£850.00

Valeriano Bernal
New

Prodigio. 2009 Model Flamenco Top: German Spruce Sides: Cypress Back: Cypress
Neck: Cider Freatboard: Ebony

£1.050

Valeriano Bernal
New

Prodigio Esp. 2009 Model Flamenco Top: German Spruce Sides: Cypress Back: Cypress
Neck: Cider Freatboard: Ebony

£1.050

Valeriano Bernal Second hand

Sueno 2006
Model Flamenco
Top: German Spruce Sides: Cypress Back: Cypress
Neck: Cider Freatboard: Ebony Sold

£900.00

Hermanos Sanchiz Lopez Hihos de R

Sanchis Carpio Second Hand2004F.03
Model Flamenco Top: German Spruce

Sold

£4800.00

Hermanos Conde
Second Hand

A26 1991 Primera
Model Flamenco
Top: German Spruce Sides: Cypress
Back Cypress
Neck: Cider Freatboard: Ebony

£5500.00

Jose Ramirez Second Hand

1968 de Primera Model Flamenco Top: German Spruce Sides: Cypress
Back Cypress
Neck: Cider Freatboard: Ebony

£1.050

Valeriano Bernal
New

Prodigio Esp. 2009 Model Flamenco Top: German Spruce Sides: Cypress Back: Cypress
Neck: Cider Freatboard: Ebony

Buying a flamenco guitar is a hard task.

It took me over 25 years experience performing and teaching before developing the knowledge and understanding to distinguish one guitar from another. I still have doubts when purchasing a guitar but experience usually guides me in the right direction.

I will give you a few tips on how to choose a flamenco guitar:

Smell: All handmade flamenco guitars have a distinct smell. the inside of the guitar smells of Cider and Rosewood.

Neck: Hold the guitar as if it was a rifle and check if the neck has an angle. It should have a slight angle down the center of the neck.

Tuning: All guitars must have a correct tuning or else you are in trouble! Play the E note on the twelfths fret of the 6th string and then play the harmonic on the 12th fret, same string. They must have exactly the same tuning. Do the same on all strings.

Sound: A Flamenco guitar must have a crisp sound but not hollow. Look for a meaty and woody sound. Loud sound is not an issue: Loud guitars may have too many over harmonics that makes the notes less defined.

Wood: Cheap usually is poor quality. Good wood costs more and makes the guitars more expensive. There are exception: Second hand guitars with some dents here and there usually are good value for money.

Old guitars (up to 25 years) usually sound better but some times they loose crispness in the sound. The guitar can end up too "castigada" that means it has been played aggressively throughout the years and has lost it's edge. Make sure the guitar hasn't been revarnished too many times.When the top of the guitar is too thin the wood can be very delicate and crack easily.

Makers: Esteve are usually mediocre guitars. Alhambra (with some exceptions) are just about playable but usually don't come with comfortable necks.They tend to sound a little hollow. Sanchez are usually good value for money in the cheap range. Bouget are usually quite good but expensive. Francisco Barba are usually good. Postigo are usually made buy other makers but have his brand name. Jeronimo Penas are good and beautifully made but at times come with high action and may be hard to play .Manuel Diaz guitars are usually good but he is not very honest! (I caught him out changing the label of a flamenco guitar and selling it for double the price!). Bellido sound nice but can also be a bit expensive are good. Hermanos Conde (Sobrinos de Esteso) are good but. Usually the ones made in calle Felipe V are better than the one made in calle Gravina. Paco de Lucia plays an Esteso negra. Ramirez are also good especially the ones built before 1968. Jose luis Rodriguez plays a Ramirez .Reyes are excellent but hard to get hold of and expensive!. Vincente Amigo plays a Reyes.

Valeriano Bernal guitars:I currently perform with a Bernal Sueno model. I am happy with the sound. I also have a Hermanos Conde and a Ramirez but I always end up playing my good old Bernal. The neck is very comfortable the action is low , the sound is very flamenco and most important it is not too expensive. Unfortunately Sueno model has been discontinued. Bernal guitars have a good range of models. The Prodigio Especial is the basic professional model. It is hand made, Cypress sides, Ebony neck, Cedar or Spruce tops. Sometimes it is worth spending a little more and buying the the next model up. Not necessarily will quality be reflected in the price.

I currently import and sell Bernal guitars. I select and test each guitar individually before buying them and if the guitar doesn't convince me it will stay in the shop! Finally, most important of all: The guitars I select will not cost you a penny more than the asking price in Bernal's workshop in Spain!

Interview with Rafael Bernal:

Ramon: Does your father, Valeriano, still make guitars?

Rafael : No, he has retired. I am now making the guitars with the help of my nephews and sister Chari.

Ramon: Do you reinforce the necks of your guitars?

Rafael : My guitars are not reinforced with a metal rod inside the neck because we use high quality and well seasoned Cedar. We have a quality control on all the Cedar we use to build the necks:if the wood is not good we do not use it. The proof is that we have not had one single complain with guitar necks failing to hold the tension of the strings since 1997.

Ramon: Is it natural that the neck of a guitars bends after 10 or more years?

Rafael :I have seen guitars that are over 50 years old and the neck is still in perfect conditions. As i said , if you select good wood it is rare to ever have problems. The reason guitar makers use metal rods inside the neck is because they buy the necks already cut to size and they haven't got quality control on the selection of the wood. Mass production guitars leads to lower quality control.

Ramon: For how long and where do you season your wood?

Rafael: Most of my wood is bought from specific dealers that select wood for musical instrument. I then season the wood here. The wood i use has been seasoned for at least 10 year.
The good thing about seasoning wood here in the sierra is that there are big changes in temperature and humidity. We have very hot summers and cold winters. Temperature changes are good for wood and makes it more stable.

Ramon: Where does the wood come from?

Rafael: The Cypress comes from Spain, all the rest from abroad. Germany, North Italy, etc. Wood for guitars can only be bought from dealers that use wood specifically for instruments. The wood used for instruments is light and not dense. Usually this sort of wood is not good for furniture.

Ramon: Do you prefer Spruce or Cider tops?

Rafael: I like Spruce because it ages better and it looks better .
I make Cider top guitars because there is a demand for them. Funnily enough there wasn't a demand for them until the ehities. Before that guitars where only made out of Spruce.