From: chenl@cbnewse.cb.att.com (julian.l.chen)
Subject: Re: Recomendations for Classical Guitars (LONG !)
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 17:12:52 GMT

Ming Chao wrote :
>.Which artist normally plays which maker's guitar
>(Roussel/Gilbert, Fisk,Isbin/Humphrey, etc.)

The following is what my kept in records during the past few years.
I would like to keep it up-to-date, so if anybody find something is
wrong or missing, please email to att!ihlpe!chenl (CHENL, Julian Chen).
Thanks !

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The following is a list of CLASSICAL GUITAR virtuosos and their instruments.
Please note that most ( if not all ) of these musicians have more than one
instrument, and this list only represents what I have found that been
documented in books, magazines, concert programs and recording information.
It is by no means complete, it just an effort to find what are the favorite
instruments among virtuosos. Only modern concert guitars are listed. Non
classical guitarists such as Chet Atkins are not considered here since
their needs and tastes are very different from the traditional classical
guitarists'.

Whenever a virtuoso owns more than one instrument, the instruments are listed
alphabetically.

Virtuoso		Instrument(s)		Country		Remarks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sergio Abreu		Sergio Abreu		Brazil
			Jose Romanillos		England

Maria L. Anido		Jose Yacobe		Argintina

Alice Artzt		Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.

Assad Brothers		Paul Fischer		England
			Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.		Millennium
			Jose Romanillos		England
			David Rubio		England

Roberto Aussel		Maurice Dupont		France		Spruce
			Daniel Friedrich	France		Cedar

Manuel Barrueco		Robert Ruck		U.S.A.

Baltazar Benitez	Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Ernesto Bitetti		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Diego Blanco		Ignacio Fleta	 	Spain		1980

Carlos Bonell		Ignacio Fleta		Spain
			Trevor Semple		England		Series 88

Liona Boyd		Jose Ramirez III	Spain
			Yamaha (by Kato)	Japan		handmade, GC-70C

Julian Bream		Robert Bouchet		France		Sold in 1990
			Hernandez & Aguado	Spain		Sold in late 70
			Brian Cohen		England		1991
			Jeffrey Elliott		U.S.A.		1986
			Hermann Hauser		Germany		
			Masaru Kohno		Japan		Sold in 1990
			Jose Romanillos		England		1973, 1985
			David Rubio		England

Robert Brightmore	John Gilbert		U.S.A.

Julian Byzantine	Greg Smallman		Australia	1990

Ricardo Cobo		Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.

Leif Christensen	Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Alirio Diaz		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Roland Dyens		Maurice DuPont		France

Eduardo	Falu		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Eduardo Fernandez	Paul Fischer		England
			Daniel Friedrich	France

Elliot Fisk		Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.

Gerald Garcia		Greg Smallman		Australia

Oscar Ghiglia		Robert Bouchet		France
			Ignacio Fleta		Spain
			Jose Ramirez III	Spain

Paul Gregory		Manuel Contreras	Spain
			Trevor Semple		England		Series 88

Nicolna Hall		Paul Fischer		England
			Greg Smallman		Australia

Frederic Hand		John Gilbert		U.S.A.

Josep Henriquez		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Mikio Hoshido		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Sharon Isbin		Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.		81, 89
			Masaru Kohno		Japan		78, Model 50

William Kanengiser	Miguel Rodriguez	Spain		77, Church Door

Hubert Kappel		Ignacio Fleta		Spain
			Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.
			Masaru Kohno		Japan
			Kolya Panhuyzen		Canada

Marcelo Kayath		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Eleftheria Kotzia	Jose Romanillos		England

Norbert Kraft		Paulino Bernabe		Spain

Alexandre Lagoya	Paulino Bernabe		Spain
			Robert Bouchet		France
			Ignacio Fleta		Spain
			Dieter Hopf		Germany		La Portentosa
			Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.
			Masaru Kohno		Japan
			Jose Ramirez III	Spain

David Leisner		John Gilbert		U.S.A.

Dagoberto Linhares	Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Ivor Mairants		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Vladimir Mikulka	Ignacio Fleta		Spain		79

John Mills		John Claughton		England
			Bert Kwakkel		Holland		maple

Jorge Morel		Don Banzer		U.S.A.
			Dieter Hopf		Germany		86, Virtuoso
			Maunel Velazquez	U.S.A.

Yasmin& Lou Mowad	Douglas Ching		U.S.A.

Michael Newman		Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.

