Seen here is a new Sergei de Jonge Classical Guitar with an elevated fingerboard, pairing a Cedar top with Black Limba for the sides, back and neck. The bracing is Spruce, the body blocks and linings are Mahogany. The bridge is Indian Rosewood and the fingerboard is Ebony. As is the case for most of de Jonge’s guitars, the finish is a hand-applied French Polish.
Classical And Flamenco
Ramirez 1a flamenco guitars are built in the traditional Spanish style at the ‘home’ workshop. The guitar centers on a ‘slipper foot’ neck to body joint, with the sides fitting into slots cut into the heel block. The body pairs a Spruce top with Cypress back and sides – a very light wood in terms of weight and colouring, also providing a lot of brightness to the tone.
Here is an historic piece – one of Lenny Breau’s Ramirez 1a Flamenco Guitars, built during 1961 and used during many appearances with Lenny as seen in the attached clips. The first clip is from is a CBC documentary from 1968 with Lenny playing the guitar with its distinctive friction tuners, and the visible, protective tap plates (Golpeador). Note the technical deviation from ‘strictly traditional’ Flamenco style – the use of a thumbpick, very likely a Chet Atkins influence.
The Martin 00-28C was the top of Martin’s classical guitar line, featuring Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and a fan-braced Sitka Spruce top. The fingerboard and bridge are Ebony, with Mahogany for the body blocks and neck. The bracing is Spruce, and the neck attachment style is a dovetail joint.
This Vicente Carrillo Pasion Flamenco Negra model, was built during 2014 in Casasimarro, Cuenca Spain where his family has built since 1744; Vicente is the seventh generation. Casasimarro is roughly between Madrid and Valencia, about 220km southeast of Madrid. Vicente Carrillo has been building instruments all his working life.
This Bruce West Cutaway Classical guitar, bearing the serial 16-1 and built during 2016 in Sterling, Ontario features a hundred year old Swiss Alpine Spruce top and Brazilian Rosewood sides and back. Like Bruce’s other guitars, this tie into an interesting and pivotal period of Canadian luthiery history.
Here is a wonderful rarity – a Manuel Rodriguez Sr. Classical guitar, built during 1969 in Los Angeles of Spruce, Brazilian Rosewood and flamed Maple. Manuel Rodriguez Sr. was born in Madrid in 1926 and began learning guitar building from his father, and both worked for Jose Ramirez II. Manuel opened his own shop in 1955, but in 1959 moved to Los Angeles, where this guitar, #308, was built.
This Sergei de Jonge Classical guitar was built during 1980 in Toronto, following de Jonge’s return to Canada from a year in Holland and creation of a new workshop. Having learned guitar building in Toronto during the years 1969 to 1971 from Jean Larrivee and Edgar Monch via Eli Kassner, and then a year with Patt Lister in Collingwood, this de Jonge classical shows these strong influences.
Here is an unusual item! Built during 2014 in Guanajuato, Mexico, this is a J Perfecto Rubio Estudio model; the builder is a cousin of famed luthier German Vazquez Rubio of Los Angeles, who worked for Bernardo Rico when B C Rich models were new. We do not see many Mexican-built guitars in Canada, and in that number, high quality models like this are even rarer.
The concert-grade Ramirez Traditional Professional 1a Model is the “benchmark guitar” for tone and quality for Maestros, performers and Master-Luthiers world-wide. Considered by many to be the Ultimate Concert guitar, the traditional is available in Red Cedar top and by special order in German Spruce top. The Ramirez 1a Professional is built with Indian Rosewood back and sides. We also offer it in artist-grade Madagascar Rosewood back and sides.
The Alhambra Luthier Aniversario is at the top of the line, featuring Ziricote for the sides, back, bridge and head plate, and either Red Cedar or Spruce for the ‘Japanese House’ braced top. The Alhambra Luthier Aniversario line was introduced in 2015 for Alhambra’s 50th anniversary. Built in Muro de Alcoy alongside other models, the Alhambra Luthier Aniversario is built in the traditional Spanish style, with the Ziricote sides tying into the Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata, which is neither Spanish or a Cedar) neck block.
The Bernhard Kresse Modern Classical guitar blends elements of modern guitar building with traditional practices and techniques, delivering a superior concert grade instrument. This example was built during 2003 at Kresse’s small shop in Köln, Germany and features a Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood for the sides, back, head plate, backstrap and bridge. Mahogany is used for the body blocks and back braces, Maple for the neck and Ebony for the fingerboard.
