La Patrie Concert

Solid cedar top, lam mahogany sides/back, rosewood fretboard and bridge. Rosewood veneer overlay on headstock. Nut and saddle may be tusq, not sure. Tuners adequate, but a little gaudy looking. There are two metal"rivets" on the bridge that are the only other negative in the appearance of this guitar. Otherwise, it's pretty even though quite simple.

I'd give the guitar 8.5 if I could. Nice basses, mids ok, trebles a little weak. Partly that's my technique - I've played steel string for almost forty years with the pads of my fingers and I'm still learning to use the nails of the right hand. I put on a set of D'Addario EJ-46 hard tension strings, and the overall sound, including the trebles, improved substantially (other than the E-6 which is just too dominating unless I consciously underplay it). Considering the price, I have no complaints about the sound.

Nice glossy light finish, shallow neck that makes playing up the fretboard a breeze (I understand the truss rod allows the neck to be shallower). No flaws I can see. The action on mine is perfect - easy to play but no buzzes except when I mis-finger a chord.

I've had the guitar for less than six months, so I'm guessing, but it looks to me like the guitar will last. It's my first classical, and my intention is to make it my knockabout guitar when and if I decide to upgrade to Esteve, Antonio Loriente or something similar.

No experience yet. Warranty is one year as I recall.

Again, I'd give the guitar 8.5 if that was possible on this site. I've played steel string (folk and pop) off and on for forty years but when I broke my left index finger 20 years ago or so, it didn't heal straight, and I never could find the time to completely relearn the left hand. We have a Martin D-41, Martin J-40, and a 1972 Yamaha FG-300, but I just couldn't make them sound right anymore except in limited kinds of playing. Recently, I decided I wanted to learn Hawaiian slack key, especially the more lyrical pieces (think Keola Beamer), and the wider fretboard and nylon strings make things a lot easier. Also, I've always wanted to learn a little classical, so that's hopefully in the future as well. This guitar is a perfect way to start with a classical - good enough to provide a solid learning experience, inexpensive enough to justify the investment even if you're not sure how far you'll go.

gloss finish which is what i was looking for. bought on ebay for $214. 19 fret dreadnought style. no electronics. the guitar is like new. well worth the money. gold tuners, cedar top, mahogany back and sides. hardhell case included which made this an even better deal. approx. 3 yrs old.

sounds great. has a deep rich bass and nice treble. no fret buzz. action is a little high for my taste, but there is room for adjustment. afraid to mess with it and ruin a good thing.

can find no defects except a little extra glue inside.

overall this is a great guitar for the price. dont pay full price as you can usually find at least 5-10 on ebay at any particular time.

Amazing! Beautiful features.

Sounds like a guitar 10 times the price!

Built very well. Has good playability

Just recently got it so we'll find out how durable it is.

It's really a great guitar and a rare find. I got mine at Long & McQuade for 370$ and I've played guitars up to 20 times the cost and this guitar ranks amoung them. Georgeous look too. If you can find any classical guitar better under 500$, get it!!

Cedar top, mahogany sides/back/neck, rosewood fingerboard. Scale 650mm, bought used for $150 or so on ebay plus shipping. 1986 model. Neck is thin/narrow; made for rock players who want an easy transition to classical. 19 frets. Prior owner installed an external Fishman pickup, glued to outside of guitar. I drilled out a hole and mounted pick-up internally and can attest that the sides are very thick and drilling through it was a bear. The pickup works fine with no buzzing or any extraneous noises introduced. Tuners are not the greatest but more or less work okay.

I play a Velazquez Hauser style and a Schwartz Fleta model that are both superb guitars. The LaPatrie is my knockabout guitar. The sound cannot compare with the other two guitars for refinement and subtlety, but is actually absolutely fine and will do for almost any situation except perhaps the self-satisfaction of playing a really fine handmade instrument. I've been playing for 36 years and would be able to get away with using this guitar for most performance situations.

As this guitar was made twenty years ago and has had its share of knocks, its construction, fit and finish were superbl. The action is terrific--easier to play than either of my main guitars. There are no flaws. It buzzes a tiny bit around F-F# on the 4th D string if you push it hard.