Douglas Niedt		Jose Ramirez III	Spain

Stein-Erik Olsen	Daniel Friedrich	France

Christopher Parkening	Jose Ramirez III	Spain		66,67 MT, Cedar
								62,64, Spruce
								73, Cedar

Paco Pena		Gerundino Fernandez	Spain		Flmenco
			Ignacio Fleta 		Spain

Alberto Ponce		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

Sonja Prunnbauer	Kolya Panhuyzen		Canada

Ivan Putilin		Hermann Hauser, III	Germany

Stepan Rak		Yamaha			Japan		GC-70C

Manuel Lopez Ramos	Robert Bouchet		France

Angel Romero		Manuel Contreras	Spain		Double top
			Hermann Hauser Jr.	Germany
			Hermann Hauser III	Germany		Cedar
			Miguel Rodriguez	Spain

Celin Romero		Richard Brune		U.S.A.		89, Artist
			Miguel Rodriguez	Spain

Pepe Romero		Rene Baarslag		Spain
			Richard Brune		U.S.A.		89, Artist
			Lester DeVoe		U.S.A.
			Hermann Hauser		Germany
			Hermann Hauser Jr.	Germany
			Miguel Rodriguez	Spain		Chruch Door

David Russell		John Gilbert		U.S.A.

George Sakellariou	John Gilbert		U.S.A.

Marco De Santi		Jose Romanillos		England

Andres Segovia		Richard Brune		U.S.A.		84, Artist
			Ignacio Fleta		Spain		57
			Hermann Hauser		Germany		38
			Hermann Hauser Jr.	Germany		56
			Jose Ramirez III	Spain		67, MT, Cedar

Seppo Siirala		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

David Starobin		Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.
			Gary Southwell		England

Ichiro Suzuki		Ignacio Fleta		Spain

David Tanenbaum		John Gilbert		U.S.A.

Scott Tennant		Daniel Friedrich	France		1990
			Paul Jacobson		U.S.A.		Cedar

Jose Tomas		Jose Ramirez III	Spain		8-string

Benjamin Verdery	Douglas Ching		U.S.A.
			John Gilbert		U.S.A.
			Thomas Humphrey		U.S.A.
			Greg Smallman		Australia

John Williams		Robert Bouchet		France
			Hernandez & Aguado	Spain		Sold in late 60'
			Martin Fleeson		England
			Ignacio Fleta		Spain		1961, sold 1980
			Greg Smallman		Australia	1982, 1988

Richard Wright		Ignacio Fleta		Spain
			Jose Romanillos		England

Kazuhito Yamashita	Jose Ramirez III	Spain
			Christopher Savino	U.S.A.

Narciso Yepes		Paulino Bernabe		Spain		10-string
			Jose Ramirez III	Spain		10-string

Milan Zelenka		Masaru Kohno		Japan

>.Who are among the best makers today, US, Spanish, Japanese,...

Any maker that on this list should be considered as a very good guitar
maker. It is hard to tell whom is the best, since a lot of time it is
a matter of taste. However, from my list you can find out the most favorable
classical guitars are no doubt made by Fleta in Barcenola, Spain. The Fleta
brothers' waiting list is at least 15 years now. I know it because I ordered
one few years ago and I won't get it until 2005! BTW, the father, Ignacio
Fleta died in 1977 and the Fleta brothers took over the business since then
and created equal beautiful instruments.

> Their prices, waiting list lengths, sound characteristics
>.Where to find guitars from these makers

They varies, the costs charged directly from the builders are in the range
of $2000 to $8500. The wait period varies from no wait to 15 years. Usually
the more famous the builder is, and the less guitars the builder can
produce, the longer the waiting period will be. Builders in Spain, Japan,
U.S.A. are generally more expensive and south American the lowest. Buy
directly from the builder is the cheapest way but you need to wait if the
builder has a long waiting list. Buy from the dealer sometimes will cost
you a lot more but you may get it right away. In the extreme case of Fleta
guitar, the direct price is about $8500 today but if you have one in
excellent condition you can easily sell it for at least $15000. The dealer's
price nowdays is well over $20000. BTW, Japanese are so hot about Fleta
guitars, I believe half of all Fleta guitars are in Japan today. Same are
the Hauser guitars. 

If you are interested in a particular builder, please
email to me and I will try to find these information for you.

>I heard Sergio Abreu made some excellent guitars, anybody have
>experience with his?

Sergio's guitars are good but they tend to crack in the U.S. due to
low humidity here, especially if you are in the colder area. His price
is reasonable (~$2000) and waiting list is also not too long ( 1 ~ 2
years ?). If you are careful about it during the winter period, it is
one of the best buy in classical guitars.

Julian