Description
The Alhambra Mengual y Margarit Serie NT Spruce Top Classical Guitar is a truly world-class concert instrument. It's tone is absolutely beautiful and it's power and projection are at the top of its class. It is built in a very small workshop that is its own independent operation from the rest of the Alhambra facility. In this workshop, master luthiers Javier Mengual and José Margarít build this guitar from start to finish with the utmost care and artistry. (Click here to hear the pronunciation of "Alhambra".)
This is the next in line above the Linea Profesional. The Linea Profesional is an excellent guitar, but the Mengual y Margarit guitars are really a significant step above. They are truly luthier-built and it really shows in the sound. They have that sound quality of a luthier-built guitar that is hard to categorize, but definitely real and incredibly beautiful. The improvement in sound is considerably greater than the $1,000 increase in price from the Linea Profesional. I've had people compare them to guitars priced at $7,500 and prefer the Mengual y Margarit guitars.
The top of the Mengual y Margarit Serie NT classical guitar is thinner than standard and French-polished, giving it very powerful volume and superb projection. It features a Torres bracing pattern, which gives it a beautifully full traditional classical guitar sound and very rich tones in all registers and volumes. The NT has thicker sides and back than standard (3mm vs 2mm), giving it more volume and sustain.
Top: Solid European Spruce
Back/Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood
Bracing: Torres
Fingerboard: Ebony
Neck Wood: Spanish Cedar with Ebony Reinforcement
Neck Type: ErgoNeck
Scale: 650mm
Nut: 52mm
String Spacing at nut: 42mm
String Spacing at bridge: 58mm
Nut & Saddle Material: Bone (Extra saddle included)
Tuning Machines: Schaller (Made in Germany)
Finish (top): French Polish (gives the top maximum resonance)
Finish (back & sides): Polyurethane (provides improved durability)
Strings Installed: Royal Classics Sonata
Bam Hardshell case included
Made in Spain
MEASUREMENTS
Upper Bout Width: 11.375" (11 3/8")
Lower Bout Width: 15.0"
Upper Bout Depth: 4.0"
Lower Bout Depth: 4.125" (4 1/8")
IMPORTANT: This guitar features a 12-hole bridge. This design puts the strings at a higher angle relative to the saddle, allowing a greater transfer of energy into the top of the guitar at the saddle. This gives this guitar extra volume and resonance. It is very important that the strings are tied properly to prevent slipping. For instructions on how to tie the strings, please see the video below:
Recommended Strings: This guitar comes with Royal Classics Sonata Extra Hard Tension strings installed. These are not bad strings, but don't allow the guitar to live up to its full potential. For this guitar, I recommend Savarez Alliance set 540J. These strings provide great volume and resonance. Being Carbon, they are a bit thinner in diameter than nylon strings. The tone is brighter and not as mellow as nylon strings. If you want a softer sound, nylon may suit you better. If you would like to have strings installed other than the ones that come with your guitar, you can add the Strings Installation Service to your order.
-Geoff Ferdón, owner of XGuitars
Customer Reviews
Absolutely Incredible. This is the most lovely, magical, amazing, non-human functional work of art I’ve had in my life thus far. I love it even more than I love my beautiful motorcycle.
And holy wow does it sing! The voice is unearthly, dreamlike, and controllably loud. The sustain lasts for days! I have to mute the strings or play staccato to simmer it down. Every single note!
And the playability! Geoff is an absolute Set-Up Master! This guitar is so smooth and effortless to fret, that I would swear the action feels lower than it actually is. I can finally relax and release the tension I hold onto with complete confidence.
What an amazing experience, Bravo!!!
