Lucida Artista LG-777

Purchased in 2007. Lucida Artista Concerto LG-777 features include solid cedar top, solid rosewood back/sides, ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge, Micarta nut and saddle, wood binding, deluxe gold lyre tuners, mahogany neck, thin gloss finish, nut width = 52mm.

Of course, this is very subjective. Does the Lucida LG-777 sound like a $10,000 concert grade guitar? Not exactly, no. It doesn't have quite the projection or sustain that a true concert guitar usually has. No $700 guitar does. So..how does it sound for a $750 student guitar? Incredibly good! I also own a Jose Ramirez 4E..the best quality student Ramirez guitar made, and my Lucida 777 comes VERY close to the 4E. The projection and the crispness and sustain of the trebles is not quite what the 4E is, but it is very close. And the Ramirez 4E sells for $3,600 street price. I used to own a Ramirez R4 and the Lucida was much better. So a fair conclusion is to say that the Lucida sounds like a guitar that generally costs several times its price. Deep, rich bass, a clear mid-range, crisp trebles that sing with good sustain. It has that "Spanish growl." I keep thinking about changing the micarta saddle to bone, but it sounds so good as it is, there is no urgency to do so.

My Lucida 777 is flawless. Fit and finish is perfect with no defects. Gloss finish is not thick...just right. Frets are even and clean. Wood qualities are high and perfectly bookmatched. Some reviewers have complained that the tuning machines are cheap. Mine look nice and operate perfectly and smoothly. Guitar stays in tune just fine. No glue drips anywhere. Action on mine is medium-high...appropriate for my playing. But there is room on the saddle to adjust it downwards if so desired.

I sit in my living room and play classical music, so I don't make any great demands on the instrument. I keep it in a temperature/humidity controlled, smoke-free, kid-free environment. I play it almost everyday. My guess is that, under these conditions, it will last many, many years.

No experience with customer support...not needed.

I tested several guitars before buying the Lucida LG-777. I compared to Cordoba, Esteve, Alhambra, Yamaha, and others. For the money, this one was by far the best buy. It looks and sounds absolutely beautiful and rivals guitars that cost much, much more. When I first took it to my private teacher, he was so impressed that he compared it with one of his concert guitars that cost nearly $4,000 and the Lucida had a richer sound. I think it is one of the best kept secrets in the classical guitar market. A fantastic value...a great guitar.
There are rumors that it is being discontinued. This is not true. I wrote to the folks at Lucida (in June of 2008) and they told me there are no plans to discontinue the Lucida LG-777.

I just bought a new 2007 model made in Spain. This guitar has all solid wood construction, which is very rare in this price range. Speaking of woods: these guitars are not constructed with premium grade wood. You won't see the tightest and most even grain spacing, but you won't see obviously poor woods either. Ebony fretboard is another bonus in this price range. Strings are, to me a non-issue in a new instrument as most will immediately restring with personal choice. Tuners are budget guitar quality (but this is an easy upgrade). Bridge and saddle material seems like a decent material but, again, upgrades are easily done if bone/ivory is more to your liking. Finish is a thin polyurethane, which to me is fine for a budget guitar because it can be applied in minutes and does the job it's supposed to do. However, this is also the finish you would expect on a $200 guitar from wherever. Overall, the features of this model are outstanding.(I gave a 7 because I'm comparing this to guitars in all price ranges that would be made of only premium woods/materials).

To me this guitars sound is not quite as impressive as other reviewers seem to think (but this is the most personal of the review categories). Compared to a mass produced guitar made of plywood, (laminated woods) which do nothing but hurt a guitars sound, this guitar excels in lower end volume. The overall quality the the sound, to me just doesn't measure up to a guitar made of AAA grade woods and has had the benefit of a maker who will spend weeks to get all steps of construction exactly where he wants them (as well as using more labor intensive construction methods) before shipping. But then, such guitars are most certainly many times the price of this guitar. So.. in it's price range the sound is fantastic, and you will have to spend at least double or triple to get much better sound.

