Bossa Nova Guitar

**2bornot2bop** · 08-20-2016, 07:21 PM

Okay, not exactly what moves you steel string players...but it's still jazz!

My first all solid wood Nylon string.

Made in Spain, Cedar top, Indian Rosewood back and sides, ebony fretboard. All acoustic, she's got a voice much larger than belies her small dimensions. Time for some Jobim fun!

**neatomic** · 08-20-2016, 07:46 PM

you really gotta get some sleep!!!

hahaha

looks nice!..maker?

enjoy

cheers

**Greentone** · 08-20-2016, 07:51 PM

Learn "Dindi." It's a great Jobim chart. So is "Aguas de Marco." Put them on your to do list. Enjoy the new guitar.

PS: I wholeheartedly approve of your new avatar.

**2bornot2bop** · 08-20-2016, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

you really gotta get some sleep!!!

hahaha

looks nice!..maker?

enjoy

cheers

we get caught up when we die.

It's an Alhambra 9p

Originally Posted by Greentone

Learn "Dindi." It's a great Jobim chart. So is "Aguas de Marco." Put them on your to do list. Enjoy the new guitar.

PS: I wholeheartedly approve of your new avatar.

Yes indeed. ADM was the tune that drove me to want to play bossa nova guitar. Joanne Brackeen did a killer version on piano back in the early 90's...great stuff!

**neatomic** · 08-20-2016, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

we get caught up when we die.

It's an Alhambra 9p

you mean you think you stop playin???

haha

cheers

**neatomic** · 08-20-2016, 08:23 PM

ps- that would truly be dantes inferno!!

i'm bringing extra thom flats!

haha

cheers

**Marty Grass** · 08-20-2016, 08:41 PM

I'm glad you like Bossa Nova. Classic American jazz can have an edgy intensity that I grew up with and love. But Bossa Nova transports me to a beautiful, exotic and peaceful place. And there is no Zika virus there- yet!

**Chuck** · 08-20-2016, 09:09 PM

Gorgeous guitar and camera work, 2b!

ADM as arranged and played by forum member Renato Candro:

**Woody Sound** · 08-20-2016, 09:35 PM

Awesome. Here's more classic inspiration.

**macuaig** · 08-21-2016, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

Yes indeed. ADM was the tune that drove me to want to play bossa nova guitar.

Wow, thanks for sending me off tracking down that singer, Larissa Viana. And the guy has a lesson on ADM in the video below. I guess it's in Portuguese, but YouTube has automatic translation down by the captions. Translation's entertaining all by itself, but the chord blocks and demo look terrific.

Nice background on the song, with lyrics, as much fun as I hoped.

**Herbie** · 08-21-2016, 03:23 AM

Congrats for the beautiful bossa axe!

My first sparks to jazz was a live concert in radio in which very bossa nova oriented guitar-bass duo played music I had never heard. I was about in my pre-teens and the Slade, Sweet etc were hot things. But since then bossa nova and jazz too.

I just watched the Black Orfeus (1959) which brought bossa to Europe, I'd recall. Not bad movie, there's something hypnotic in the non stop samba all around everywhere all the time.

Triste is the song in the movie. A classic too.

**Frank67** · 08-21-2016, 03:40 AM

Nice find 2b! I love the sound of nylon guitars and I also love Bossa Nova and the relaxed sound of it. Congratulations and enjoy this beauty!

One day I'll get a nylon string guitar as well. The ones I had so far were disappointing though.

So does yours have the very wide nut that is characteristic of classical guitars? I really don't mind a 1.75" nut, but the change to classical guitar dimensions is a bit much for me.

**silverfoxx** · 08-21-2016, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Awesome. Here's more classic inspiration.

The epitome of cool ,Sinatra & Bossa

**silverfoxx** · 08-21-2016, 04:43 AM

+1 to that Frank , I find even a 1.75" nut a struggle , the standard 1.11/16ths is my ideal
if I can find a good crossover classic I might indulge, 2b has a good quality guitar there,
the Alhambra 9p , fairly expensive I believe.

**2bornot2bop** · 08-21-2016, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by macuaig

Wow, thanks for sending me off tracking down that singer, Larissa Viana. And the guy has a lesson on ADM in the video below. I guess it's in Portuguese, but YouTube has automatic translation down by the captions. Translation's entertaining all by itself, but the chord blocks and demo look terrific.

Nice background on the song, with lyrics, as much fun as I hoped.
Águas de Março: The Real Story Behind Jobim's 'Waters Of March' - A Connectbrazil.com feature story.

yes Larisa is something isn't she! I downloaded the tutorial a few years back. Thank goodness for the universal language of music!

