Goya G-15 Classical

I purchased this 1959 Goya G-15 over the net from a small shop in Miami, FL to upgrade from a Goya G-10. It is a 7/8 size with a fine German spruce top and mahogany neck, back and sides, all solid wood. The saddle and nut are ivory and the fretboard and bridge are rosewood. I updated the tuners as they were quite worn. This is an extememely well constructed instrument which is completely sound after many years of use, including years of play in flamenco style. It is simple in appearance, with a three-color inlay around the soundhole and a hardwood inlay strip in the neck. Cost - $300

The Goya has wonderful sustain and responsiveness, but lacks a little in the high strings for ideal balance. I compensate by plucking the higher strings harder. It has perfect intonation and beautiful bell tones on the high frets. It produces a calmer sound than the traditional Spanish guitars and does not have concert volume, although I have played it for a large audience in a chapel with mediocre accoustics and had one person ask, "How do you make it sound so loud?" I have played dozens of fine classical guitars and I am convinced that for the price, it cannot be equalled.

The action on this guitar is low and very friendly to the player. The neck is not adjustable, but it is straight as an arrow. The finish is cracked as is typical of many old guitars, but to me it only gives the instrument character.

The fact that this guitar is forty-two years old and is completely sound is amazing. I once had to leave it in a car in the sun and even though it heated up considerably, it was completely unaffected. It stays in tune also. I owned a 1978 Ramirez that needed a neck reset and have seen several other fine Spanish guitars that are in need of serious repair after fewer than twenty years of use, so this guitar is clearly superior in construction, although not in sound, to the great Spanish guitars.

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I have been playing for ten years. I currently own a 1992 Martin 000C-16, which is a fabulous steel string, as well as the Goya. I love the cutaway on the Martin. If I lost the Goya, I would cry, but there are a lot of them out there and they frequently appear on ebay. I would not recommend buying lower than a G-15 model unless you are a beginner, as the back and sides appear to be laminated and the wood inferior on the lower models, such as the G-10. If I could find a rosewood model Goya, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

this guitar was built in 1959(best i can tell),18 frets on rosewood fretboard,mahog. neck,back and sides, traditional spruce top. soundhole is simple, with fine detail compared to my other classicals. nut and bridge appear to be plastic, tuners are basic(not much detail on mounting plates}...still work fine. neck is thin! still straight, fairly low action with no buzz.

i've played this thing a lot! like most classical(nylon stringed)guitars it tends to bring out more bass tones. no tin/twang on this thing. it doesn' play loud...but it is full and clear.

action is great...construction apparently very good. there is one wood crack on the top from the base to the bridge. finish on the body is severely checked due to age. i play it every day...still sounds great

hell yeah! this thing will play! it's over 40... still ready to go. i've witnessed the life that this guitar has had...it's been around... totally reliable!

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this was my father's guitar. he played (hillbilly)folk songs with it. he taught elementary school and would sing to his students. i picked it up in my early teens, playing my first crappy sounds on it. he bought me my first silvertone electric so i would leave "it" alone. he is dead now and the guitar came back to me. i play it every day. i intend to wear it out then retire it. to me, it's priceless, i would not replace it. i've played for 35 years. i wish it was still his.