Melchor Rodriguez guitar (Estudio)

A guitar that surprised me a lot sound wise. It is in fact 

a bit of a Jose Ramirez 1A concert guitar clone: The

soundboard has been equipped with a 7 fan bracing

and the small individual hardwood glue blocks simply

do resemble the Ramirez construction a lot. The great

concert guitar player and composer Jose Luis Merlin

also plays a Melchor Rodriguez "Merlin". model and 

the two even became friends. Melchor Rodriguez has 

retired now though the two still have regular contact.

 Being a quality instrument the addition "Estudio" on the

label surprised me as this guitar can compete with other

high level instruments. 

Therefore I also made this picture where you can observe 

the beautiful rounded inner heel. Also the way it has been 

done in the Jose Ramirez clase 1A guitars

The body has its' traces of normal use but being almost 

50 years old that is understandable.

The back however is still in a remarkable shape although I 

might give it an extra layer of varnish to make it like new.

As with a lot of other Spanish makers the luthiers sometimes 

stick to the use of the same model name or number while

changing several things regarding the components. Here the

gold coloured tuners can be seen while on other Estudio

models they appear to be silver coloured. I've seen about

the same tuners on the Melchor Rodriguez Grand Concerto

guitars, a bit surprising as the axe holders were also bowed 

out of the base plate on those tuners. 

Good fretwork and a very nicely executed rosette,

And a bridge where the string tie block has been

provided with harder edges to prevent damages.

 

Sadao Yairi gitaar model 800 (1976)

   

Hier een mooie gitaar uit de ateliers van Sadao Yairi. Ik ga
er niet van uit dat hij de gitaren allemaal zelf bouwde en dat 
geldt dan ook voor de hoger geclassificeerde gitaren. De S. 
Yairi gitaren werden eigenlijk maar in beperkte mate met
palissander voor zij- en achterkant uitgevoerd, iets wat je
bij de duurdere series toch zeker zou verwachten, zeker in 
de zeventiger jaren. Dat de Jose Ramirez Clase 1A gitaren 
model hebben gestaan voor deze modellen is evident. 

Deze gitaar is in prima staat behoudens wat kleine gebruiks-
sporen en wellicht wat deukjes op de hals van capo gebruik. 
Wordt verkocht in zijn originele snake skin koffer en de prijs 
houd ik aan de ondergrens voor wat ze momenteel doen. 
Speelt lekker licht en de gitaar is helemaal afgesteld voor 
optimaal spelplezier. Prijs: 700 Euro.

De gitaar is voorzien van een prachtige rozet en ook het binnenwerk 

is keurig verzorgd bij deze gitaar. Het bovenblad is voorzien van

het traditionele 7 delige waaier patroon. Voor het bovenblad is 

massief fichten (sparrenhout) gebruikt. Fijngenerfd. E.e.a. zorgt

voor een mooie balans qua geluidssterkte tussen de lage en de

hoge snaren. Een mooie ronde en volle toon mag bij dit instrument 

verwacht worden. Dat is er dan ook en de ebben toets geeft een

extra luxe uitstraling aan deze gitaar. Scale is 655 mm. Breedte 

van de topkam is 53 mm. Eigen frequentie van de klankkast is 

110 Herz. Niet prominent aanwezig.

Door op de afbeelding te klikken krijg je de rozet foto nog

eens extra vergroot. Op deze foto moeten de frets nog even 

opgefrist worden maar dat zal ik voor verkoop zeker nog 

doen. Het klassieke label siert de gitaar nog eens extra.

Geen speelsporen waar ze vaak wel te zien zijn. Octaaf

zuiverheid is prima.

En hier alle informatie: Bouwjaar en type nummer.

De signatuur wordt zeer waarschijnlijk gewoon mee-

gedrukt met de rest van het label.

Luxe kam welke nog eens mooi verstevigd is aan de 

randen van het snarenblok. Zit ook prima vast nog.