Originally Posted by FrankLearns

Nice find 2b! I love the sound of nylon guitars and I also love Bossa Nova and the relaxed sound of it. Congratulations and enjoy this beauty!

One day I'll get a nylon string guitar as well. The ones I had so far were disappointing though.

So does yours have the very wide nut that is characteristic of classical guitars? I really don't mind a 1.75" nut, but the change to classical guitar dimensions is a bit much for me.

Thank you Frank. Yes it's got the normal standard 2" nut. But at 15" in width the fretboard feels comfortable for my large mitts.

Originally Posted by silverfoxx

+1 to that Frank , I find even a 1.75" nut a struggle , the standard 1.11/16ths is my ideal
if I can find a good crossover classic I might indulge, 2b has a good quality guitar there,
the Alhambra 9p , fairly expensive I believe.

Thanks Alan. Alhambra makes many models several of which are crossover guitars with a 1.75 nut.

I'd been wanting a Spanish made all solid wood nylon guitar for some time. I stuck my toe in the water last year and bought several under $1k used nylons. I went through 4 guitars before finding one that excelled in acoustic performance. And it was a crossover with a cutaway and electronics. That guitar prepared me for this purchase. I wanted an affordable acoustic with a big voice. The more research I did the more the Alhambra line stood out, and it met my under $2500 budget constraints. The 9p sells for much less in Europe than in the states. Here they street in the area of $2300. It's a very versatile guitar that plays all the subtle nuances when played softly, or it can growl if you dig into it. Now begins the search for the string set that moves me.

**christianm77** · 08-21-2016, 06:17 AM

Inutil Paisagem

**Doctor Jeff** · 08-21-2016, 08:14 AM

The black accents on that really stand out--a beauty!

**skykomishone** · 08-21-2016, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

.... Now begins the search for the string set that moves me.

Nice guitar Greg. Regarding strings, it's all about the tension. Each guitar is different, obviously, and thus has different requirements in this respect. Cedar versus Spruce top has a big impact. My main classical guitar I hand picked from Yacopi, a builder on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. It has a cedar top, a 1977, and sounds and feels right with medium tension strings. I like Hannabach, Augustine, or Royal Classics.

If you ever get a chance, visit Rosewood Guitars on Greenwood Avenue in Seattle. You'll be blown away by the classical guitars in that place. It's a veritable candy store. It is across the street and down the block a couple of shops from where that gas explosion happened a year or so ago and fortunately they only lost the glass out of the front of the place. Lucky. One of my favorite stops.

Congratulations on the guitar. It looks awesome.

**Stringswinger** · 08-21-2016, 01:18 PM

Congrats 2B. In addition to Bossa Nova, this guitar will be fun to play Bach, Tarrega, and the like. We guitarists have a large body of work to explore. Perhaps one lifetime is not enough?

**2bornot2bop** · 08-21-2016, 05:05 PM

Having lived with this model for all of 24 hours, and with the caveat I've limited experience with classical guitars, this particular model fits the bill. Its resonance reminds me a bit of the Bourjeois A350, on a smaller scale. I'm a fan of real wood guitars.

If you're in the market for a classical, I'd add this one to your list of candidates. Time to break out the stands and mic's and try to record something.

**citizenk74** · 08-21-2016, 07:54 PM

Congratulations on your new guitar, 2B, it's a beauty! As to strings, may I recommend La Bella 860 medium hard tension with nylon-on-nylon-wound second and third strings, and silverplated basses. They make my solid cedar-topped Kazuo Yairi really sing. I'm sure your all solid Spaniard will sound even better. Play it in good health!

**QAman** · 08-21-2016, 08:04 PM

2b,
Nice ! I have a few nylon's myself . Emily Remler has a nice CD instructional on Bossa Nova rhythms.

**2bornot2bop** · 08-21-2016, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by citizenk74

Congratulations on your new guitar, 2B, it's a beauty! As to strings, may I recommend La Bella 860 medium hard tension with nylon-on-nylon-wound second and third strings, and silverplated basses. They make my solid cedar-topped Kazuo Yairi really sing. I'm sure your all solid Spaniard will sound even better. Play it in good health!

Thank you for the recommendation K! Any experience with LaBella 900's or their 80/20 bronze wound-nylon combo?

**Chuck** · 08-21-2016, 09:14 PM

You could save yourself a lot of time, money and frustration by not trying out exotic strings from the get go.

Just throw on a set of D'Add. EJ45 standard tension (and/or EJ46 medium hard) and see how you and the guitar like them. They are the most commonly used CG strings worldwide. They will give you a sound basis for subsequent comparison with other brands/types. My $0.02.

http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDe...e-0def6844fd25