Flamenco to Classical Setup vice-versa

[alonte]

I am thinking of purchasing an actual Flamenco guitar. I know that the main difference is that the action is lower and its supposed the have the "buzzy" tone. Is it possible though to re-set it up as a Classical guitar in the future? maybe higher nut and bone?

Or there is no such thing as an all purpose classical/flamenco guitar?

Thanks!

[Bob Weisenberg]

I don't think "buzzy" is the right term. I would say "earthy".

If you want a dual purpose guitar, I stongly recommend that you find a classical guitar that already has relatively low action and relatively sharp tone. I think a classical works better for flamenco than a flamenco works for classical. (But if you are only going to play flamenco, you might prefer a good flamenco guitar, if you can find one you really like.)

Any classical guitar will sound pretty flamenco if you play it an inch or two from the bridge and with good nails or a pick. But you can't really get that full round classical sound out of a traditional flamenco guitar, no matter what you do. (You might be aware that most concert flamenco guitarists long ago moved to larger, deeper rosewood guitars that are closer to classical than traditional flamenco. So some flamenco guitars today are already compromises between classical and flamenco.)

I am lucky enough to have two excellent guitars. One is a 1988 Yauri classical guitar. The other is a 1971 Sobrinos de Esteso flamenco (which I bought new in Spain). I love them both, and play only flamenco on both. I'll play one for awhile, then the other.

You can hear both together on the MySpace site below, if you are interested. On Paparumba, Tarantas, and Monterey, I'm playing my Yauri in the left channel, and my son is playing the Esteso in the right channel. You can here that the unmodified (except for the critical flamenco pick guard) Yauri classical still sounds very flamenco here because I'm playing it so close to the bridge and in a very gypsy style. Joey is using a flat pick. I'm using a thumb pick, but again, in a very gypsy style.

The cuts from American Gypsy, "Bulerias" and "Homage to Diego" are me solo on my Sobrinos de Esteso flamenco in traditional flamenco style with no pick, just nails. Even though this is the same guitar Joey plays on "Live at Don Quijote", it sounds very different because of the style and because of the very different recording technology. You have to turn the volume pretty high to get a lifelike sound on these two cuts, because I'm playing very forcefully.

("Molly's Melody" is me on the Yauri in the left channel and Joey on a Taylor steel string in the right channel. The only thing flamenco about this composition--my son's, by the way, not mine--is the gypsy way I play my solo.)

The point of all this is that the way you play the guitar is more important than the guitar itself, but that a good, sharp, highly-playable classical guitar is more versatile than a flamenco guitar, if you have to make a choice. As flamenco as it sounds on these recordings, my Yauri sounds very full, round and classical when played in the classical style over the sound hole.

One more note. Changing the action on a guitar can be a precarious proposition. You can't always achieve the results you're looking for. For example, you can always make the guitar more playable by lowering the action, but it might affect the sound in unexpected ways.

Let me know if you have any question from all this information I'm throwing at you! I hope you find it interesting and useful.

[alonte]

Bob, Thank you so much for your generous reply. Which guitar do you find yourself using most of the time? Now I am wondering, maybe for versatility's sake, A classical guitar with a lower action and brighter tone Is the way to go for me.

[Bob Weisenberg]

Depends on the circumcumstances. For six years I played mostly the classical because I was playing without a mike at a restaurant, and it has a little more projection than the flamenco. But when I'm just playing for myself, I seem to gravitate towards the flamenco because I like it's sharper sound and lower action. I like both very much.

An idea for you--I have no knowledge of all the latest developments. Everything I told you in my last message is based on 20 year old information. Let's ask Forum reader who are more up-to-date help you with your question.

I would urge you to find someone, either through the Forum or not, who knows all about the currently available guitars out there today. I'm guessing that person would be able to recommend a specific guitar or guitars within your price range that best meets your individual needs.

You can probably find such a person at a store specializing in classical and flamenco guitars, or most assuredly, browsing on the internet.

I would still say if you are going to play mostly flamenco, go with a good flamenco guitar. Remember, my recommendation that you get a classical started with the phrase, "If you need a dual purpose guitar,...". Classical pieces will sound fine on a flamenco, just a little different than they sound on a classical.

Let's get some other people to chime in here. I'm not an authority on current guitars.

[Payul]

Hi Bob And Alonte,

I agree with Bob here, but it is very difficult to say what suits you.

I guess you try every guitar you can get your hands on, If I where you, I would go for a flamenco guitar for the set up it is not only a matter of lowering the nut for playability, it is also the shape of the fingerboard that allows a low set up, and the tension the sound board is made with.
A good flamenco plays well when the lower e string is 3mm above the 12th fret, and most clasical guitars will buzz too much with strings that low.
So for playability I would go for a flamrenco.

Now the sound, the "modern" guys like Chicuelo, Jeronimo Maya, Gerardo Nuñez play in a modern way, and have a modern sound. they sound way different than Paco Peña for instance.
In my oppinion, if you buy a really fast modern sounding blanca, you get a very sharp cool buleria from it, but I do not think it will sound nice for Bach, Sor,Carruli etc. I think you will miss something.

I think if you look for a blanca with a ceder top, you might get lucky, flamenco enough for a good buleria, and "mellow " and enough Bass for your classical repetoire.

Also I would try a flamenca Negra, some can suit you too.

And even sometimes a blanca with a spruce top will sound sometimes a bit "classical".

Your quest begins, good luck, It took me years to get the sound and playability I wanted

Payul