Action is just OK. I haven't made any alterations, but I'm confident that lowering the saddle height will make the action much quicker. I've experienced string buzz only during the most aggressive of playing so lowering the saddle height should be fine. I'll be doing this soon, and don't plan to make any alterations to the nut. Frets are smooth but not polished with no jagged edges.
Fit and finish are fair. All of the components come together with no gaps and good construction methods are evident. Finish is OK. Like I mentioned earlier, the finish is a sprayed on polyurethane, so little imperfections can be seen here and there, but you can tell it's been done with care and has no really serious issues.

I just bought my second LG777. I sold my first after only 3 months. It almost certainly was a very early production model with many cosmetic flaws. From the two individual examples I've been able inspect closely, I would say reliability/durability are as good any anything else on the market, at any price. Classical guitars, especially lighter weight ones made from solid woods, are not able to withstand a lot of abuse. If well cared for, the LG77 should last decades, even if played daily.

No idea. I've not had to seek help from the manufacturer or dealer for anything.

I've been playing off and on for 20 years and have owned several sub $1000 guitars and played a few high end guitars.
I'm giving a 7, but keep in mind that this is a rating of the guitar irregardless of price. Better woods, materials, construction methods and as a result, sound, are readily available but not at anywhere near this price. For a serious student looking for a good buy, this is a no brainer. For the professional looking for a practice instrument: only you know what you like or are willing to pay for, but not giving this guitar a try would be a mistake in my opinion.

OK. It has a cedar top. Rosewood sides and back. Gold tuners. Mahogany neck with really hardwood fretboard (ebony, I believe)
This one was made in Valencia Spain in '05. Came with a decent case.
It has about as many features as a Spanish guitar can have, and that is not many.

Now we get to the real reason this guitar shines. Sound. I have owned it for a while now and thought to give my opinion after some experience with it. I have also been able to play many other guitars since, typically more expensive (and I mean WAY more expensive) and I cannot fault this guitar at all. It really has a beautiful voice. After playing some guitars in the four to five thousand dollar range, I come away thinking 'these do not sound better than my Lucida.' It makes me so happy. Oh, the fretboards are certainly finished nicer, but that can be done to any guitar for a reasonable price. My Lucida is very light in weight and also very strong.

It needed to have the frets smoothed a little after I owned it for a while. My Lucida is very light in weight and also very strong. The woods used are beautiful to look at and the finish is shiny and smooth. The action to me is just right. Does not buzz very much.

My Lucida is well made and strong and certainly does not need to be babied. I can take it anywhere without worry of it coming apart or breaking. I do take it everywhere I play and have had no problem.

I have no need of the warranty just yet.

I have been playing classical guitar for some time now and also own other types of guitars, like steel string. This has become my most cherished nylon string and I play it all the time. I love everything about it and would change nothing. It has such beautiful sound it is hard to describe in words. I know people think they must spend lots of money for such a guitar but not so. I would not trade this for most others I have played.

Solid top w/solid rosewood back and sides. Made in Spain. The color of the top is so light that I wonder whether it really is cedar? I don't see any hint of redness. It has a bright sound and not the really rich bass that I have experienced with other cedar tops. It's a classical so we don't need to compare too many features. Tuners work. Guitar is light. Finish is ok but I don't spend too much time just looking at it. The case that came with it is a hinged plastic box type with decent padding on the inside. It does a decent job of protecting the instrument.

It's made for classical and that's what I play on it.
The best way to judge is to listen. I recorded 7 tracks on soundclick with my Lucida 777 if harmony-central allows links.
Click the link on top left on http://guitar-lessons.us or go directly to
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=624489

The sound is quite even throughout the range. I've got to be honest though, I like a little more sustain and when I get around to it I would like to have the guitar professionally setup with a new nut and saddle. My own efforts at changing the saddle didn't do what I had hoped.

The guitar is playable, but I get a very slight buzz in 1st position on the D string no matter how well I hold down the notes. I actually raised the action a little when fitting a new saddle.

It seems like it would last well if taken care of. It's classical so it needs a little care. I don't anticipate any problems. Neck is straight, top is quite flat. No issues.

The importer, whos name escapes me right now, seemed somewhat helpful in the begining when I almost exchanged it because I was expecting a cedar top. I still don't know if it is really cedar, spruce or what. It's very light colored wood. Of course I would have had to pay shipping both ways so I just kept it. When thinking about buying online consider whether you might want to exchange. SHipping costs can cosiderably raise your final price. If you have a good music store that carries these kind of intruments you may be better off paying them a little extra to have the ability of selecting an instrument from a batch. I don't have any regrets buying from the internet though.