The Alhambra Luthier Rio Concert Classical Guitar is an excellent instrument, available only on special order. It features a Master Grade cedar top and solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides. The name of the model, ‘Rio’, comes from the Spanish name for Brazilian Rosewood – Palosanto de Rio. The Alhambra Guitar Company of Muro de Alcoy in Spain have built a reputation for crafting high quality nylon string guitars used extensively by students, educators and professional musicians.
Here’s a Ramirez Conservatorio Abeto Concert classical guitar, built during 2014 in Madrid, Spain and featuring the ‘Abeto’ or Spruce top.
This example is in overall good condition, with one small pressure mark on the top. It has no cracks and wear is minimal. The original Ramirez-branded Hiscox lightweight flight case is included. The Ramirez Conservatorio Concert Classical guitar represents a major development in classical guitar design from Amalia Ramírez, with unique use of ‘fiddle edge’ construction.
The Journey Solid Cedar / Pau Ferro Classical Travel Guitar OC520 is an amazing collapsible acoustic classical travel guitar with solid cedar top and pau ferro layered back and sides, and features a sound port in the upper bout. It’s super ergonomic with the thicker Manzer© wedge and a smaller parlor sized body.
The Alhambra Model Z-Nature Classical Guitar features a Solid Red Cedar top, with Mahogany for the sides, back and neck. The fingerboard is Indian Rosewood. The body is bound only on the top edge, and good quality nickel plated tuning machines are installed. A hard-shell case is included.
Part of the Conservatory line intended for serious students, the Alhambra 5PCT cutaway classical guitar verges into the area of ‘Crossover’ models, meant to make nylon string tone and responsiveness available to players in non-classical musical contexts. This model is based on the popular Alhambra 5P Conservatory Series Concert Classical guitar. Several factors help define the ‘Crossover’ models. Typically, the body has a cutaway and is thinner, and there’s a recognition that the guitar will be amplified. The thinner body reduced feedback, and the pickup and preamp help restore fullness.
This Roosebeck Renaissance lute is a 6 course model, featuring a bowl constructed of 25 fluted Sheesham staves, and with a 600mm scale length. The top is Spruce, while the neck, bowl, nut, bridge, and end pin are built of Sheesham, The peg box is Sheesham and Lacewood. The frets are formed in the traditional manner – tied on – but are nylon line (guitar string) rather than gut.
The Alhambra 10 Premier classical has a bracing design that maximizes its volume and projection.Balanced bass, medium and treble sounds and an incredible sound projection, in modern guitar. A sound with a perfect string height, high enough to contribute to the sound, but at the same time with just the right height to be extremely comfortable, which describes a guitar with incredible sound projection and well-balanced bass, medium and treble.
Alhambra Guitars, in a collaboration with Carlos Piñana, a fabulous young player from Murcia, Spain, have focused on making dramatic improvements to the Flamenco Negra Guitar. The Alhambra 5FP Carlos Piñana Flamenco Guitar and the Alhambra 10FP Carlos Piñana flamenco guitar offers players a fuller, rounder bass response.
The Ramirez Estudio 3 / Studio 3 guitar is the third model and top of the line in the Studio Line from Jose Ramirez guitars. Built with a solid cedar top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides and ebony fretboard. The Estudio 3 / Studio 3 products great volume, body, interplay of tones, balance, roundness and warmth.
The Alhambra Crossover classical CS-LR CW with laminated Rosewood back and sides and a Fishman Prefix pickup option is a lower cost option than the CS-3 CW for the steel string player needing the responsiveness of nylon, with the practicalities of amplification. The Alhambra Crossover CS-LR is an excellent solution to those who are willing to express modern music with a classy touch. With a neck of 48 mm and its fine quality of Cedar top, this instrument has the versatility of giving you a beautiful sound plugged or unplugged.
The Alhambra Z-Nature CW E2 is part of Alhambra’s Student Cutaway line, intended for advancing students who need a cutaway model for modern repertoire, or for players who want the responsiveness of a nylon string guitar with the versatility of a cutaway. The Alhambra 5P is built with quality solid and laminate woods, and here we’re seeing it with a solid Red Cedar top and laminated Mahogany for the sides, back, and solid Rosewood for the headplate and bridge.
This Alhambra Crossover CS-3 CW E2 is an excellent solution to those who are willing to express modern music with a classy touch. With a neck of 48 mm and its flexibility of fine quality of Cedar top, this instrument has the versatility of giving you a beautiful sound plugged or unplugged. The elegant design of its headstock will allow musicians to display style and project a sound that matches the look of this amazing instrument.
