Guitars from Granada are a special breed of guitar.. They've got class and a sound to
|
 |  |  |
Guitars from Granada photographed in Guitar Street
As soon as you go into the "shop" you will no doubt find out how the owner loves to play his guitars for you. For how else would you be able to fully appreciate the rich tones of the instruments.
So how did I first come to appreciate the enviable
quality of guitars in Granada?
quality of guitars in Granada?
One day Babs and I were examining the guitars in one of the guitar street shops and an American came in. He chatted to the owner for a few minutes and then started to play one of the guitars...The effect was entrancing and we were swept away by the melodious music that filled the air.
After a while we moved on, up the street, to the next guitar shop. And I couldn't believe it, but within a few minutes the same American came in, chatted to the shop owner and again, started to play one of the guitars.
When the same thing happened at the next shop (we were going from one to the other, looking to buy a guitar) we stayed on to speak to the American ourselves.
He introduced himself as Tony and told us that his family owned a guitar shop in Pennsylvania. His family business had been selling Granada guitars for many years, buying from their supplier, who, in turn, bought the guitars from Granada.
An American and Guitars Granada
Tony continued to explain that he had been sent over to Granada by his father to find a good supplier/manufacturer of acoustic and flamenco guitars so that they could then buy direct from the maker themselves and so cut out the middleman, thus making more profit.
He explained that Granada guitars are world famous for their quality sound and their longevity. One of the reasons for this being that the air here is so dry (partly because of the altitude - 2,296 feet) which means that the wood used for guitar making is so well seasoned that the guitars from Granada retain their acoustic qualites so prized amongst those who appreciate a well made instrument.
Of course, another reason for the quality of guitars here is the high standard of craftsmanship that the guitar makers possess.
For those interested, a visit to "Guitar Street" is an excellent thing to do for anyone wanting to:-
- Consider the possiblility of buying a guitar,
- Handle the guitars in Granada and appreciate the different sounds and tones,
- Discover the variations between the flamenco, classical acoustic, apprentice and professional guitars,
- Spend a fascinating couple of hours being serenaded by the various shop owners, or
- Compare the differences between a guitar that costs less than a 100 euros to one which would set you back by 4,000 euros or more.
A good book for anyone who is interested in guitars is The Acoustic Guitar Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Maintain a New or Used Guitar
by Larry Sandberg. It will likely answer every possible question about buying (and maintaining) a new or used guitar. I can recommend it.
This was filmed in the shop where Babs bought a
classical acoustic guitar for my birthday.
classical acoustic guitar for my birthday.
In case you are wondering, the label will be put into the guitar that Perez is playing in the video when it has been varnished.
Some people feel dread when they decide to buy a new guitar.
After all, they may make the wrong decision and later regret their purchase. But buying a new guitar is surely an exciting time, especially when there are so many options to choose from.
When Babs bought the classical acoustic Granada guitar for me, the shop owner offered to credit the price paid against another more expensive model if I should want to part exchange my guitar within two years.
Actually most specialist guitar makers here offer this same part-exchange option - which gives a person confidence in handing over his hard earned cash to buy a guitar..
If I was to give anyone advice about buying a guitar it would be to buy the best you can afford. It will last a lifetime and will give hours of pleasure to you, your friends and family.
For myself, I learned to play folk guitar when I was in my twenties and it was only when I moved to Spain that I made the time to learn finger picking on my guitars from Granada.
I also have an electric/ acoustic Ovation guitar, but that is seldom played now. I much prefer the action and sound of my guitars of Granada. And, I must admit, I also have a pride in the fact that I am playing a guitar made of the finest woods, made by one of the finest craftsmen in one of the finest guitar cities of the world. My guitars from Granada give me everything I want.
If you would like to find out about the Padul Players group I play in, go to the Padul Players.
Do you play guitar? Have you had any experience with guitars from Granada? Let us know.
Links related to this page
- My top five Granada flamenco clubs
- Fiesta Cruz de Mayo in May
- Fiesta del Pilar in October
- Music and Dance Festival in Granada
- Garcia Lorca Poems
- Fiesta San Juan in July
- Get a good Menu del Dia
- Top Golf Club in Granada
- Jazz Festival in Granada
- Finding a 24 hour chemist in Granada
To catch more information about Tapas in Granada subscribe to our newsletter.
To go to the top of this page click on guitars Granada
To find out all about Granada go to Granada information
To locate any webpage on this site go to our site map
