Jose Ramirez R3 Classical

The Ramirez R3 is classic spanish guitar built by a spanish firm with a history going back more than a 100 years but with up-to-date quality control. It has a solid red cedar top with back and side laminated indian rosewood. Standard scale size and nut-width.

The finish is poly-something so it is relatively robust and does not regular wood treatment.

A classical spanish guitar is suitable for classical music (spanish or otherwise, not for any other music style and certainly not for flamenco style.

The R3 projects beautifully and has a very balanced sound. Although the R2 and the R3 are made from the same wood, do not be mistaken, the wood quality of the R3 is far superior to that of the R2. Two words come in mind to describe the R3 sound: rich and distinct.

The R3 (in fact, that applies for all Ramirez guitars I have played) is an instrument that you have to win over. It is not easy to play, it requires accurate finger positioning. Once you get the hang of it, it does reward with a very beautiful sound.

I acquired my guitar through a very competent and professional dealer, and the guitar was perfectly adjusted and ready-to-play.

The finish is poly-something, so the guitar is can be treated roughly if you must. It is much less delicate than a guitar that has a French lacquered finish. It is made of wood, though, not ply-board. So keep an eye on humidity and temperature. No classical spanish guitar should be exposed to low humidity, high temperature conditions!

I don't do gigs, so I cannot say whether I would do one without back-up. Seems a bad idea to me anytime, with whatever guitar.

The dealer let me play this guitar (and another six, including Alhambra, Burguet and other Ramirez guitars) during an exciting afternoon. If I had wanted to play another dozen, they would have let me. If had walked out of the shop without buying any, they would have thanked me for my interest.

That has nothing to do with the Ramirez factory, though. I have not been there and they do not have a web-site. Warranty is not an issue with the factory, it is a matter of dealer policy for me.

I have been playing guitar on and off for thirty years. Solely for my own pleasure. With the exception of one 12 string and one 6 string western guitar, always classical spanish guitar. I have owned an estudiante, concerto's and conservatorios and still own a few of these.

And now I have this Ramirez R3, it is guitar I want to play more than the other I have. For two reasons. One, it is definitely a challenge and two, it does reward when played well.

My R3 classical guitar was made in 1994 in Madrid, Spain. It has solid rosewood sides and laminated rosewood back, quarter-sawn cedar top, ebony fingerboard, Spanish cedar neck and ordinary Fustera tuners.

The neck is 52mm wide at the nut.

(A new R3 currently retails for around $1900 U.S. in the States. When I got mine in 1996, it was selling for about $1000. I traded a $700 steel string for it.)

This guitar, if it had a solid rosewood back, would definitely rate a 10, but I'm giving it an 8, only for that reason.

I traded a steel string guitar for the R3 in 1996 as I wanted something softer and more mellow to play to match my predominant playing style: fingerpicking (without the picks) in the parlor.

The sound is excellent with very rich bass. The trebles are what you might expect from a nylon string (not as bright as steel), although I manage to get some nice vibrato, sustain and harmonics from the top strings. Overall, the guitar achieves a nice balance of tone and volume.

The excellent sound quality of this guitar was driven home to me recently when I played it on stage through an average mic and speaker system. I could not believe the tone and color I heard coming out of the guitar when amplified. It opened a brand new world of sound for me and on that basis alone, the R3 rates a 10.

The action is very smooth up and down the fretboard. The strings are set a bit high, but that, for me, gives me greater freedom to bend, pluck, hammer and play harmonics. The higher action also helps me work on my finger placement and playing technique. The strings buzz less.

I also love the wide neck as my chords are truer and fuller than on a steel string where my fingers tended to get in the way of each other, especially when I played 5 or 6 note chords.

This guitar can be played outside the living room and on a stage, but I am very reluctant to let anyone else play it, especially after a friend asked to try it and beat the crap out of it for about two minutes playing flamenco music. (This is NOT a flamenco guitar!) The guitar has no pickguard so this friend ended up scatching the lacquer below the sound hole. (Another friend wanted to play the guitar with a flatpick and I flat out told him no.)

So, I think the guitar scratches and dings easily. I just have to be extra careful with it. (When I play it, I make sure I'm not wearing a belt or a shirt with metal buttons.) I polish it with a commercial guitar polish and treat the fretboard with a commercial product about two times a year. The tuners get a dab of 3-in-1, when needed, to keep them from rusting.

The tuning pegs are cheap, but reliable as is the bridge. I have had no problems with the guitar going out of tune and it tunes easily when it does need it.

After playing, I wipe the guitar down (top, back, sides, headstock, fretboard and strings) with a lint-free cotton cloth. Then I tuck it away into its case for the night.

When cleaned and polished, I gotta say the guitar is stunningly beautiful.

I don't know how this guitar will wear, but I baby it so it should last as long as I will and probably a lot longer, if cared for.

I haven't had any need to contact the company, but would appreciate it if Ramirez had a website. (Maybe they do and I just haven't found it.)

As the guitar was a trade with a guitar shop in Spain, I don't know if it is under warranty or not. It's not an issue with me.

Been playing on and off for about 37 years. Used to have a Martin D18 and a Gibson Jumbo, but got rid of both. Sold the Martin and traded the Gibson for the Ramirez.

Have owned my fair share of lackluster nylon string guitars. I think I had a Yamaha once.

If the Ramirez were stolen or lost, I would upgrade to a better-made Ramirez. I thought the guitar was solid wood. It isn't. The back is laminated rosewood and that was a bit of a disappointment when I found out years later. It still sounds wonderful, though.

I didn't compare the Ramirez to any other guitars. I just knew I wanted a classical guitar within a price range my Gibson would command and I got the R3. I did know that the Ramirez line is favored by many professional Spanish guitar players and that was pretty much all the information I had to go on at the time of the trade. I haven't regretted it a single minute.

Now, I am ready to own a steel string again, but will keep the Ramirez, for sure. Looking at Taylor, Lowden, Larrivee and Breedlove. Something with a wide neck and good for fingerpicking.