And here’s the link to Wikimedia, someone has posted the picture of the same model, my guitar is exactly like this one.
I can’t wait to hear what the Luthier will say and more than that I can’t wait to hear what it will sound like! It seems so well crafted to my eyes, apart from that first fret which I can’t understand.
According to the pics from the link you shared, it is a beautiful instrument! It has a so called zero-fret in front of the nut. You can’t fret there of course, so just think of it as the nut. I just can’t recall why some guitar have them, I think it has something to do with intonation.
Have loads of fun with your new friend and hopefully we get a taste of what it sounds like, soon! There something very special with these vintage instruments.
What a fun find! If it sounds nice, it will be well worth the price, what a deal! Not often to see a classical guitar with that finish.
A zero fret is not uncommon. It is another way to make a nut. The “nut” part becomes just a string guide and the “zero” fret, the one right after the nut is where the strings are touching down, rather than in a nut slot.
There are proponents and detractors, but I like it. The main argument for seems to be that since even the open strings are “fretted” they sound more similar to other fretted strings in quality. Can’t say I have ever really noticed much if any difference personally.
You also have less issue with nut slots, like sticking and getting them slotted correctly. Presumable the fret wears slower than the nut, but some say faster.
The downside may be that the Luthier can help adjust intonation at the nut by how the cut the slots, which you can’t do with a zero fret.
They make aftermarket zero fret conversions, one is called “Zero-Glide” I put one on my Classical guitar, to avoid having a new nut cut. I quite like it, although I can’t say it sounds noticeably different. I was then able to tweak the action at the saddle alone. It also comes with several fret heights. Not a simple drop in, but easier than cutting a typical nut, which is outside my skill set.
What was really nice is I recently put some Baritone strings on my classical (they make them for standard scale guitars, and mine is longer at 666mm) and all I needed to do was widen the slots and worry about depth much at all. Sounds so cool!
Nice find, I found one quite a while ago and renovated it, it turned out to be a nice guitar to play when I had waved my magic wand over it so I kept it and still have it - it was my first major project, it’s Japanese made and cost me very little from a local junk shop!
Silvia, congratulations on the good find in a vintage classical guitar. If the wood is in good condition then it should have a good tone after aging for so long. I will be interested to see what it sounds like.
Happy new old guitar day, Silvia! I can’t wait to hear you play it.
I am puzzled with that first fret as well, I never saw anything like that. Do tell us what your luthier tells you. If someone knows the answer, the photo is below.
Looks like it’s a “zero fret” guitar. What looks like a nut is actually just a string guide, to keep the strings spaced properly. The strings are actually always in contact with the zero fret like they are with the nut on most guitars.
And here’s My Lady! The local Luthier will see it next week! Her name is Carmelina (after this Luthier, Carmelo Catania, who built amazing artisanal instruments before developing and expanding his business with producing series guitars like this one in mid '900).
Strange, I never felt inspired to name my Cordoba which I bought a few years ago already and which costed me 10 times as much.
Thanks for the Zero Fret explanations, I then checked on the Internet in my own language to understand better, but I didn’t know before you told me what to look for because I didn’t know it is called a Zero Fret. So interesting to get to know new things along the way!
I do agree with what many of you wrote: there is indeed something special about vintage guitars! Look at the neck for example…the initial frets are darker, with the grease of its player 's fingers who, you can tell, could play triads too further on the neck…so maybe he was not a complete beginner…was it a boy or girl? Young or adult? And which kind of Music did he/she play?
Anyway…this guitar was built in Sicily, where my mother was born and both my husband’s parents were born too… I know exactly what my next Classical piece will be
I can’t wait to hear you play it.
!
