Hello Again,
I have just introduced myself here, so you can get a little background.
So, as I said, I am beginning to see the need for a dedicated flamenco instrument, and I am on a budget.
Still, I want and instrument that will inspire me to play and improve (and maybe upgrade int he future) and not upset me.
The problem is that it's quite difficult to find a good student flamenco guitar in Israel. I will tell you what's available and would like to get knowledgeable opinions or recommendations on those options. Of course, ultimately I will judge with my hands and ears - but I am not very experienced with flamenco.
So. There are two major music shop chains. One imports Admira and Alhambra, the Other imports Raimundo and lower end Ramirez. The Ramirez are priced insanely, so it's out of the equation.
I have tried the Admira flamenca, and I don't think it's up to par with my expectations.
They have only one Alhambra model - 8Fp - I can't find that one on Alhambra's site. I haven't tried it yet, as they only have 3 guitars in the main store in Tel Aviv and not at my local store. I will drive there and try it some time soon. It is my understanding that this should be a nice instrument, although it's a negra, and I tend towards blance right now. I also don't care much for the orangish color I see on the pictures. But that not to say I won't get it she speaks to me. It's a biut expensive though.
Unfortunantly, they don't have any of the lower priced alhambra's. I would have liked to try a 7fp, 6fp, 5fp, 4fp.
The other chain store has Raimundo, but only flamenco model they have is 125. I would have liked to see the 145, but there isn't any. Anyway, the 125 played nice (at least nicer than the admira). It's cheap, and the dude at that store gives me some 30% off as he sold me my first electric guitar 20 years ago.
Now that's about it. There's someone who imports camps, but don't have any flamenco model available. There are also small shop selling guitars called Azahar and Madrigal - I haven't tried these, but it seems it's low end models - at least I can see it's rosewood fingerboards, etc.
The other more serious option, is to go to the dude I bought the Aparicio from. He has Aparicio AA90F and Burguet 1F at about the same price as the Alhambra 8Fp - that means a little over my budget... but if it's a better option... I'd spend this much. Burguet 2F is well over my budget at this point.
And yet another option is to order online from abroad unseen. I don't like that option, but maybe I can get a better guitar for less money this way. It's a bet though. I can get a Francisco Navarro student Blanca this way (what does anyone has to say about the cocobolo finger board? other than that it's an all solid model and very reasonable price) or an Almansa 447.

So to sum it up my options are:
A little expensive:
1. Aparicio AA90F
2. Burguet 2F.
3. Alhambra 8Fp.

Cheap:
1. Raimundo 125.
2. Navarro student blanca - unseen!
3. almansa 447.

Or if anyone has good experience with madrigal or azahar - it might be worth the trip for me to try one...

Ah! There is one more option. There is a builder here, Yonatan Asher, who builds classical and flamenco guitars. I am about to go to him and try his personal guitar which is the first one he built and it's a flamenca blanca. He can build me a guitar, for about twice what the alhambra costs. But it will be unseen, and I feel a little intimidated - because it's unseen, and he's young - he only build a few guitars so far and it will take a few months work for him to complete it. He got good reviews though.

Thanks,
Oren

I think the student models are all over priced. When you can buy a handmade for just twice the price and get a superior instrument that will satisfy for years, why not save and wait longer. I have heard many good things about this maker. http://gwguitars.com/flamenco.htm Since you are on a budget and need to cut cost, maybe he can make a plain model for less money. It would be good to discuss your needs with him before you invest $1000 in a student factory model.

Thanks! I haven't heard about this builder.
The instruments look fabulous.
His instruments are above my limit at this point. If I have to wait for a year or two for an instrument it misses the point.
I'd rather get a reasonable guitar now, and in a year or two sell it and get an awesome instrument...

Oh well. I emailed him anyway - if he can build something a little cheaper it very well may be an option. I'll drive to his workshop and see his work anyway (he's way up north from where I live).

The thing is that he sells his guitars for only a few hundred more than a student factory. I see on ebay he has one for $1900 USA that includes case and shipping. It would be much less if picked up in person and no ebay fees to pay. Also consider Jeff Sigurdson. He makes a model for a little over $1000 that is much superior to any factory model in the $2000 range. Even with shipping you could get a great guitar for the same price as a factory. The only drawback is waiting. The waiting is hard but worth it. If I had exercised a little patience over the years, I could have saved several thousand lost in trading and selling guitars. The handmade ones help improve playing because of response and ease of playing. guitarreros-f27/my-fabulous-jeff-sigurdson-blanca-t518.html