Started playing 40 years ago. If stolen I would look around and probably go for something better. I enjoy playing it and I think it's very good value at the price, but of course there are better instruments if you are willing to pay more money. For now this serves the purpose for me.

If you are considering to buy a guitar in this range you will probably not be unhappy with this choice.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER TUNERS. THAT'S ALL.

MY GOD! THIS GUITAR SOUNDS WAY TOO GOOD. I DON'T SEE HOW A GUITAR CAN BE SO BEAUTIFUL.

I MUST AGREE WITH OTHER REVIEWERS HERE. I GIVE IT A 9 ON ACCOUNT OF NEEDING A LITTLE FRET WORK. BUT HEY, SHOW ME A NEW GUITAR THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE SET UP, AS THEY SAY.

SHE IS EXTREMELY LIGHT IN WEIGHT. A FEATHER. BUT I CAN HARDLY CAUSE THE TONE TO CHANGE WHEN APPLYING PRETTY GOOD PRESSURE ON THE NECK. DERNED STURDY. I WOULD TRUST THIS GUITAR COMPLETELY-NOT TO FAIL.

AFTER OWNING (HER) FOR A YEAR, I GOTTA TELL YOU PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW, THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS GUITAR, BOTH TO PLAY AND TO LISTEN TO. I TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN JUST HOLDING (HER). NO, I'M NOT A WEIRDO OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST, WELL, THIS GUITAR IS 'ALIVE'. I USE D'ADDARIO PRO-ARTE COMPOSITE STRINGS AND THE TONAL QUALITY ACHIEVED IS JUST AMAZING. WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY? I HAVE PLAYED MANY CLASSICAL GUITARS OVER THE YEARS. MANY. BUT NEVER BEFORE ONE AS ENCHANTING AS THIS! I KID YOU NOT!

Purchased new (site unseen) from internet source in May, 2005.
No date stamp on label. Made in Spain by people who make guitars, mysteriously.
All solid woods. Very nice, straight-grains on top, back and sides. Top made from select cedar, sides/back select Indian rosewood. Neck made of solid (unreinforced, no adjusto-rod) mahogany of some type. 18 1/2 frets, as I count 'em.
Finish is excelent. Very smooth, no drips runs, un-evenness etc.
Tuners are of unknown manufacture as yet.

The reason I bought this guitar (solely from reading good reviews) was the sound quality/price factor. Without exception, every review or opinion I could muster, professed the excelent sound, even when compared to much more expensive guitars.
I have been playing steel-string for 40 years. Not much classical, but I do know what I like and how a good guitar should play and sound, including classicals. So, I just naturaly wanted to start playing classical. OK?
The LG777 is a VERY good sounding guitar.
Using D'Addario Pro Arte Gold (medium tension) strings, it responds with a clear, warm, lively and voluminous bass. Trebles are even toned, acute (not too brite) and project well. Overall, this guitar has excelent tone and sustain.
One thing I should note here: even at very quiet playing volumes, this guitar loses non of its tonal qualities, projection or sustain. Something found, usually, in only very expensive guitars.

This guitar came as-is from the factory with no set-up, and well, it needs a little work.
In example: the frets could use a little filing and edge polishing. Could, but not absolutely necessary. You won't cut your fingers, but there is a bit of edge on the edges of the fret wires.
The action is good, but can be made better.
Height of the sixth string, twelfth fret, measures 4 mm. Just about right. The first string at the same measures 3.3 mm. I dropped the nut height a tad (1/64") for easier playing on the first fret. The bridge I left alone. Minimal string buzz when playing with vigor.
The neck/fretboard has perfect shape. No twist or sway.
The cedar top is very-well bookmatched, flat, appears quarter-sawn, with no noticeable waves, warps or irregularities.
The tuners are the same found on the low-priced Ramirez 2E ($2800.oo. Yeah, low-priced) and do work OK, but are not real high quality. Because this guitar warrents better tuners, I am going to replace them with Fustero mid-range tuners (around $130.oo)

I have owned this guitar for only several months, and am extremely kind to my instruments, so I imagine, in my case, this guitar will last a lifetime.
The finish appears to be lacquer, polished, high-gloss and is not horrably thick. As with all finishes of this nature, one must take care of it.
There are no strap buttons, as there should not be. No pick-gaurds either. Nothing to interfere with the natural resonance of the woods.
Would I use it on a gig with no back-up? Of course. The guitar is very sturdy, especially considering its light weight.

