Recommend a Spanish/ Flamenco guitar!

tony99

As per title, I'm getting to grips with first forays into Spanish guitar music and would like to get my first dedicated guitar for it.

I'm currently using a little Hohner classical, I'm not the greatest player but sort of getting there with stuff like "Asturias Leyenda" and "quizas quizas quizas"

I'd prefer something with a cutaway but that's not imperative, nor is a pickup system 

Hadn't got a budget set in stone but wouldn't want to go over £500 really, but I suppose trading up another of my guitars I could spend quite a bit. Then again would a couple of hundred get me all that I need ?

What are my options amigos?

guitars4you

Not sure who is in Liverpool these days to try a guitar, but think Forsyth in Manchester are strong on such guitars - Sorry I can't help any more than that

menamestom

I would have a think first whether you want a Spanish classical guitar or a Flamenco guitar, which are a bit different.

Flamencos are usually brighter, with a lower action and a golpeador plate.

For the tunes you mentioned a standard classical might be the best, or a flamenco negra which is a bit warmer than a standard flamenco guitar.

There was a Cordoba Paco here for sale recently that might be quite nice.

I have a hand made flamenco guitar currently which is quite nice, but for what I play a reasonable classical, Cedar or Spruce and Rosewood back and sides may be a bit fuller sounding.   

guitarjack66

I bought an Admira classical recently and its an ok guitar. Flamenco appears to have a style and tone of its own though so you might need something distinctive.

Sputnik

Have a look at the Yamaha NCX range.  They play like proper classical guitars, have a cutaway and electrics, but importantly they have a truss rod that enables you to manage the action you want and balance it against the string tension you prefer.  I have had a 2000R model for some years now and it is a magnificent guitar.  The cheaper models must be available second hand for £500 plus, or go crazy, buy a genuine Japanese top of the range model and you'll never have to buy another.  It worked for me (but then I bought several others too ...)  Good luck exploring the world of nylon!

pacodelucia13

I have an yamaha cg182 sf and an alhambra 7Fc. I like both of them, alhambra comes with 2 bridges ...one with a lower action, but I shaved even that bridge and also on the yamaha to get good a better setup. I have been playing a while now more than 10 years. Although can't say I know I know a lot full pieces, just learned 2 or 3 vicente amigo tunes from Luciano Ghosn's patreon, know a bit of Tomatito and a bit of Paco de lucia but would say I am an intermediate at most. My advice is to get any one of these, for me the Alhambra is easier to play but has less volume, so maybe take an alhambra cause what's important in the beginning is to be easy to play. I also play low tension strings basses and I combined 2 sets normal and low tension trebles so that I get a more balanced tension across strings (high e is low tension, check string tension chart online) trick from Luciano Ghosn.
so, my two cents is to focus on playability of a guitar and learn the basics rasgueados, golpes, lamenco tremolo piami, alzapua. There is a lot on youtube these days.

ICBM

I have a Manuel Raimundo classical with (quite unusually) walnut back and sides, which gives it quite a bright, percussive tone, and a very shallow neck by classical standards which would probably be ideal for a more flamenco style. I've been unable to decide whether to keep it or sell it - I'm not really a classical player at all, but it suits me better than any other one I've played exactly because of those two things, so I feel I perhaps shouldn't. It's unfortunate we're not closer or I'd be happy for you to have a look at it... it's in your price range if I do decide to sell it.

pacodelucia13

check this video, until you know exactly what you like as string spacing, scale length 650, 660 or more...would buy something common that you can resell when you want to upgrade