Destinations editor Eric Moya is with a group of Abercrombie & Kent clients on a 10-day tour of Spain; it's one of the brand's Connections itineraries, which the company recently relaunched to offer "deeply immersive experiences in the most captivating locales." Read his first dispatch; his second dispatch follows.
One of these days I'm gonna settle down
And take you back with me to the Guitar Town.
Nashville has a few nicknames: Music City, Nash Vegas and, as in the above-quoted Steve Earle lyrics, Guitar Town. I think Madrid can make an equally valid claim to that last one.
Like most of the big cities we've hit on this tour, there are tons of buskers around, and still countless more people toting guitar cases -- perhaps to a gig, or lessons, or simply to play with friends at a house jam session. Whatever the case, it's been clear that in the age of digital music production, the guitar still holds plenty of cultural significance in the country of its birth.
We pulled into Madrid yesterday and had the afternoon free, so I thought I'd hit a couple of guitar stores for a little window shopping. I've played guitar for 30 years but have only the most rudimentary understanding of flamenco and classical guitar playing. But when in Spain ...
I knew there was at least one guitar shop I wanted to visit and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered our accommodations, the Me Madrid Reina Victoria, were less than a quarter-mile away.
Jose Ramirez is arguably Spain's most famous guitar manufacturer. Over the years, the brand has certainly been familiar to rock guitarists looking to diversify their tonal palette with a classical or flamenco guitar.
Sure enough, there's a bit of a wall of fame when entering Ramirez's shop near Plaza Mayor: There are photos of Carlos Santana and the Beatles as well as classical guitar legend Andres Segovia. There's also a circa-early-'90s photo of ex-Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler, grinning broadly while playing a chord on what is presumably a new purchase.
I'm no expert on Spanish guitars, but I knew most of its wares would be at rock star prices so didn't have any expectations of tire kicking. I left and headed to the next stop on my guitar tour, a place I spotted on the bus ride from the train station. A six-minute walk from Ramirez and I was at Guitarras Conde.
I was stunned to discover this humble storefront was also a workshop whose lineage includes producing instruments for flamenco superstar Paco de Lucia. A couple of Chinese-built guitars in the 200-euro range represented the store's beginner offerings; I noodled around on one and got the thumbs-up. Emboldened, I sheepishly asked to see something midpriced, and the proprietor produced an instrument that was somewhat less ornate than their higher-priced offerings and sold for 1,400 euros. He strummed a few chords, apologizing for the lack of fingernails on his picking hand. But even without benefit of Mother Nature's guitar picks to produce maximum volume, the guitar's full, resonant tone came though. I was tempted to test drive but, knowing I wasn't in the market, declined.
My third stop was unplanned, as I encountered a store while on my way to another guitar workshop about a half-mile from Guitarras Conde. (See what I mean about "Guitar Town"?)
With its bright lighting and rows of instruments neatly organized by manufacturer and price range, La Guitarreria de Madrid felt a lot more like guitar stores back home; actually nicer, with a couple of armless chairs and foot rests on the showroom floor, for serious shoppers, as well as a couple of comfy couches. I recognized the brand of midpriced steel-string acoustics at the entrance so felt somewhat less intimidated by the inventory.
Another customer was chatting with the salesman and buying some accessories, so I hung back and checked out the instruments. I saw price tags in the 300-euro range and several unfamiliar brands.
I asked the salesman about starting prices for a Spanish-made guitar. The prices he quoted turned my window-shopping into an actual shopping trip.
It's a Prudencio Saez flamenco guitar, built in a factory in Valencia, not handcrafted in a tiny workshop here in Spain's capital. The wood for its back and sides is laminated, vs. the solid woods used in higher-priced instruments. Neither my budget nor ability called for a Mark Knopfler-level investment, but I'm having fun with it here in my hotel room.
And I bought a hardshell case for it. After all, I'm bringing it back with me, from the Guitar Town.