might get you there and spend a whole lot less $$$. It's a 1966 Ramirez 1A copy here: https://reverb.com/item/11033955-201...assical-guitar
I've been eyeing it for a while, it's got that Ramirez type sound. I just have too many guitars at the moment. The seller is well known and well regarded on the Delcamp forum. TK |
#8
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I have a 1973 Ramirez 1a 8-string guitar. It has a cedar top and Ramirez's proprietary lacquered finish. Apparently, the Ramirez workshop has only a few tins of this finish left and they only use it on their top guitars today. The chemical factory that made it for Ramirez cannot make anymore of this lacquer. So, the story goes but it cannot be obtained today.
The lacquer is pretty tough. When I got the Ramirez it had seen a pretty hard life. The rosette lifted out of the top on one side and there was a long crack in the finish. I removed the strings- one had a ball-end!- and set it aside for about a year. One year later, the rosette has reseated itself flush with the top, the crack has largely healed itself and the guitar sounds great despite having been abused. No rattles, no strange buzzes, no collapsed top. I felt under the top and the braces are intact and there isn't any crack to be felt. |
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As others have said, a 1A from that era could be either spruce or cedar, but cedar-top classicals were kind of a Ramirez specialty.
Unlikely that a standard model would be French polished. Ramirez was an early developer of more durable varnishes intended to replace French polishing -- which is difficult to clean and maintain. Also, a genuine, top of the line 1A from the 70s would likely have Brazilian rosewood back and sides. I'm thinking that would give it extra value in today's market, since Brazilian has become so scarce.
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https://www.christophervolak.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCen...TNrJcTiGu9aPkw Last edited by Guitar Slim II; 04-22-2018 at 01:32 AM. |