 sj |
||
|
||
Seriously, guitars made in Argentina
|
|
|
Subject: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 03 May 02 - 11:47 PM First of all, let me say that I am not in the business of musical instruments. As you may know, as a tenor I am considered an excellent programmer. But perhaps it could be interesting that in our country, because of the tremendous devaluation which rocketeed the dollar from 1.00 pesos to 3.30 pesos (until today), the prices of every local manufacture have dropped dramatically, and there is an invasion of tourists buying everything by the dozen. Argentina has a noble tradition of guitar manufacturing. After some ideas I posted in other threads, today I visited the oldest and most traditional luthier house in Buenos Aires, the Antigua Casa Nunez, where I bought my guitar two times, and these are some of the findings: Classical concerts guitars, nylon strings, the highest quality produced: Model CS70C : red cedar and mahogany, ebony frets and ebony reinforcement, fine marketry. US dollars 596.00 Model Salinas : (jacaranda*) and red cedar, ebony frets, fine marketry, US dollars 438.00 Guitar with mic included: Model C1JEQ : (jacaranda*) and canadian harmonic pine, ebony frets, anticoupling ARTEC microphone with high quality equalizer, plug and cannon. US dollars 312.00 Diatonic harp (for Kat): Harmonic pine and walnut, 36 strings, DIATONIC (not chromatic), no pedal. US dollars 1,400.00 Ruggedized guitar cases, made of wood: between 60.00 and 80.00 US dollars. These are today prices, they may fall as the devaluation continues, or may raise as the producers try to compensate inflation of local costs. You may find more information at www.antiguacasanunez.com (though in Spanish) or may contact me. I will not charge commissions, payments should be arranged with the producer, and you should investigate which are the customs duties in your country for importation of instruments and their cases. There is a wide range of guitars (and some mandolins, accordions and violins) from the less expensive student's guitar for 100.00 to those mentioned above which are the finest. I tested these guitars, they are really classy instruments and the sound is superb. (jacaranda * : don't know the translation, it is a dark and fine local wood, exotic in the North, similar to mahogany) Un abrazo - Andres (Promoting the product of our hands. No more loans! ) :)
|
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 04 May 02 - 05:37 AM Oops.. no turmoils please! There are guitars for all ! |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Steve in Idaho Date: 04 May 02 - 08:39 AM Clik here for the site. Pretty cool Andres! My Spanish is weak and poor but I found it a lovely site. I'm not looking for that particular style of guitar - steel strings for me Friend *G*. Steve |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: katlaughing Date: 04 May 02 - 09:58 AM Great idea, Andres, though with being a recent homebuyer I shall have to wait a while on the harps.*bg* Thanks all the same. BTW, my brother had a jacaranda tree, which he grew as a houseplant, in fact it may be in my living room, I'll have to ask him next time we talk. If so, it is a beautiful tree and mine is about 8 feet tall after about 10 years of growing. That was the same name we used so I don't think there is another in English, though my brother was careful to always use the Latin names of plants. Thansk, again! luvyakat |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: katlaughing Date: 04 May 02 - 10:04 AM Ah, a little research and I find the one I have is not a jacaranda...my brother must still have his. Beautiful trees. |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: 53 Date: 04 May 02 - 10:49 AM I don't think I can buy one of those right now, if I did I would end up in divorce court. |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Amos Date: 04 May 02 - 12:21 PM Dunno why my earlier post got deleted, but these are quite beautiful, Andre, and I think some form of compensation should be arranged if you facilitated a transaction, no? Anyway -- is it your sense that these prices will decline any further? I guess itmust be really hard to estimate, given the volatility of the environment. The CS70C sounds so beautiful I could drool. A |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 04 May 02 - 02:35 PM Yes Amos, prices are very volatile these days, but another decline is most probable. Unfortunately this would mean a worsening of the situation, but at the same time opening even more markets for good local products. (We see every day incredible news: local steel industry raised production to 100% capacity, many fruits are being harvested and not abandoned, workers organized by themselves produce refrigerators again, etc.) Steve,they told me that in two weeks they will have a good variety of jazz/folk guitars with steel strings. Kat, whenever you want the monster shipped, just tell me. 53, we got excellent lawyers who will do the job for a bargain! No, I'll not charge commissions. Thanks to all! Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 04 May 02 - 02:58 PM Excellent information on the jacaranda tree, Kat. In the summer, the flowers of jacaranda change the landscape of Buenos Aires producing a spectacular effect, since there are thousands of jacaranda trees in the streets. This has impressed very much Peter T. when he visited us. However I understand that the jacaranda wood used for guitars is not the same, probably they use some variety imported from Brazil or native of the northern territory of the Chaco or Misiones in the Brazilian border. eer ..Jacaranda trees are on sale too. Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 May 02 - 03:10 PM What about squeezeboxes? I know there are some great accordion family instruments in Argentina, such as the bandoneon and the gaita ponto (this link gives just enough of the latter to be seriously frustrating when it stops.
