Cashimira 4a

I bought this guitar from Cashimira USA. It's a handmade model(Luthier series designated by "a"). The sound board is Canadian Cedar and the back and sides are Indian Rosewood. A certificate of authenticity came with the guitar as well as a deluxe arched case.

This is the first guitar I've owned with a cedar soundboard and I am impressed. I didn't expect the sustain and clarity of tone as what I am hearing. I've owned two other classical guitars both spruce, so I was prejudiced towards the spruce sound but no more. The sound on this guitar is dark and definetly Spanish.
One of the secrets of building a good classical guitar is not to oversupport the soundboard. One needs just enough support through the various braces to keep the guitar from collapsing but not too many where the sound is inhibited. This guitar accomplishes this perfectly. The first note I picked I felt the energy of the soundboard resonate through the palm of my right hand. I don't have any notes that buzz or "wolf" tones but there does exist, as in every nylon stringed guitar, notes that do not ring out and sustain as well as others. Based on other high end gutiars I've played, this particular guitar has an average amount.

This is the fourth in line in the luthier series. Apparently, these gutiars are only made by the chief luthier Jose Antonio. Being the least expensive in this line, I expected the tonewood and the back/sides to be imperfect, but I was amazed to see just the opposite. Having worked in high end guitar fabrication I know how many pieces one must go through to find an acceptable piece, so I am impressed to find such beautifully matched grain in the Indian Rosewood and such tight grain in the Canadian Cedar top. The fit/finish and final adjustment was very good. I like the fact that the luthier has laminated an inlay in the Honduras Cedar neck. I've had problems with dimensional stability of carved cedar necks before.

It is an unavoidable fact that the best guitars are the ones that are closest to collapsing. Although it is too early in this guitar's life to judge if the luthier has achieved the balance between freeing the sound and the necessary construction, but my impression, based on the neck, the foot(where the neck attaches to the guitar) and the internal bracing in the upper bout, I would say it's exactly right.

If you haven't dealt with the owner of Cashimira USA, Ken Powell, you are in for a pleasant surprise. He is very knowledgeable about Cashimira guitars and strikes me as one of those people who are in for the love of the guitar.

I was very skeptical about buying a guitar over the internet without putting my hands on it and taking it for a "test drive". Cashimira USA relieved me of this worry. I did my research on the Cashimira guitars so I knew that is wasn't just another production guitar made with little care to quality, but I wasn't prepared for the beauty I got. My 4a is a spectacular guitar, especially considering the price, although I hesitate to mention this. Too much is made about guitars being more or less than the asking value. This detracts from what is really important. The sound. I don't know if it's the traditional Spanish sound of the cedar or the thousand of other factors, but the sound is inspiring and that is priceless.