As above

Did all the repairs including a touch up of the top myself. Easy to touch up as it is not high gloss.

See above. I often wind up playing this guitar when I don't want to take the others out of their cases. This one is on a stand and out all the time.

Tuners are adequate
Neck is perfect
19 frets
Solid cedar laminated top
Mahogany back and sides

This guitar has a very beautiful sound. It is fairly well-balanced and projects well. In its price range, I don't think a better sounding guitar can be found. I thought it was slightly lacking in the bass - more expensive classicals tend to be more powerful there.

Ease of play on this guitar is amazing. I've never picked a classical up that was easier to play than this one. The action is just right - lower than most but never buzzes. You can tell it's a factory-made guitar (minor imperfections, especially on the inside, like extra glue) but there's nothing worth complaining about.

It seems pretty well made and reliable. I have no reason to believe it won't hold up for a long time. It does seem to ding a little easier than more expensive guitars, but if you're careful it will be just fine.

I've never needed support from La Patrie - my local shop imports mostly La Patrie stuff and they do all adjustments and repairs for free (Great Salt Lake Guitar Co.).

I've been playing classical guitar for just over 2 years now. I've picked up a lot of classicals in that time and owned two (this one and an Esteve 1GR09). With the budget I had when I bought it, there was no way I could have found a better sounding/looking classical guitar. This guitar is great for students who don't want to play a piece of trash. My favorite thing about it is probably the ease of play. I wish it had a bit more strength in regard to sound but I definitely got what I paid for and more. If I were still under the same budget restrictions, I would definitely get an identical one if it were lost or stolen.

It's a 2003 calssical guitar, looking a little plain but it isn't what really matters, there are 12 frets to the body and 19 frets overall. No electronic, no cutaway, just a plain, nice looking classic guit. Cedar top and a natural finish. The neck is thin for a nylon strings guitar but i have been playing acoustic for about two years and a half, so i take it a a plus. I got it at a pawn shop REALLY CHEAP, with a completely scrapped case. Yay for stolen stuff!

The sound isn't "wonderfull", but it's far worth the original price, and it's phenomenal for the price I paid there. The tone has all the richness of a cedar acoustic, and isn't diminished by the gloss. It fits my actual "style" verry well, i like to play some Pink Floyd, Opeth or Dave Matthews, it suits them all pretty well. The only bad point is that the strings it came with were crappy, but now it sounds great!

In La Patrie's website they say that the concert guitars are handcrafted, i don't know if it's true, but it's worth the price, everything is in it's right place, and that's just fine.

I had this guitar for two months, never had any problem, but that's kinda short, so i can't say if it will last or not.

No problem with any LaSido (the ones who make Normans, Godin, Seagull, Art & Lutherie, Simon & Patrick and La Patrie guitars) guitar yet, so i can't rate this either.

I own an all around Epiphone acoustic guitar that plays verry well, i just bought a Norman ST-68 guitar witch i will NEVER let anyone else touch, and an old Targa electric guitar witch no one has ever heard about, it sounds like crap because it hasn't been adjuster in twenty years, it was my father's guitar he forgot in the garage 'till i started to play. I can say i tried lots of other classical guitars and in the 300-400$US range, it's what's best.Great guitar for either beguinners or as a gig guitar.

Mine is a 2002 La Patrie Concert made in Canada of course. No electronics. All the regular woods for this guitar. Normal features for a classical guitar. No frills but looks like nice construction and materials. Kind of plain looking and could have nicer tuners. I got it with a gig bag, stand, foot stool and two sets of strings used for $160. Looks like I got a really good deal. It looks new except two really small dings that can be seen if you tip it just right in the light. Fot the price it is built well and looks OK.

Sound is beautiful. Makes me sound pretty good in fact. I've been playing off and on (mostly off lately) for many years. This is the prettiest sounding classical I have been fortuate enough to own. I once played a $2000 guitar that sounded a little better! This guitar has a mellow pretty sound but seems to project really well without having to play it hard. I like that. I people can hear it across a room but it still sounds sweet not forced.

