When I was a teenager I studied with an interesting teacher named Bruce. He was largely a classical player, made his living performing and giving lessons. Around my house my mom always had a couple nylon string guitars. A battered Silvertone that was wrecked by some renters who put steel strings on it (I found it neglected in the basement 4 years ago and glued it back together, hence starting my new path). and she had a beautiful Giannini made in Brazil that we bought at Music and Arts Center in Catonsville. She played a few folk songs and a wrote some as well, taught me my basic chords. I think she and my dad knew something about the importance of learning classical, maybe it was intuition or just their generation.
I just wanted to rock. I wanted electric. I wanted a Stratocaster. I wanted to skip all that.
My mom taught me my first chords. My dad showed me how to change the strings. In a panic I started the day before high school as I sucked at everything else. How was I going to fit in? I liked Jimi. Rock stars were cool.
So I advanced quickly. My dad bought my first Stratocaster, an awful late 70's model, at Bills Music house in Catonsville. His words: "I'll do this, but you need to show me results or you gotta pay me back in a year." I didn't need prompting, but I'll say this. That was probably the best thing he ever did for me. A great lesson in accountability. So grateful for that moment. I worked my ass off. And $389 in 1983 was way more than a 15 year old can afford cutting grass!
I loved Jimi, Keith, Clapton, but I always had a thing for nylon strings. We had a couple Carlos Montoya records on the shelf, along with Getz/Gilberto. And I had a deep secret admiration for the kids in the school orchestra program. I was always a bit envious of them. Secretly envious. So I was glad to have studied with Bruce.
But there was a couple things off about it. He started me on Bach's Bouree and Gavotte. I can certainly play those now but at the time, these were over my head. In hindsight I was one who could have benefitted from a method book. Just exercises and scales and patterns and easier songs. I wasn't the type to rise to the challenge partly cause other things came so easily to me. So I gave up. Bruce worked with me on improvisation, Indian classical scales and other things. Understand, this was a teacher who sent people to Juliard. I simply felt I wasn't 'good enough' even though I enjoyed so much else he had to share. I am grateful to him, he was a great fellow and very cool teacher. I had my youthful impatience and arrogance to contend with as well. I may not have accepted the direction a stricter classical regimen would have offered anyway. But, I now see the importance of it. That foundational stuff.
On top of that, I knew a good instrument when I played one. 6 months after getting my '79 Stratocaster I tried a '66 and immediately knew that for another $165 I would have a far superior instrument. That thing sang, mine coughed!! Price $550 (custom color Lake Placid Blue!!). I paid $389. Ugh. Dad wasn't interested in a brat who needed an upgrade! And I wasn't really a brat so I didn't whine about it. Best to love what you got and I did just that!
Bruce had a house full of classical and Flamenco guitars. I played a few. Prices started around $2k! I had a Yamaha that I bought from him for $75. It was decent... but, next to a Ramirez of Dauphin, pure sadness.
Nice classical for $2k+ or real Stratocaster for around $500. I went that direction.
Yup, my choice. Not pointing fingers here. And it was a good choice. I made a lot of people happy with all that sound.
So fast forward too many years and I recover my mothers beat ass Silvertone, glue it back together and record some tracks with it. Cheap, plywood, nylon string guitar. Really crappy. And I fell in love again. My electrics sit on the wall and I'd pick that thing up daily.
Last year a friend was visiting and we went into Main Drag music in Williamsburg and I upgraded to a 40's made Favilla. Again, not a great guitar but better than that Yamaha. I went to Sam Ash and bought the Carcassi Method For Guitar book and have been practicing daily out of it. I have no agenda, I don't aspire to be a concert guitarist at the age of 50 here, I just enjoy playing it so much and it's showing up in my own music in ways I didn't think would happen. My days off I'm up to 4+ hours.
So I needed to get something better. I've been working hard and wanted to treat myself. I played an incredible Ramirez from about 1903. Over $10K!!!! If cost were no object I'd own that guitar. It's stunning and has such a beautiful sound. But my rule is if I'm making a big purchase from my fun money account, I need to have double that in there. I don't have that and would rather work towards a house!
I'm good at finding interesting guitars that make me happy. I wanted something old, made in Spain, had to have Brazilian rosewood back and sides, and a nice sound and playability. I came across this Vincente Tatay........
It was hard to find any information on these about price. Lots of forum confusion. I did find a later New York produced one for $2k on a website that only has high end classical guitars (that one is beautiful!) and Retrofret had one listed for $3200 that sold for an unknown offer. I know that shop, great place and they usually get close to their asking price.
Neither guitar looked like this. And most Tatay guitars sell for considerably less. I mean, we're talking $100-$300!
Early ones are supposedly luthier produced, later they built a large factory and made a ton of instruments. This one was $1200. I didn't feel great about that price but decided to take a gamble. It fit what I was looking for: all solid wood including beautiful rosewood back and sides, ancient, the owner liked it quite a bit. Projection is good he says. The label we couldn't find....
So, I decided to go for it. Yes, I probably overpaid, I just found another similar one for a whopping $295! Bought that one as well.......Different label inside, probably later but same beautiful cosmetics.
Once I restrung it and set it up to my liking I found that I absolutely love this guitar. It's very warm, nice deep bass and clear highs. No, it's not as refined as that beautiful Ramirez but, I did get to play them side by side and found myself not feeling that wanting feeling on the Tatay. It's worth every penny of my hard earned $1200 to me. Plus it has that unusual "who made it" thing I like. Best part is, I do not want to put it down. When I need to go out on a date, go to earn a pile of money....I get bummed cause I just want to keep playing, keep improving, keep enjoying the sound. The only bug about this guitar was the intonation, but I fixed that and now I never want to put it down!
So if you are looking for a really good instrument that isn't worth it's weight in gold, do consider trying one of these out. It's important to have a guitar you love. It keeps the energy going forward.
Next step, find another instructor to help me get to the next level. I'm ready, more humble, more patient, and doing it for no other reason that the joy of playing. I like this chapter the best....
More photos:
Oh yes, Rosette is quite beautiful on this model. Has pearl and nice wood, much like the Ramirez I tried. I do like a beautiful instrument:
-JB