The Ramirez Cut 2 Cut awayguitar offers superior high-quality woods, quite balanced among its tonal range with high stability on its third string. It stands out due to its comfort and how easy it is to change and play with the timbre. Rich in overtones.
The new Alhambra Professional Model is easily one of the most well built, beautiful sounding, and affordable hand made classical guitars on the market. Crafted by the same master builders responsible for Alhambra’s “Luthier” models, the Professional is available with a solid Spruce or Cedar top, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides, Ebony fingerboard, and a High C 20th fret.
Gordon O’Brien and Grant MacNeill look at the Alhambra Linea Profesional concert grade classical guitar.
The Alhambra 10fp Flamenco guitar is our top level Alhambra Flamenco Negra instrument. Built with superior grade solid German Spruce top and solid Palisandro or Indian Rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 10fp has a somewhat warmer tone with the low action characteristic of flamenco guitars.
The Alhambra 3f Flamenco guitar is the perfect entry level Flamenco instrument. Built with a solid German Spruce top and laminated Sycamore back and sides, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 3f has the bright tone and low action characteristic of flamenco guitars.
The Guitarra del Tiempo was created to commemorate one hundred forty years of peerless Ramirez design and construction. This guitar features a newly-designed enhanced top-brace system that delivers articulate noting and full-bodied tone. The Ramírez Guitarra del Tiempo’s ample volume and reactive dynamics will satisfy the most demanding guitarist.
The Alhambra Menguel y Margarit Series C Concert Classical Guitar, built by master luthiers Jose Menguel and Javier Margarit, feature lattice braced tops and French Polish finish, with the highest quality materials used throughout. Two versions are offered by The Twelfth Fret, with Red Cedar or European Spruce for the top. The Alhambra site lists only the Cedar version. Lattice bracing is a relatively recent development, allowing greater stiffness from a thinner, highly responsive top.
The Alhambra 7P CW Cutaway Classical is Alhambra’s 7P advanced Student Model fitted with with a cutaway and Fishman Prefix Premium Blender system. This model’s full name is officially 7 P CW E (x), where the (x) is a number representing exactly which Fishman pickup system is installed. Currently, the numbers for pickup systems have been 2, 3 and 5. This is a level 7 guitar, with Rosewood back and sides – represented by the P for the Spanish word for Rosewood, Palisandro.
The Alhambra 5P uses traditional Spanish construction methods, tying the body and neck together. This model features full body and scale size, Cedar or Spruce top, Laminate Rosewood back, sides, solid Rosewood bridge and headplate, an Ebony-reinforced Mahogany neck with Ebony for the fingerboard. The use of laminate Rosewood for the back and sides increases stability for the guitar in the situations a student will encounter, without sacrificing much tone.
The Alhambra model 7P Classic classical guitar is probably our most popular model for the serious student of the classical idiom. With its all solid wood construction, this instrument will develop and grow with you as your skills, technique and repertoire expand. The solid bookmatched spruce top on this instrument gives excellent note definition and interesting overtone series while the rosewood back and sides impart a warm foundation for the note fundamental and a golden overall tonality.
The Alhambra 7fc Flamenco guitar is our mid-level Alhambra Flamenco instrument. Built in the traditional manner with a solid German Spruce top and solid Cypress back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 7fc has the bright tone and low action characteristic of flamenco guitars. Golpeadors, or tap plates, are installed as stock. This is a full scale instrument, with a 650m or 25.6 inch scale length and 52mm or 2.04 inch nut width.
The “Del Tiempo” Guitar celebrates 135 years of the historic “Casa Ramírez” established by José Ramírez I – in 1882; currently enjoying its fifth generation of Ramirez family ownership. Designed by Maestro-Luthier Amalia Ramírez, the Del Tiempo is a continuation of the esteemed 130 Años model. Typical of all Ramirez guitars, the classic “Spanish sound” is immediately apparent; full bass response, plenty of volume and warm, sensitive trebles with good balance through the entire range.
The Alhambra 10fc Flamenco guitar is our top-level Alhambra Flamenco Blanca instrument. Built in the traditional manner with superior grade solid German Spruce top and solid Cypress back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 10fc has the bright tone and low action characteristic of flamenco guitars. Golpeadores, or tap plates, are installed as stock. This is a professional flamenco guitar for those looking for the maximum quality at a reasonable price. Guided by traditional design concepts.