I've notice in these reviews that there seems to be a lot of variation in the action between guitars of the same make/model. Mine is perfect. Not too high or low. The woodgrain is perfectly bookmatched and the finish is nice. Laquer finish body and natural neck. Feels good. Rosette is silly with little butterflies on it. Not even a good copy of inlay. They might as well have left it off but it doesn't matter to me. I don't play that part.

Just got it. We will see.

I've played about 20 years (you'd never know it listening to me though) I got a little formal classical training and have just fiddled with it since. I like this guitar better than my Yamaha. Got this really for my 12 year old son to fit his smaller hand better but I'm not sure I'm going to give it up. I really like the way it sounds.I like the way the smaller neck fits my hand too. I don't have very long fingers. I like what everybody has said in thier reviews. Seemed like a good deal at this price now that I have played it I feel it was a steal. I'm sure I will never sell this one and might even look for another. As far as features I like and dislike. I love the sound and feel. It could be better looking but then it probably would cost more. I'd rather have it this way. Nice guitar.

Mine is a 2001 model.. Concert W/ EQ
Has a nicely sized neck.. natural finish on neck is silky soft and beautiful to play. Solid top produces full rich tones that are well balanced and a joy to listen to. Construction quality is high with attention to detail. No flaws noted to date....

This Guitar has sound to die for..... No other nylon I have played provides me with such rich complex tones. Smooth as a German bear...

Have not had a chance to try the pickup.. do mostly non-amped playing. To date I am delighted with the fit and finish of the guitar. I am due for a new set of strings.. The originals have lasted almost 2 years.. Still stays in tune but they are worn.. Have not noticed any abnormal ware on the guitar or hardware. Well made.. quality components. I did notice last night a couple of the tuners knobs are starting to loosed slightly.. time for a drop of crazy glue...

Well... she lives a sheltered life.. She's a quality guitar and I treat her like such!

never had the need......

been playing on and off for years.. for my pleasure and the torment of others...

normal features of a classical guitar, with the added truss rod.

sound is full and mellow. I bought this guitar a year ago, and the sound blows my mind everytime I play it. In terms of volume, it produces a nice strong bass and clear trebles, but I got this guitar before I figured out what type of music I wanted to play, and it doesn't have the attack needed for Leo Kottke fingerstyle playing--it has a softer and warmer tone like all classicals.

action is a little high. The fret board on mine extends a centimeter into the sound hole in a flawed manner--as if they didn't cut the arc for the sound hole high enough. I noticed this at the store, and should have asked for a discount, but I liked the sound too much, and I didn't have the nerve to seem like a jerk to the sales person who was super friendly. Important things like the bridge and neck joints were ok and have been fine for the year I've owned it.

Oh baby. I took this guitar camping to death valley and yosemitte in the winter--in a gig bag. asside from banging around in the back seat with backpacks, water jugs and laundry, on one night in the mountains it got so cold that everything was covered in thin ice in the morning. My hands were so cold I couldn't feel my fingers or play the guitar. But it survived without a scratch or crack.

I've played for a year and suck rather terribly. But I resolved to never let a pick touch the guitar, unless it was a thumb/finger pick. I've plucked and arpeggioed this thing like a beast but it has held up well to my anti-classical rythmic abuse. I own a pacifica electric which was purchased after I thought I might attempt to be Steve Vai (that lasted shortly), and I will get a Dean Contour acoustic next week. Too many guitars for my current skill level. This guitar is my first though, and I will always keep it, even if I don't really like classical music or the routine breaking of the musical spirit that classical students endure.

Solid cedar top. Mahogany back, sides and neck. Rosewood fret board. The perfling is white. The Rosette looks like it came from a computer. It has a truss rod. As far as tuning gears go they are adequate. Made in Canada by Lisido Inc. I give it a higher rating due to the solid cedar top.

Tried several before I found the right sound. The highs are bright and the volume is above average with factory strings. Sustain is good. Have heard better but not at this price.

The cedar has a warm color and the sides and back look very good. The wood is matched nicely and the grain runs straight. The rosette blends in fairly well with the top. The lacquer finish is even and appears to be without blemish although the top bracing can be seen when the light hits the top right. The neck is straight and the frets are even. The nut may be hand cut. Well balanced even with a truss rod.