Hier kunt U een evt. beschadiging nader bekijken. Geen

hindernis bij het spelen wat mij betreft maar laat e.e.a. maar

duidelijk zijn: Midden foto links op de hals.

Mooie achterkant met hoegenaamd geen krassen. Mooi

is natuurlijk de centrale strip als extra ornament.

Ook de achterkant van de kop vertoont geen ruwe

beschadigingen tengevolge van het tegen de muur 

zetten van de gitaar.

Tot aan de onderkant wordt de extra versiering op deze gitaar

doorgevoerd maar gelukkig ook weer niet al te overdadig.

De frets zijn nog in prima staat. Wel een paar kuiltjes in 

het toetshout vanwege het spelen met te lange nagels.

Een wat dieper putje in het bovenblad dat netjes opgevuld

is. Beschadigingen kunnen lelijke sporen achterlaten als

er vuil in komt.

De inmiddels weer netjes opgefriste frets.

De originele snake skin koffer die er bij geleverd kon

worden indien gewenst. Zit nu bij de koop inbegrepen.

\

Toch nog een gaaf plaatje na bijna 50 jaar!

Apart is dan weer wel de toepassing van verschillende mechanieken 

die je op hetzelfde model van S. Yairi aantreft. Vaak ook niet goud-

kleurig. Ze werken overigens uitstekend. De goudkleurige zitten op

deze gitaar en zijn uiteraard weer goed gesmeerd.

Oscar Teller 8/A Guitar (1971)

 

Presented here is a completely relaquered Oscar Teller 8/A

The prefix "A" stands for ahorn, probably better known as

maple. As maple was readily available in those days this

model, executed in maple sides and back, was cheaper than

its' counterpart, the model 8/P in rosewood. Nowadays it

would have been different as the lighter hardwoods are

quite popular at this moment. But let's not forget also

Antonio de Torres already used maple for his premium

models in the 19th century and so did several French

guitar builders.

A closer look at the back is possible just by clicking on these pictures.

The scale is 650 mm and the bodies' own frequency is around the note 

G which means 98 Herz. Width of the topnut 51 mm. The intonation is

really good. Due to some top cracks the price would be 1/3 of the price 

what this guitar would be new: 1000 Euro's. The 8/P made by 

Wolfgang Teller (still in business) now costs € 3000,- As for the 

cracks: Everything is repaired and stable now.

The top has been French polished but keep in mind that not

all damages can be treated as then you are obliged to sand down

the soundboard. The top will be thinned then and is more prone 

to deformations and might even possibly collapse.

And its' label that says Model Nr. 8 / A Anno 1971.

Oscar Teller wasn't alive at that time anymore but

his son Horst kept the same label and name.

Hardly any fretwear. Someone must have did a job not that long ago.

The tuners were lost but these ones do the job really well.

The head often is a victim of damages from setting the guitar 

against a stone wall or knocking it against that wall. As the

back of the head was severely damaged I figured it would be 

nice to add a maple back plate the way later often has been

done by this company and its' builders. Moreover, maple is

much harder than the most of the time used cedar wood for

the necks.

The rosettes from those times on their premium guitars

were immediately recognizable.

Yamaha GC(5 ) Grand Concert guitar 1979

A remarkable Japanese product is presented here.

A very good instrument at an affordable price. Above

all it is still in near mint condition but read all the

comments here beyond regarding this guitar.

Scale length: 650 mm. Width topnut: 53 mm.

Bodies own frequency: G which means 98 Herz.

Condition: Very good. Price: 1000 Euro's.

This is the real bottom as normally these guitars

are offered at Reverb between 1000 and 3000

Euro's depending on their condition and the

use of Brasilian rosewood on the earlier ones.

A closer look at the Yamaha branded guitar, type GC-5.

However, do not mistake yourself as this one can't be compared 

with the later GC-5 solely factory made guitars from this

company. Just take a look at the label here beyond as that

has been hand signed by the late great Hideyuki Ezaki.

