Antonio Ariza, cypress/spruce, 1998
Antonio Ariza was one of the most well know guitar builders in Granada. He died a few years ago. He built guitars until approx. 2000. He was always one of the most inexpensive guitar builders in Granada with a very good value for your money. His small workshop–just big enough for him and a customer–was in the well known Cuesta Gomerez, directly across from the workshop of José Lopez Bellido. I can still see in my mind today how Antonio would stand in front of his workshop to smoke a cigarette. I often saw him standing there and sat in his workshop many times to try out his guitars. The finish was never perfect, but the sound always compensated for that.
The cypress, which I currently have, is one from the last years of his work. I had to have the neck straightened, because it had warped a bit. The fretboard and the neck are now perfect, very narrow making it very easy to play. The sound is beautiful, loud and lively. A "piezo" was built into the guitar; I decided to remove it, because it did not fit to the instrument. Instead of the phone jack, I had a wood button inserted that goes well with the style of the instrument. There are a few traces of uses on the soundboard and back, but nothing serious. It was played well for 12 years, and you can just see that. I find it a beautiful instrument with outstanding sound that tells a lot about flamenco.
A master instrument at a good price.

Back and sides: Solid cypress
Top: Solid German spruce
Fingerboard: Ebony
Scale length: 65 cm
Width of neck at the nut: 52 mm
Depth of neck at the nut: 20,5 mm
Distance between 1st and 6th string at the nut: 44mm
Distance between 1st and 6th string at the saddle: 59mm
Finish: Hand polished shellac
Colour: Natural with a slight tint
Case: hard case included
Year of construction: 1998
Status: Available

1600,- Euro

To enlarge pictures please click on them.