racman wrote
A bit of a long story but it is what it is ?.
I have been looking for a used classical for some time but unfortunately was specifically looking at something with a cutaway and pickup so used bargains are limited. I have viewed a few but none of them had the tone (although some people dispute this "Tone" debate - Although I am not pedantic about the use of the terminology; from a purely acoustic technical point of view, tone is in determined by the pre-amp, and other factors eg. EQ, fingers etc. and what we really mean by "tone" of a guitar is the "voice" or "voicing" of the instrument. But I digress and it is a contentious point ... :? ? ?).
Anyway I decided to visit Andy's on my birthday this week as I was on leave and wanted to just view. Even though I had specifically told the better 3/4 that I was merely going to a few shops to look only, she suddenly pipes up as we are walking towards the door: "so what are you planning on buying today". The truth was..."NOTHING - I'm just visiting!" but she knows me so well (although secretly I now took this as a mandate rather than a question ?).
So eventually after a cup of coffee we get to talking about my wish for a reasonably priced classical guitar for an alternate sound when playing live. Between Andy, the other guy there (can't remember his name but always helps out at the counter and works there) and myself we find 4 -5 examples on the floor and we retreat to the listening room. I ask Andy to play for me and we decide not to look at prices until we have narrowed it down to the best sounding and playing example. Once we have eliminated one we go through the routine again until we have selected one and then repeat one last time. When we have done this we then play the final two examples through Andy's AER Compact 60 (I think). The selection "panel" is myself, Andy, my wife and ? the salesman. I also play the examples to verify or check my view on playability.
We eventually narrowed the field down to 2 Takamine which we discover are the identical models but one sounds distinctively better than the other. At this point Andy and everyone (except maybe me I confess) are of the view that we are only looking - although I am sure my wife knows that look in my eye by now!!
We then look at the price - not too bad and it turns out the final two were the most expensive but all models were within R600 of each other but yet had quite significant differences in sound to my ears. I ask Andy what the final damage would be if I purchased it and a hard case. He gives a large discount, throws in a set of top of the range strings at no charge and tells me the price. I agree and he takes the guitar back to the workshop for 20 minutes and does a setup, polishes a few of the fret ends that he felt were a bit rough, oils the fingerboard, shows me how to string up a classical. etc. and I walk away a very happy customer. I am amazed, even though I always experience it, at the lengths that Andy goes to with his customers. We spent close to two hours just selecting what turned out to be a R5k deal, but all this was also on the initial view that I was just looking.
Now I need to digress yet again if I may. A few weeks ago a friend of our purchased a similarly priced Takamine Dreadnought from one of our largest stores in Gauteng. She brought it to band practice and asked me to play it for the duration. I counted it a privelege to be one of the first to play someone's guitar that they have saved for and bought, let alone be asked to play it for the entire practice. Well I immediately tell her that she should take it back as the action is extremely high and the shop should have at least done a rudimentary set-up when she purchased the guitar. She tells me that she has been finding it difficult to play that afternoon after she got it and is pleased to know it is not just a case of getting used to it as she was told. Anyway, she then goes back to the shop the next day and asks the salesman to check the setup as it wasn't done when she purchased it - they do the basic set-up, charge her R400 and then also charge her for a new set of strings!! Rand for Rand I still think one gets a better deal at Andy McGibbons.
I am absolutely loving the classical guitar!!! Yes, it is taking me a while to get used to the large neck width (found I was pulling the strings down quite a bit until I decided to change my hand angle/grip to a more classical type of angle), but I just love the sound and overall tone of the strings and the guitar. I have found that I immediately started developing new little licks and have a number of fresh ideas for new songs/melodies that I am working on as well. The instrument has really provided a much needed "injection" into my creative playing and mentality ... and I am not even a good/decent guitarist!
Keira, I now know why you love the classical guitar so much. I will always be primarily a Steel String acoustc player but this has really been a revelation to me.
Oh yes, I forgot. The Takamine is a EG522C with Mahogany back and sides and spruce top. What is also significant for me was that it is a normal depth body cutaway as I really wanted something that would also sound good "unplugged" first. I have no idea if it is solid wood, but it sounds great to me.
P.S. Now I'm ready for a those awesome sounding classical pawnshop bargains Keira - let me know when you find any please ?
:'( :'( I was hoping that someone wouldn't notice it before I could get it! :'( :'(
