Admira "Artista".
A lot can be said about the Admira guitars but they survived
the "Japanese" invasion of the seventies / eighties of the past
age. I remember them being on holidays in Spain near the
coast around 1970. We were in the race for some Spanish
guitars back then. But most of the Spanish guitars offered
in shops along the Costa Brava were sloppy made, that is
to say: In our price tag back then.... We bought one finally
but later visited a city out of the coast were they offered
us an Admira guitar. Much more solidly made but with a
veneered top. Later we discovered the German firm Keller
was responsible for the production of these guitars.
Already then they looked good.
This Artista has a solid top, solid sides but a veneered back.
Moreover the neck has been equipped with an ebony fingerboard.
Very well made anyway and the German touch still can be
recognized even after all those years! As always the same
grade models do not have to be exactly the same as the newer
made ones. That the sides on this guitar are solid is a strange
move to opinion. I removed a poorly added Shadow under
saddle pick up and removed a cable holder on the top as
well. A good and real bone example is mounted now.
The "Soledad" branded guitar here above is another story.
Most likely N.O.S. which means "New Old Stock". It simply
is a new instrument. No damages, no fret wear and all
solidly built. Comes with a hardfoam case: Price € 525
The label, although the "Soledad" is out of production.
It often goes in two different ways. Either a lutherie holds
on to the model name or number but changes production
after time in a way that materials sometimes are less.
Discontinuing a model means "creating" a new model
with about the same specs but a higher price. You simply
have to be aware of that. After all it remains business.
Good straight grained back and sides which minimizes
cracks in the future opposed to wildly figured and backs
that indeed have some more appealing looks.
I've installed a 12 hole bridge on this one in order to
get a better angle over the bridgebone. It has a positive
effect on the tone and sustain.
A nice rosette, good fretwork and in fact an almost
flawless glued bracing in the interior of these guitars.
Good working tuners as well.
And a securely adjusted topnut.
As always: Their Admira sticker stating that
the guitar is equipped with a solid top.
Melchor Rodriguez guitar
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. SOLD
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. In fact every
detail of the inner work shows a high standard!
The body has its' traces of normal use but being almost
50 years old that is understandable. The sides have been
strengthened with extra braces the way Jose Ramirez
did in his 1A models as well. The damage on the lower
bout on the right in fact was only lacquer loss but the
former owner kept on using the guitar without protecting
the bare wood. As a result that became dirty. I cleaned
that spot and colored it matching with the rest of the
soundboard. I used a water based stain for it: CLOU
You can get it in all sorts of colors in powder.
The back is still in a remarkable shape although I might
give it an extra layer of varnish to make it like new.
A much fresher look and it gives more cosmetical value to
this guitar. Rosewood can be lacquered and polished quite
easily. The problem is there most of the time when you are
varnishing the bare wood as it contains often oil residues
that are slowing down the hardening of the lacquer.
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. Another Madrid based
luthier, Vicente Perez Camacho is using exactly the same
tuners on a guitar I have in my collection.
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.