The Ramirez SPR classical guitar is based on the Ramirez SP model designed by Amalia Ramirez in 2002 and fits between the Studio and Professional models. The SPR guitar is partly built at the Ramírez workshop, where, once completed, it is carefully reviewed, adjusted and certified. The Ramirez SPR classical guitar features a lovely new rosette designed by Amalia Ramírez and a ‘historic’ label in the style of the labels seen in pre-1960s era Ramirez guitars.
The Alhambra 10FP Carlos Pinana Flamenco Negra guitar, a recent model from Alhambra guitars in the eastern part of Spain. Many contemporary Flamenco players find they need a guitar that offers a fuller and rounder bass response, as well as the traditional treble-clarity and power one expects in a traditional Flamenco guitar. To this end we have seen an increasing number of Flamenco Guitars built with dark coloured Rosewood back and sides, commonly called Flamenco Negra guitars.
The Twelfth Fret is very pleased to carry a wide range of quality instruments from Alhambra in Spain, ranging from beginner to professional concert grade. Their entry to the world of Flamenco is the model 2F. The Alhambra Model 2F Flamenco guitar features a Solid Red Cedar top, with Sycamore for the sides and back. The neck is Mahogany with a fingerboard of Indian Rosewood. The body is bound on the top and back, and good quality nickel plated tuning machines are installed. A hard-shell Everest case, made in Canada, is included.
Alhambra Guitars, in a collaboration with Carlos Piñana, a fabulous young player from Murcia, Spain, have focused on making dramatic improvements to the Flamenco Negra Guitar.
Ramírez Model 1a C-650 Traditional Spruce Concert Classical Guitar is a magnificent sounding guitar with a German spruce top, Indian rosewood back- More►
When I visited the factory last fall I was introduced to the Alhambra Carlos Piñana 2F Flamenco guitar and the sister guitar: the Z-Nature Classical guitar and the new Open-Pore finish technique developed for these guitars. Collaboration between the Alhambra Luthiers and Flamenco performer – teacher Carlos Piñana of Mucia City resulted in this remarkably professional sounding yet low-priced guitar. Flamenco guitars are by design loud and clear with a hint of brashness which makes them ideally suited to the
We’re continuing our review of the Alhambra classical guitar line, and Gordon O’Brien and Grant MacNeill are looking at the Alhambra 10p Classical model.
We’re continuing our review of the Alhambra classical guitar line with Gordon O’Brien and Grant MacNeill looking at the Alhambra 7p Clasical model.
We’re beginning our review of the Alhambra classical guitar line featuring Gordon O’Brien and Grant MacNeill looking at the Alhambra 1c model.
Reviewing the Ramirez 4NE Classical Guitars featuring Gordon O’Brien and Grant MacNeill. In this sequence Gordon and Grant are discuss the Ramírez 4NE classical guitar is based on the 1990s model E series guitars, developed from designs conceived by Jose Ramírez III. Amalia Ramírez created the NE models as an affordably priced, all-solid-wood instrument for the serious student of classical guitar.
We’re continue our reviews of the Ramírez guitar line, and here we have the Ramirez 1a Traditional Classical Guitar played by Gordon O’Brien.
Based on the of the 1990s model E series guitars, developed from designs conceived by Jose Ramirez III, Amalia Ramirez created the 2 NE and 3 NE models as an affordably priced, all-solid-wood instrument for the serious student of classical guitar.
Celebrating 130 years of guitar-making tradition: Ramirez 130th Anniversary model (“130 Años”).
The Alhambra Model 10p is a fine instrument and is available with either Red Cedar or European Spruce top. We’re illustrating the Spruce top model here.
The top is Red Western Cedar, which provides a warm, rich tone that will quickly open and develop as it is played. The back and sides are a mahogany laminate, which remains stable through many changes in temperature and especially humidity.
The Alhambra Cross Over CS-3 CW E5 model is also available as the E2 with the Fishman Pro Blender microphone / pickup system.
Initially, Alhambra custom-made a small number of “crossover” nylon strung guitars at our request, specifically for our store. These models have included the Alhambra Cross Over CS-1 CT E2.
We have a lot of studio and jazz players who need that nylon string tonality for Latin music recording projects and live performance applications, but feel uncomfortable with the regular two inch wide nut and flat fingerboard typically found on classical guitars.
The Alhambra 9P CW E2 solid AAA grade Western Red cedar top is meticulously bookmatched and extremely fine grained. Solid East Indian rosewood back and sides are straight grained and quarter sawn for maximum stability and sound reflection. The ebony reinforced Spanish cedar neck features an ebony fingerboard, “lyre” style precision tuners and well finished frets.