He consulted Eduardo Ferrer, a historic dynasty of

guitar makers from Granada, for a few years.

And the label that has been hand signed by this venerable

luthier who worked for Yamaha until the late eighties of 

the past age. Later he started his own workshop and made 

premium concert guitars starting from 6.000 Euro's onwards.

Being this old this, guitar must have been a part of a 

collection as there is hardly any fretwear to discover.

Axes of the tuners are clinched to their base plate

which is a sign of quality.

Not any comments to give on this guitar so far, apart that 

it surprised me a lot sound wise. Full tone with lots of

volume and a nice even quality tone from the low to the

high registers.

Remarkable maybe as sides and back haven't been made

from solid woods, though rosewood on rosewood and any

comparison with all solid guitars in the 2000 / 3000 Euro

category (new) such as the Alhambra 11C was remarkable

as it simple can easily compete with that model.

The back of the  head is still in an undamaged condition.

The former player has treated this guitar with respect.

But he or she might even have kept it in its' case during

a long period of time.

Neck is absolutely straight with no dings or annoying

scratches. Tasteful edge inlays are there as well. And

let's not forget that the Jose Ramirez 1A guitars were

also veneered on the inside, often done to soften the 

tone a bit. For a lot of Japanese companies the laminated

woods used could in fact better withstand the inter-

national transports with ships and/or airplanes.

Nice rosette and a matching inlay in the string tie block.

The surrounded white binding prevents damage often 

due to the tension of the strings on the string tie wood.

And a closer look, now possible when you click on

this picture.

This 1979 guitar is spruce topped.

 

Alhambra 11C Concert Guitar (near mint)

 

One of the well known and reliable brands from Spain

regarding gut stringed guitars. They are producing student

guitars up to professional level ones. Search for their

website to find all the information around this brand. 

This one will be a little more difficult to find but in fact

it is a genuine 11P model. The only thing I have 

discovered that the C could stand for Cedar topped

or a C profile neck. I can't confirm one or the other

but I've read it somewhere. Scale length: 650 mm.

Width topnut 54 mm. Frequency body: 110 Herz.

This guitar is in near mint condition apart from 2 small 

dings.  And remember, I always buy the guitars on sound 

in the first place. Though Alhambra is a reliable company 

there can be remarkable sound differences, even between 

the same models. Price including foamed case with

ties for transport on your back: SOLD.

The head that is in an undamaged condition on both front

and back. As you can see the knobs are clinched onto the

axes of the tuners. 

Also the axe holders haven't been bowed out of the mounting

plate but clinched on it. A sign of higher quality. The prefix

A on top the tuners stands for "Alhambra" of course.

The higher end models have a head modelled differently

from the cheaper range of guitars.

A beautiful back with a rather straight figuring. The desire 

for a wild figured back certainly is there with several

guitar players but these straight figuring is not as prone

to cracks in the near future as a wild figured back

would be. Solid Indian rosewood.

I include this picture most of the time to show potential 

buyers that there is no wear on the lower frets. Straight

neck and carefully placed fretwork!

The body itself is showing some reflections due to the

mirror like varnishing of the top. And that counts as well

for the back and sides. Cedar top.

It is possible to ask the production date from the 

Alhambra company if there is a need to.

Two nice extra added fret ends for the demanding 

pieces. Of course placed in an ebony fingerboard.

What I particularly like is the surrounding of the string 

tie block. They will protect the bridge from damages in 

the future and is a pleasant sight at the same time.

With its' nice scale of 650 mm and a regular

width at the topnut of 52 mm this guitar is a

nice one to play. The topnut has been securely

carved though I've finished some rough ends

to make it look even more perfect. A good

bridge bone was needed as well.

And as always I will serve my buyers with assistance after 

the buy as I'm able to make all kinds of repairs in case that 

should be necessary.