After two years of learning flamenco guitar on my Taylor NS 32 CE, I am looking to buy a flamenco guitar and wonder if people have recommendations. I live in a location where actually trying them out is impossible, so I have to shop on line. The guitars I have been looking at are:

Antonio Aparicio AA90
Loriente "Carmen"
Francesco Navarro student flamenco
Cordoba Solista

If you were going to rank them in terms of tone and action, which order would they be. Do you have any comments on any of them based on experience?

Thank you for your help and input,
Chris

My personal opinion would be to go with the Navarro. If you are serious about continuing with flamenco guitar, you might want to wait until you can pay twice the price of these models and get a custom handmade guitar by a lesser known guitar maker or consider used. I have seen used Darrel Hippner guitars sell for about the same as a student Navarro. It is a real gamble buying without playing and comparing not only tone and response, but playability. Some factory guitars in this price range can have the action reworked to play very well, but some not so much. Depends on the individual guitar more than what factory made it. Another consideration is it may not be long before you require a better guitar and selling one of these factory jobs is difficult unless you are willing to take about a third or less of what you paid.

Thank you, Sam. Are you recommending the Santos Hernandez Hippner guitar as a more expensive, but better quality guitar? Any thoughts about flamenco negra guitars vs cypress? I am a little confused about the rosewood backs - why would that be different from a classical guitar sound? My understanding is that the cypress wood is a large contributer to the sound of a flamenco guitar. I still have a lot to learn.
Chris

Chris –
There is a difference between a flamenco negra and a classical guitar, even if they both use a dark wood like rosewood and others for the back and sides. The top is thinner on a flamenco guitar, blanca or negra, and the internal bracing is also different on a negra and a classical. Blanca or negra really is too individual a choice for anyone to make any recommendations. Possibly if you also play classical guitar, you might want to go with the negra. For pure flamenco I personally prefer a blanca, but if you like a deep bass the negra will give you more of one.

With respect to recommending guitars, it would help if we knew your approximate budget, which obviously makes a huge difference when it comes to recommendations. I would not get the Aparicio – they have thick square necks that are uncomfortable for playing. I'm not familiar with the Loriente, but there is no such luthier as "Antonio Loriente," it's just a factory guitar that they stuck a nice sounding name on. I've never played a Navarro, but I have heard good things about his guitars, but of course you are contemplating a student guitar, which might be good – as a student guitar. My experience with Cordoba guitars is that they are better in general than any guitars I have played in the same class – i.e. – at every level that I have compared them to other guitars in the same price range, they have definitely impressed me as being the best in each respective price range. Again, if I knew your budget, I could advise you better, but of the guitars you listed, I have no doubt whatever that you would be best off with the Cordoba Solista. Of course that costs more than the Navarro, so we're back to budget. One other thing to consider about the Navarro. I'm sure that as Sam said it would be a good choice, but it is made in Mexico, and I have heard a lot of people say they had problems because of the dramatic climate change. It depends where you live, which I don't know.

Please give us a general price range, and I'm sure you will other opinions here.

Ramon

I would recommend the Navarro over the others. I had one, was well done. If you go for Navarro, make sure there is an exchange/approval policy in case you don't like it. Also, if you can afford it, I would strongly consider a Darren Hippner (Santos design) over the Navarro------you can sometimes find a Hippner used for about $1000.00. And again, the seller should have an approval/exchange policy. Any reputable dealer or seller will offer an approval period, in case the guitar is not right for you, or whatever you don't like. If the place has no approval/exchange, don't buy it. Take your time and find what's right. Also, La Falseta web site sometimes has a few Navarro guitars, as well as sometimes a couple used guitars. Worth checking.

Chris,

Also, as mentioned above, there are definite differences between a classical guitar and a flamenco guitar. Flamencos do have thinner soundboards and different bracing inside dependnent upon the design. Also, the depth, distance between soundboard and back is usually between one two inches less on the flamenco than a classical. Also, saddle, nut, and action are different on the classical----and it isn't the case where you can just lower the action on a classical to get the flamenco play.It doesn't work that way. Also, in general, the flamencos well-made are often featherweight----no comparison with a classical. While indiviuals have their preferences, I think a blanca with spruce or cedar top produces the best traditional flamenco sound compared to a negra. Although, I must say, I do often envy the sometimes deeper bass that seems to come from a negra. If you can afford it, I recommend finding a second-hand (or new) and hand-made instrument over a factory-made guitar. So many of the flamenco guitars from the larger shops sound very antiseptic and dull, I think because of the woods used and the heavy lacquer. While Navarros are from Mexico, they have a decent reputation. Also, guitars by Salvador Castillo (also, Mexico) often get rave reviews, better than Navarros. A hand-made, used, Hippner blanca sold on e-Bay today for $660.00. Hippner is a U.S. luthier. Good luck. Happy playing.

Chris –
Michael is right, that if you could find a good used hand-made flamenco guitar, that would be the best thing to do. Of course you said that you can't find a place to actually try one out, so that's a problem, especially with a used guitar. As Michael also pointed out, most online venues have an approval/exchange or even return policy, so all you can get stuck for is shipping.

To return to some of the choices that have been discussed, sometimes it's like apples and oranges. The Cordoba Solista is in a different category from a Navarro student guitar, and accordingly costs more. Then you have to compare those to a used hand-made. Incidentally, to compare apples to apples just for the moment – until you let us know your price range – there is another Cordoba for a lot less than the Solista, that you can hear a clip of below. This one sells for around $800, and I personally have never played any guitar in that price range that sounds as good. And I have also found Cordoba guitars to be very playable, so I suspect this one is also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SCwaD1sjr4

I was thinking of up to about $1500 - 2000.

Solista definitely fits in the category. I found a good price on the Aparacio, so I included it in my list to ask about. I am 5'3" with small hands...if it is awkward to play, it's off the list right there.

I am appreciating the information, including possible luthiers.

I live in Ohio (sadly, a flamenco wasteland) so humidity (and lack of it) is definitely an issue. My Taylors have a similar issue with being sensitive to too much or too little humidity, so I have a guitar room where I attempt to have some humidity control.

Chris, With that info my answer is easy and without reservation. Save another $700 and put with the $2000 and get a world class flamenco guitar custom made for YOUR hands and tonal preferences. Peter Tsiorba! He will brace and build your instrument for your humidity. I would advise getting your order in quick as he is gaining world fame as a fine flamenco guitar maker and his extremely low prices will soon increase. I am expecting one from him in February made with maple back and sides like flamenco guitar were before economics caused Spanish makers to switch to cypress. See our guitar makers forum for info on Peter. He has several examples of his guitars on utube. Each one is unique and made to suit the player in every way. Read Bob's report on the playability of his guitars. Other makers that can make as fine a guitar are getting $5000 up and most times they are not as flexible in your choice of bracing, woods, etc.

guitarreros-f27/my-visit-with-peter-tsiorba-t403.html

Chris -
If you do decide to take Sam's advice, I have something else that you might want to consider for any guitar you may end up buying if it is a hand-made guitar to order. You mentioned you have small hands. You can ask the luthier to make you a 640 scale, or maybe even a 630 scale guitar. A 630 might fit you better, and be a lot easier to play. If it is made by a first rate luthier, such as recommended by Sam, there will be no real loss of volume, and there will be a great gain in playability.