Only had is guitar for a short time.

La Patrie does not have a web site per say so I went to the Lisido web site and found they do not have email any more. Something about people not liking their responce time to emails. However there is a one year warrenty. I have sent in my warrenty card. The guitar also has a serial number on the headstock.

I have been playing classical for less than a year and was looking for a decent instrument at a reasonable price. This fits the bill. Tried several different guitars (Alverez, Cordoba, Fender, Takamine, Humphery, Ramirez) before settling on this one. Overall, this is a very good, even excellent guitar when compared to guitars of much higher price. I'm very happy with this guitar and plan to keep it forever.

Made In Canada
Classical(nylon string)
Tuners are marginal at best
Mahogany back & sides Cedar top-Very nice-rare in this price range
pretty rosewood fretboard
Kind of a silly looking rosette-(but Who cares it sounds great)
no pickup

This is exactly what I was looking for

action is good
I have been messing with the truss rod(Very rare in a classical) to get the right feel. I didnt really like the strings I prefer savarez they have a little texture to thi nilon -More like gut
Rivets in the on the saddle look silly I plan to put a piece of rosewood in to cover this up.
Nice little guitar

This is a solid guitar Much more than you would thing in this price range

??

I am very impressed with this guitar. I used to have a higher end Yamha classical but traded it (along with about 3,500 bucks) on a high end Taylor steel string. counting the lapetrie I have two Taylors and a Fender strat. I found that I really missed a nilon string for certain things. I am having a Baggs Ibeam pickup installed next week. when I looked at this guitar I was also looking at a very nice tachamine but I kept going back to this little guitar. Miked it sounds wonderful so I expect a even better sound after the Ibeam is installed.

made in Quebec. spruce top - slight blemish, but that's why it was the floor model. this was exactly what I was looking for in my first classical.

I love the sound. I picked it over several others that were on display. Being a bass player, the classical neck and string spacing really helped me to adapt to playing 6 string.
It has a great, warm tone, and an excellent, full volume. I can get a little more aggressive and get a brighter sound, even biting. I wish I had a better way to record this sound - I love it.

there is a slight blemish on the surface, but that's why it was a floor model, and why I paid less than usual for this guitar. pretty funny since the blemish doesn't effect the sound... I'm not going to complain. There were also some scratches on the lamination, but that too is to be expected from a demo. You can see where the two piece making the top come together, but overall it doesn't look bad.

I think I've added to the damaged finish since it was already slightly worn, but I've been more mindful of this since I noticed. The neck shows little signs of wear. Sides and back are fine.

n/a Haven't tried.

This was my first 6-string. I previously owned 2 basses - one custom "de-fretted" Fender Musicmaster, and a Series 10 Ibanez knock off. Since then, I've added an old Yamaha 12-string, a Fender Stratocaster, a 3/4 scale Fender for my son, and I've partly rebuilt an old 3/4 scale acoustic that was my wife's when she was little.

This is a great classical guitar. When I go to pick up a guitar to play, other than the basses, this is the one I go to. Great sound, easy to play, an overall excellent guitar.

classical concert la patrie, bought on ebay for just under 300.00 usd, fit and finish are good, with the exception of the 2 rivets in the bridge.. Why? on an otherwise sound box. the "g' is somewhat dull, no sus. as in the other trebles, have tried different tension strings, all of augustine trebles and kamans just can't get the thud out. Bridge problem? replaced tuners as they were very catchy and the gotoh's are so smooth, the oem's are good looking but are not flat. this is a nice guitar for the money period, and I hope can be tweaked to get better.. I like it.

this is my second classical guitar, and surpasses the alvarez by a good margin in tone and volume with a great appearance as a kicker.

weell the action was low with the original saddle I raised the strings (new bone saddle) to 5 on 1 and 6 on 6 and it seems to have a bit more projection from behind the hole. don't know about in front.

live ? I play it every night and i think it is sounding better than when i first played it. seems to be rugged for a light guitar.

nada, but have not tried.

First year, started with alvarez classical, martin d15 now the la patrie classical. use the martin to impress my friends but like the classical when I just having fun.

