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Mid-Priced Classical and Nylon-Stringed Guitars |
 With the New Year came the January NAMM show and the rounds of glad handing with the suppliers and manufacturers that we deal with here at Gryphon. Orders were placed and in a few weeks our loading dock began to swell with shipping boxes full of guitars ordered from the big event. This year has seen an outstanding new batch of entry-level and intermediate grade classical guitars. In the past the only sources of decent, modestly priced instruments were Asian imports. Now we have classical guitars coming from Spain, Mexico and Eastern Europe as well. All this variety works in your favor as styles and prices have adjusted to meet the demand.
The new model classical guitars have new features that have been lacking in the past. Adjustable truss rods, shortened scale lengths and narrower nut widths are some of these. We are seeing interest in woods other than Indian rosewood for the sides and back. Mahogany, sapele, Mexican rosewood and even walnut are breaking into the market. Right now there are four classical guitar makers here at Gryphon who have nylon string guitars in the $400 to $1,500 price range. The following is a brief round-up of these brands and a few of examples of their products. If anything catches your attention feel free to call me or, better yet, come by the store and try them out.
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 Kremona
Our first featured maker is Orpheus Valley Guitars. This is an old Bulgarian firm founded in 1924. These classical guitars are imported into the United States by the Kremona company. They have been distributed in Europe for decades and are now expanding into the North American market. Kremona has an excellent line of student-grade nylon string guitars at very reasonable prices. On the entry level we have their Sofia models. These feature solid sapele sides and back with a solid red cedar top. It sells for $339 and is a steal for a guitar of this quality. We only have a few available at this price, so if you're interested be sure to give us a call. We also have some of these models with electronics and a cutaway. The next step up is the Kremona Fiesta model which has solid Indian rosewood sides and back, with either a spruce or cedar top. We have several of these listing for $485. The Sofia model is also available with the cutaway/electric option. Finally, we have the Romida model. This is an excellent instrument with a solid European spruce top, solid rosewood sides and back and ebony fingerboard. This is a good looking design, with good volume and projection. Price is $956, a modest price for a guitar of this quality.
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 Cervantes Guitar Company
From Mexico comes Cervantes guitars. The construction of these classical guitars is overseen by the company's namesake, Alejandro Cervantes who founded the firm. With construction occurring in both Mexico and the States, Cervantes has managed to produce a series mid-range models for a fraction of the price of those built in Spain. They make copies of historically important guitars like the Fleta, Hauser and Rodriquez and represent the best in contemporary Latin classical guitar construction. Their Hauser model is a copy of the famous Segovia instrument, which was originally built in the 1920's by the legendary Ramirez firm for the Maestro himself. It is all solid wood with spruce top, ebony fingerboard, Indian rosewood sides and back and sells for $1275, including a hard shell case. This is a very comfortable guitar to play with slightly smaller dimensions than contemporary designs. Models of this size were popular among classical guitarists from the early 1900's through the 1950's, and have started to regain favor over the last ten years. If you have been playing on a long scale 70's or 80's instrument you might enjoy playing a traditionally sized design. Another popular model that we have sold a number of recently is the Cervantes Crossover 1. Designed to feel comfortable in the hands of a steel string player, this nylon string guitar has a 48mm nut with an arched fretboard. It also features a cutaway for access to the upper register and an adjustable truss rod. This is a fine contemporary nylon string guitar.
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 Kenny Hill Guitars
Our friend and neighbor, Kenny Hill, who's well known for his concert grade classical guitars, is now producing some beautiful instruments at affordable prices. His Estudio 628 model is named for its extra short scale length. This is a traditional looking model with a cedar top and a very easy playing neck. If you're tired of making those long stretches with your left hand and don't want to spend a bundle on a custom order, give the Estudio 628 a try, it sells for $715. By the way, these Estudio models also come with a cutaway which we also have in stock. A step up from Kenny Hill's Estudio line are the instruments of the Player series. These models feature all solid wood construction, Indian rosewood sides and back with either cedar or spruce tops. With their lacquer finishes, the Player models have a refined look to them with good tonal clarity and strength. Priced at $1435. Remember, the Kenny Hill company also makes top of the line concert guitars which we also carry in stock.
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 Esteve Guitars
Finally we have Esteve guitars. These classical guitars are imported from Spain by another old friend of Gryphon's, Ron Fernandez. Esteve has been a reliable source of mid-priced classical guitars for years with a long established reputation for quality. Recently, Ron has added a line of low-priced designs produced by the Esteve Guitar shop and we are glad to have them here at Gryphon. The Valencia model is a case in point. Built with Sapele sides and back and a solid spruce top it features a 650mm scale with traditional Spanish styling. This is an excellent first classical guitar for a serious student. It is priced at $499. The trend for short scales and narrow nut widths has not been neglected by Esteve Guitars either, the Fernandez 40 features a 48mm nut and a short 640mm scale length. It is a very easy playing, solid cedar top guitar with an affordable price of $520. We of course still carry the standard classical models from Esteve which we have featured for years.
If you've been thinking about getting into a nylon-string or classical guitar, this is a great time to check out our inventory. We're stocked up on just about everything. If you have questions give me a call. If you want to play them or hear them played, come on by the store, just ask for Tom, or call ahead to make sure that I'm here. |
Gryphon Stringed Instruments
Our Hours
Monday through Thursday
10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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Our Location
211 Lambert Avenue
at the corner of Park and Lambert
Palo Alto, California 94306
650.493.2131
Toll Free: 888.493.2131 |
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We're Back From The NAMM show! |
 That's Angela from Collings Guitars in Austin, holding the City Limits Deluxe, just one of the guitars we picked up from the Collings booth at NAMM. Matt, Derek, Brian, and Alex all roamed the cavernous halls of the big music industry trade show in Anaheim, searching for new and/or improved gear for you! |
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Frank has done it again! |
 He saw a need for a new tool and invented one to perform the task. When you are working on any guitar with a pickup, eventually you will have to tighten the nut that holds the jack in place. This is not a difficult thing to do provided you have access to the back of the jack. You almost always do... if you don't mind removing pickguards or back plates. Frank's new tool allows you to hold and tighten that squirrely little nut from the front of the jack. Imagine how much time that saves! It uses an eccentric knurled cam to grip and hold the jack securely. |
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Zoom Recorders at Gryphon |
 A persistent request that we have not been able to accommodate here at Gryphon is for portable audio recorders. That's not surprising, as our lesson program is one of the most important facets of Gryphon and what better way to take away more of the lesson than with a recording you can access at any time? Of course Gryphon has carried recorders in the past, but as many independent retailers discover, it's easy to lose access to a favorite product when distribution channels change or brands are absorbed by a larger corporation. |
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