classical G.A.S.

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Sorry about the bad pun

I have an extremely annoying living situation right now, but one good thing is getting to meet some good people from all over. I have gotten to talk with a really cool dude from Spain, in fact he just walked past me. A few nights ago we were talking over dinner about Spainish culture and such and something went `ping`-there may have been a visible spark over my head, I don`t know-but I started asking him about guitars and guitarists in Spain. he doesn`t play himself but knows anough about it to pass along some cool information. Tomatito just had a couple of shows here with one of Spain`s top flamenco dancers but it was way too expensive for me.

Anyway, he said there are lots of good quality guitars there for not much dollars. I`m wondering if this is enough to make it worth a visit. I`ve had one or two bad experiences with buying guitars in one climate and bringing them to another, but assuming I compensate for that, is this a good idea or G.A.S. gone wild? I mean, I`m not getting rich in Japan by any means but I have managed to take some cool vacations, this seems doable enough.

[musicalhair]

I don't know if it is worth a trip-- but Spain is a great place to visit, so Spain is worth the trip for a great vacation on their Costa Del Sol which is like the Spanish Riveria-- just for the guitars but my flamenco guitar I picked up in Valencia was a "really nice guitar" according my my classical teacher and worth quite a bit more than what I paid, not that I paid much for it.

 

When I first went to Spain I was walking around a beach town called Torremolinos, looking for a guitar store, an old and very well dressed man came up to me. He greeted me and asked if I was looking for something. As guy that grew up walking around NYC, I was suspicious, but curious and really cocky thinking this guy can't cook up anything I can't handle. I told him I wanted to buy a guitar. He said, great I'll take you to the place. He said he was a retired businessman in the town and his job now was to help people find what their looking for.

 

He leads me around into the innerds of town and I really think I'm in for a fight for my lame ass e-2's month or so salary. We get to the middle of this ally of all stone buildings and he knocks and speaks to someone behind it and they open up and the guy tells me to go in. I'm really certain I'm about to fight for my money which shows how untrusting I was and how big I thought the chip on my shoulder was. I walk in, the guy inside points to another door to the left and I walk in. The room was about 15 wide, maybe 50-60 ft long, really high ceiling, all guitars.

 

I left there with a much more trusting heart and a deepened faith in humanity, and with a nice classical guitar for like $100 that lasted a few years before someone put a foot through it knowing I'd never find out who's foot it was.

 

In Valencia I found a regular shop and bought a Flamenco (I didn't even no the differences).

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Someone put a FOOT through it?

have you considered moving? that`s freakin ridiculous.

So the guitar made the transition to East coast winters okay? it didn`t turn into a pretzel or something?

[musicalhair]

Well the foot thing was in the navy and I had to stash the guitar someplace I didn't have control over on my ship. I didn't make that mistake with the second one. I didn't do anything for the change in climate, but besides some splitting a the end of the ebony fingerboard it is fine and has lasted me since around the begining of 1987. If had done the humidifier thing and everything like I was supposed to that probably wouldn't have happened. I've used the guitar a lot and performed on it through college and since-- last week in fact.

[Funk Jazz]

that's a cool story musicalhair.

 

i have a similar story relating to how i bought my nylon string in Korea (courtesy of the air force).

 

i actually got to meet the builder and had someone translate to him everything i wanted on the guitar. he built it for me in three weeks. rosewood back and sides, cutaway, spruce top, hardshell case, & pickup = $250. and it just gets better every year. probably worth three or four times that much.

 

but the best part, the builder's nickname in korea is mr. potato. to my dismay, the headstock has the intricate inlay reading "mr potato."

 

but that's korea for you... at least it wasn't "top best-in-best favorite guitar" or something.

[Blue Strat]

I've just got one of the Yamaha CG-101MS guitars. Mass produced, but it's got a solid top and cost me ~$200.

[coyote]

I was in Europe a couple years ago. I wanted to get a classical guitar while there, but the airline couldn't guarantee its safety. So I got a Spanish-made Antonio Lorca here.

[musicalhair]

Hey FunkJazz, if they still have a base in Torehone (badly spelt) by Madrid Spain you should try to get shipped there. The locals HATED the our millitary, but you could get out and away down to the Costa Del Sol and enjoy youself. and find a guitar. The key would be to spend very little time near the base to avoid angry locals. Other than the local people that have to actually get to know millitary people the people of Spain are pretty cool-- oh and watch out for the gypsies-- no joke. Not to knock them, they are one of the oppressed minorities but they will set up scam after scam pick pocket-- hell, pick-outta-hand-- and such. I was minding my own business in a tatto parlour in Rota Spain when a roit between the gypsies and the Navy broke out in the streets outside. No sir, me and my freinds had nothing to do with it we were in the tattoo parlour. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Funk Jazz]

man, i wish i could get over to europe. right now the only available TDY's are in Korea and the Sandbox.

 

i'll take your advice if i get the chance though!