Solid cedar top, made in Quebec, Canada. Light laquer finish on the top. Rosewood fretboard. Flat fingerboard (not raised). The grain on the sides and back is very nice. Neck's a bit thin, but I'm not objecting. No electronics at all, standard classical (650 length).

It's new, so the sound is a little harsher than I expect it to wind up in a year or two, but rich for a rather inexpensive classical guitar. Fairly clear tone up to the end of the fretboard (but it could be a tad louder up there), fairly responsive bass. The notes "ring" nicely at least up to the 12th fret and I think they sustain pretty well. Not to difficult to pull a decent tone or volume out of the instrument, across the strings. Tone seems pretty well balanced.

Action seems fine, no buzzing anywhere even when played loud. Action's low enough to allow strings to "snap" against the fingerboard when called for.
The pegs turn a bit rough, and I'd prefer the first string to be a little farther from the edge of the fingerboard.

I like the truss in the neck; it feels sturdier and well balanced, and apparently the heft can help the tone (at least I've read it). The table should be protected from some cracking by the binding around the top and back (parallel to purfling on a violin). The neck's not lacquered, so it'll require oiling from time to time, but the rest of the instrument has a light coat of lacquer that should do.
Still, I'm not sure I like the tuning pegs.

I bought it used, although it shows no sign of having been played, so there's no warranty.

I'm an "early intermediate" beginner, been playing under a year. I outgrew the plywood-top guitar I'd been using. I like this guitar; as I said, it doesn't take much work to get a decent tone or volume. It's one of the cheaper solid-top guitars that I've found on the market, but still has a solid tone (I'll be trying out different strings for a while). I'd get another one if something happened to this one.

Made in Quebec, Canada
Classical

Beatiful sound

beatuifully finish and craftmanship. Only minus is that it's got a rosette sticker instead of an inlaid one

This guitar sounds much better than other much more expensive guitars and the craftmanship is just superb

I just got a La Patrie Concert 1999 Classical Guitar for Christmas. It has a cedar top, mahogany sides, back and neck, with a rosewood fingerboard. It is a lot lighter in weight than my Cordoba student guitar. The tuning pegs are very smooth. Since I am left handed, I had to get some alterations done on it, such as the nut and the saddle had to be tweaked a bit. It came with what looks like a standard classical guitar case.

It is a wonderful sounding guitar. It has a very full rich tone to it. The only problem I found with it is the action, which may have to do with the alterations I had done on it. The action is about 2 or 3 micrometers to low. I get a slight buzzing on the 6 string if I do really hard rasgueado's.

Like I said in the previous section, the action is just a hair to low. The finish was superb and all fret posts were parrellel with each other.

I have not performed with it yet, but just practicing with it, it stays in tune very well, all except for the 3(G) string. But on almost all guitars, the 3 string is hard to keep in perfect tune.

Overall, I would recomend this guitar to other classical players.

This is a 1999 LaPatrie Concert model classical (nylon string). It has 12 frets to the body and 19 in total. I believe it has a 25.5 inch scale, though it may be a touch longer. It has a solic cedar top and mahogany back and sides with a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. It also has a truss rod which would come in handy if the neck ever started to warp. The finish is a nice gloss with the neck oiled and unfinished. And the binding on the font and back of the body really is a nice touch. It is a full sized classical body.

I love the sound, it really reminds me of Christopher Parkening's tone, which amazed me at this price. This guitar sounds has a beautiful bass response and the treble strings are crisp and clear. It gives a really full deep sound and brings a smile to my face every time I pick it up. There's no doubt that a 5000 dollar spanish guitar would sound better but you're not going to find a better tone in this price range.

The action is very good, but I would like it to be a little lower. The adjustable truss rod will take care of that though. It seems like they use very fine wood for the price so this guitar should last a long time.

I would not hesitate to use it in a live setting because I am very confident that this guitar if taken care of will last a lifetime.

have not had a reason to contact the company yet.

If this guitar were stolen or lost I would be very upset and would have to replace it with the same model. I'm very pleased with this purchase and recomend it to anyone who wants a quality classical at a reasonable price.