Have you heard the music of Leo Brouwer played on a steel-string guitar? Don’t be surprised to hear classically-schooled rocker Gretchen Menn performing on this custom 2000 Santa Cruz PJ from Acoustic Guitar magazine’s 10th Anniversary Collection. In celebration of the magazine’s 30th anniversary in 2020, we’re putting our collection up for auction from April 20 through May 10, giving you the opportunity to bid on a piece of guitar history and support guitar education at the same time. 50% […]]]>
Shannon with Yamaha showed us the new nylon string NX series at NAMM 2020. There are six guitars broken down into two groups of three: the NTX and NCX lines. The NTX is named for its a thinner body depth, which has a slimmer neck to go along with it. This is well suited for steel string players who want the sound of a nylon string guitar. It features a solid top. and onboard electronics. The NTX 1 has a […]]]>
At Winter NAMM 2020, Josh Chapman from Cordoba Guitars details a pair of new nylon-string instruments: the small-bodied Esteso, and the Luthier Select Series Friederich, which was inspired by the work of luthier Daniel Friederich. Check out the video for more details.]]>
BY BLAIR JACKSON Sorry we’re a little late getting to this, but there is still more sad news to report from our little guitar world: Tony Acosta, the much-loved founder and president of the highly respected New York–based string-maker (and classical- and flamenco-guitar seller) Luthier Music, passed away on February 8 at the age of 77. He died from complications of pneumonia. We received the news from the great composer-guitarist Jorge Morel, who was one of Tony’s oldest friends in […]]]>
BY BLAIR JACKSON Here are some more new or recent products on display at the recent NAMM musical instrument show in Anaheim, California at the end of January: First of all, in our previous 2019 NAMM roundup, we included a photo of California luthier Kenny Hill (of Hill Guitars) with Swedish guitarist Johannes Möller, and mentioned a “true temperament” guitar both are keen on. Well, here’s a video CG shot at NAMM of Kenny talking about and showing that intriguing […]]]>
BY BLAIR JACKSON Well, the giant 2019 Winter NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) convention in Anaheim, California (south of L.A.), is over now, and all that lingers are my aching feet, ringing ears, and a mildly hoarse voice from talking above the noisy din of a thousand electric guitars turned up to “11,” drums bashed at deafening levels, hundreds of trumpets and saxophones and violins and keyboards all being played at the same time every second somewhere on the […]]]>
Our final video blast from the 2018 NAMM show in Anaheim features a pair of popularly priced instruments from Alvarez Guitars in their new Cadiz series, set to be in stores either in late February or early March 2018. Chris Meikle explains that the company spent a lot of time in Andalucia developing the guitars in their new line, which have a thinner profile more akin to flamenco models, and with bracing inspired by Ramirez guitars. The first guitar Chris […]]]>
In the Fall 2017 issue Classical Guitar, our main instrument reviewer, Adam Perlmutter, rhapsodized about one of Marchione Guitars’ classical models. Texas luthier Stephen Marchione doesn’t build many, but when he does, they’re gems. And so is this one, which he was showing at Winter NAMM in Anaheim, California. It features a Swiss spruce top and back and sides of gorgeous Bosnian maple (from the 1970s, he says). CG contributing editor (and excellent guitarist) Giacomo Fiore was at NAMM and played […]]]>
In this video from Winter NAMM 2018 in Anaheim, California, Ortega Guitars rep Jeremy Page showed us several new nylon-string models including an entry from their Private Room series of distressed guitars, new limited edition signature models from Ben Woods and Thomas Zwijsen, left-handed and 3/4-size guitars, and more. Watch the video for some specs and prices!]]>
In this video from Winter NAMM 2018, Steve at D’Addario showcases the new Eclipse Tuner (featuring 360 degree swivel and full color display), plus other tuners and capos for classical guitars. Watch the video for more.]]>