This José Ramírez blanca is stunning. It's top is French polished while it's back and sides are lacquered. With the top French polished, you can see how beautiful the cedar is with its dark creamy hues, the rosette and its colors are vivid, a very gorgeous guitar indeed. It's sound is very warm and haunting. Yet when you play for baile it cuts through all the sound of heelwork, on stage it's projection is great. This blanca is almost 50 years old, so it's definitely broken in, and you can feel that as you play it. The action is low with no buzzing on the trebles and a slight sizzle on basses. The guitar does have a hairline crack on the top, which cannot be seen in pictures or in person; it’s located on the bass side under the golpeador. The crack has been fixed and does not affect the sound.

 

Heel block stamped CLL - Carmelo Llerena Martinez

Top: Canadian Red Cedar

Back and sides: Spanish Cypress

Scale: 656mm

Finish: French polish top lacquer back and sides

Tuners: Planetary Pegs (Mechanical pegs)

String height at the 12th fret: 2.75mm bass side

Saddle height: 7.8mm

Nut width: 53mm

String distance at nut: 43mm between 1st and 6th string

String distance at saddle: 57mm between 1st and 6th string

Weight: 1274g / 2.80lbs