Maybe now would be a good time for the music of Argentina to come more to the attention of the rest of the world. Paradoxically, that was one of the effects of the worst time in Chile after the CIA backed coup. |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 May 02 - 03:53 PM That wasn't quite the right link to that frustrating sound clip - /a>this should be, |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 May 02 - 03:55 PM But it wasn't. Third time lucky |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 04 May 02 - 06:48 PM McGrath, that's a Brazilian site. Looking for accordions and bandoneons, I find that there is no local manufacturers, at least not the best. It seems that Argentinean (and Brazilian) musicians look for accordions made in Germany, which is no surprise. Instead, local guitars are made of native and imported woods using the finest techniques since the 19th century, and compete very well with the best Spanish instruments. Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 May 02 - 07:05 PM Sorry. Blame Google - I specifically put Argentina in the search requirements, and I didn't notice the tiny bit of Portuguese text up in the corner of the page.
Maybe with import prices going through the roof someone will start making more types of instruments in the Argentine, and you'll end up with an export industry.
Here's a link to Hobgoblin Music - maybe someone could get on to them and see if they might be interested in adding Argentine guitars to their line. |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 16 May 02 - 10:43 PM McGrath, I received today a mail from Pete McClelland of Hobgoblin, stating that they ARE interested in the Argentina guitars. They are presently buying in Brazil, but think that they could buy from Argentina too. I went back to Casa Nuñez and now am sending to Pete a detailed list. Thanks a lot for the link ! Although I am not making a business for myself at this time, it could probably result in important sales and I would be happy to contribute. (Until it becomes a million dollar business, at which time I'll consider it) I guess that anybody interested in a super-fine guitar for such a bargain, would like to put his hands on the instrument first, so I am now looking for the possibility of some music stores in USA and UK having at least one guitar in stock. Thanks again Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 16 May 02 - 11:29 PM Escamillo, the jacaranda you speak of is called "Jacaranda de Brasil." It is Dahlbergia nigra, to be specific, and is usually called Brazilian rosewood here. It has been used in fine guitars for a long time. It is more expensive than Indian rosewood. The information above from thread 15038, especially a posting by Bill D. which provides a click to the USDA information sheets on this wood. Click to the thread: guitar woods |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Bob Bolton Date: 16 May 02 - 11:32 PM G'day Escamillo ... and katlaughing, We have a lot of Jacaranda trees in Australia (ferals ... but very pretty - and almost naturalised up in the New England region) and they are of the genus jacaranda ... however, the timber (despite also being called jacaranda) that Escamillo describes is, almost certainly, of the dalbergia genus - the same family as Brazilian and Indian Rosewoods ... and African Blackwood. These are all great timbers, much prized in instrument making, so Escamillo's Argentinian guitars bear checking out. Regards, Bob Bolton |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 17 May 02 - 12:14 AM Thanks for the information ! I've read that "Brazilian Vs. Indian Rosewood" thread and it's amazing how many people have such a deep knowledge about the instruments and their making. This is a great site, it's no surprise. Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Mudlark Date: 17 May 02 - 12:19 AM Escamillo...Thanks so much for providing this information. When steel string guitars become available I would be very interested. Will watch this thread with interest! |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 17 May 02 - 07:29 AM That's great about Hobgoblin. They're a brilliant firm, with a presence at all the main folk festivals, as well as a bunch of shops, and a huge range of instruments. |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 03 Jun 02 - 03:08 AM This is the site of one of the best luthiers in Buenos Aires, who made the instruments for the most famous classical guitarists in Argentina, Spain and France. http://www.guitarristas.com/estrada/english_version.htm Mr. Estrada Gómez also publishes some very interesting issues on the calculations and manufacture of fretboards. I've just emailed him to ask for prices and possibilities of export, but I'm afraid that his production is very limited and there are long wait times. Let's see what he replies. Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Fortunato Date: 03 Jun 02 - 03:25 PM Escamillo, Let me know when they make something comparable to a D-28. I'll be interested. regards, Chance |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 04 Jun 02 - 01:30 AM Fortunato, sorry, I don't know them by the model numbers. If possible give me some link to a place where I can see a D-28 or read about characteristics. Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Bill D Date: 04 Jun 02 - 09:44 PM ahhh...that old wood thread! Great to see that again. (in my wood books, I see the word "Jacaranda" used in various ways to refer to a number of different woods...but Dicho is correct, the most famous guitar wood is Dalbergia nigra...which is 'sometimes' referred to as Jacaranda) |
|
Subject: RE: Seriously, guitars made in Argentina From: Escamillo Date: 12 Jun 02 - 11:33 PM Spoke to the luthier Mr. Estrada Gómez (age 77) and found that he has already sent sample guitars to California where they can be seen and tested by anyone interested. The address is:
Mr. Tim Miklaucic There is also a music store in Paris, France which has Estrada Gómez guitars, but I guess that no Mudcatters reside in Paris. However if somebody travels to Paris, the name of the store is La Guitarrerie (further details later). This master luthier is now contacting Hobgoblin Co. in London, and they will possibly reach some agreement. IMPORTANT: if you like and want to buy an Estrada Gómez guitar, contact him in Buenos Aires, because he will grant domestic prices plus shipping when exporting an instrument, while a music store in USA or Europe will charge their usual price to unknown buyers and the price advantage will be for them, as long as a formal representation agreement is not established. I repeat the web site of Mr. Estrada: http://www.guitarristas.com/estrada/english_version.htm Un abrazo - Andrés (steel strings: waiting a reply from other luthiers) |
| Share Thread: |