Alhambra 10C - Am I Dreaming?

[es335]

To my knowledge the 10c had been discontinued due to just marginal differences to the 9c. So you will have to go for the c10 when considering to buy a new guitar!

[glassynails]

7p spruce here, yep, sounds like a cathedral at times. The term "factory guitar" doesn't always imply inferior quality, in my opinion anways. I think it's just a way for "luthiers" to sell their handmade items for $10,000 bucks.

[soundknight21]

Factory guitars are all much the same. I just compared the complete Alhambra range from 4p to luthier made Alhambra and a Teodoro Perez top model and a Richard Howell. After playing the Perez and the Howell the luthiers lacked something and I thought "why spend severally thousand on a luthier Alhambra when a few more thousand I can get some of the very best. I would only buy Alhambra's cheap model to throw around at fusion gigs or to teach kids with.

[glassynails]

Factory guitars are all much the same. I just compared the complete Alhambra range from 4p to luthier made Alhambra and a Teodoro Perez top model and a Richard Howell. After playing the Perez and the Howell the luthiers lacked something and I thought "why spend severally thousand on a luthier Alhambra when a few more thousand I can get some of the very best. I would only buy Alhambra's cheap model to throw around at fusion gigs or to teach kids with.

The Alhambra 7p spruce is a very nice sounding guitar and very popular. I've never played a "luthier" guitar, but I have a feeling that my 7p may match up in sound quality to some of them.

[Sean Eric Howard]

If you are thinking of getting a handmade instrument you need to know exactly what you want. The purpose I believe of getting a handmade instrument is so you can find the instrument you want and ask for minor adjustments to tailor it to your body and physical comfortability lost playing.

Excellent advice! Last year, I received my first luthier-made guitar from luthier Richard Reynoso. We went through a number of measurements and issues; the result was the finest instrument I've laid hands on.

[BeumontSuite]

My 10c feels like it was made for my body. The comfort level is perfect, the action is perfect. I can't imagine a luthier made guitar surpassing it in any area. As a new luthier myself, my goal is to make a guitar that matches it. That seems strange, to want to aspire to a factory made. I just don't have access to any higher level guitars to compare, and thus have made the 10c my benchmark. If i can somehow surpass the 10c, then i feel that would be an accomplishment. But then again, how can i do that when the workmanship is so stellar and flawless? I dunno.

[Lovemyguitar]

Factory guitars are all much the same... I thought "why spend severally thousand on a luthier Alhambra when a few more thousand I can get some of the very best. I would only buy Alhambra's cheap model to throw around at fusion gigs or to teach kids with.

Please don't bash our "factory" guitars! I don't know about the Alhambra luthier models, but this thread is about the 10C, which is not a luthier model, and it does not cost "several thousand" dollars (none of the C's or P's do, the P's having replaced the C's). I agree with the other Alhambra owners here (of the C- or P- line), who rave about their guitars: I have an Alhambra 11P, and it is a beautiful guitar, with excellent workmanship and amazing sound.

I also have a beautiful "factory" Ramirez, which is so sweet to play, and which I also love. Three cheers for awesome "factory" guitars!

[LVR]

Is this topic really about lutherie? Could you maybe take it to Public Space or how to buy a guitar if you need to continue to assert that even though you've never played a luthier guitar, you are sure yours are just as good and it's all a big luthier plot to charge "$10,000." Kind of a rude use of their space.

[BeumontSuite]

In a way this topic is a little bit about lutherie, in the fact that when comparing the 10c to other guitars, more expensive ones are bound to come up as a way to compare. It's right to compare, because there are a lot of people who feel that expensive handmade instruments (as compared to factory made, which still involve a lot of hand made elements) are automatically superior in every way, thus deeming factory made as crap. The original statement (more or less) was that here is the Alhambra 10c, it sounds truly great, and is very well made. It performs beyond your average factory made, and compares to more expensive luthier-made guitars. I didn't post this in public space because it's too specific about one brand of guitar.

[glassynails]

I have a funny feeling that If my 7p were falsely labeled as some type of "handmade" luthier guitar and sold for $5000 or more, a lot of people would fall for it. I agree that just because a guitar is "factory-made" doesn't mean that it's not as good as some, if not many, "lutheir-made" (and more money) guitars.

[strngdrvnthng]

It doesn't mean it is, either. Cheers, John C.

[Wcasey]

It performs beyond your average factory made, and compares to more expensive luthier-made guitars.

Don't take my statement as rude... I honestly think you would need to play many more guitars from different makers and at different price points to gain some perspective before making your statement. I've had the good fortune of owning dozens of guitars over the course of 25 years and have played quite a few high end guitars in the $10k - $15k range.

If you really want to see if your missing anything, then book a trip to California and visit a place like Guitar Salon international for a couple of days. You wouldn't regret it.

Regards,
Sean

[Lovemyguitar]

Since I have defended, earlier in this thread, Alhambra "factory" guitars, I do want to clarify that I am certainly not comparing them to a high-end luthier guitar, I am merely saying that Alhambra guitars (and many other factory guitars, I am sure) are really nice, and that people should not speak poorly of them.

However, I know that luthier guitars are really special, and they are most definitely worth whatever people pay for them. They are works of art crafted with care and love, in addition to being spectacular instruments, and if I could afford one, I would buy one!

[BeumontSuite]

It performs beyond your average factory made, and compares to more expensive luthier-made guitars.

Don't take my statement as rude... I honestly think you would need to play many more guitars from different makers and at different price points to gain some perspective before making your statement. I've had the good fortune of owning dozens of guitars over the course of 25 years and have played quite a few high end guitars in the $10k - $15k range.

If you really want to see if your missing anything, then book a trip to California and visit a place like Guitar Salon international for a couple of days. You wouldn't regret it.

Regards,
Sean

I would definately love to play many, many more guitars by as many makers as possible. What a dream that would be. However, my situation in life absolutely prevents me from doing that, therefore making my Alhambra seem pretty acceptable. If i ever make a great pilgrimage in life, it will be to GSI. I've been visiting their site for years, and love it. And, if a better guitar ever came across my possession, i would abandon the Alhambra in a heartbeat. The Alhambra is just the best i can do right now. It's better than all factory guitars i've ever played.

[glassynails]

I agree, whilst I like my Alhambra 7p, I would also abandon it for a better guitar any day, sorry 7p! It's the best that I can afford too right now. Plus, I have GAS ....... gotta stop eating those baked beans. If I had $5000 EXTRA laying around (and didn't need anything more important) right now, I run to the local cg seller today and buy a new guitar!