I am currently without need to correspond with the manufacturer, so I have no opinion. The warrenty is said to be limited lifetime. I guess that means I'm not going to live forever. Dang!

My overall rating is going to be similar to all the others I have read. Very, very nice guitar. I know I could spend a bunch more and not get better.
I have since looked at other guitars, such as Takmine's C132s, Jose Ramirez 2E, R4, and some other brand names. The Lucida sounds better than the Takamine, and was a toss-up with the Ramirez 2E ($2500.oo). The Ramirez R4 does sound a little better in its way, but is TONS more expensive, and I can live with the difference for the savings. That buys a lot of strings.
I really love the sound of this Lucida. It oozes beauty.
If I lost this guitar somehow, I would definitely replace it with another.
You know you can spend any amount you like for a classical guitar. Some of us (most) are limited to a certain price range and it's nice to be able to buy a guitar with the quality and sound this one has for the price. I am really thrilled with this guitar.

CLASSICAL GUITAR MADE IN 2002 IN VALENCIA, SPAIN (HAND MADE - NOT BY A SINGLE LUTHIER). 19 FRETS (NO CUTAWAY). SOLID CEDAR TOP, SOLID ROSEWOOD BACK AND SIDES, MAHOGANY NECK WITH EBONY FONGERBOARD. NO PICKUP, BUT THIS GUITAR DOESN'T REALLY NEED ONE. CHEAP LACQUER FINSIH, BUT OK IF TAKEN CARE OF. GOLD LYRE TUNERS. STANDARD CLASSICAL NECK WIDTH WITH SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN STANDARD ACTION.

CLASSICALLY CLASSIC. NICE DEEP TONES WHEN PLAYED OVER THE SOUND HOLE. JUST STARTED EXPERIENCING SOME BUZZNG AFTER DROPPING THE ACTION A LITTLE TOO LOW, BUT THAN CAN BE FIXED. VERY SWEET SOUND. NICE TONES - ESPECIALLY WITH GOOD STRINGS (DITCH THE FACTORY STRINGS, FOR SURE). RECOMMEND COMPOSITE STRINGS.

ACTION SET AT THE FACTORY WAS PRETTY GOOD. I LOWERED IT A LITTLE AND IT PLAYS A LITTLE FASTER, BUT THE BUZZING IS STARTING. THE BACK IS WELL MATCHED AND THE TOP WOOD GRAIN IS STRAIGHTER THAN A RULER - REALLY NICE TOP. INSIDE THE SOUND HOLE I SAW SOME GLUE BLOBS, BUT OUTSIDE THE HOLE VERY NICE INLAY. ACTUALLY A VERY PRETTY GUITAR FOR UNDER $800. NOTHING LOOSE OR BROKEN - WELL MADE.

A GOOD STRONG GUITAR FOR AN ALL SOLID WOOD INSTRUMENT. THE FINISH IS OBVIOUSLY NOT EXPENSIVE, BUT NICE ENOUGH - JUST DON'T BANG ON THE SOUND BOARD LIKE A FLAMENCO GUITAR, IT WON'T HOLD UP. I'VE RECORDED WITH THIS GUITAR AND THE RESULTS WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE.

HAVEN'T USED CUSTOMER SUPPORT YET.

BEEN PLAYING FOR 30 YEARS. I OWN SEVERAL ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC GUITARS, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE LUCIDA. IT IS QUITE THE DEAL FOR THE MONEY, NO LAMINATION AT ALL! A GOOD SET OF STRINGS AND YOUR GOOD TO GO. DROPPING THE ACTION IS RECOMMENDED, BUT MAKE SURE IT IS DONE RIGHT. PLAYS REAL NICE. YOU SHOULD HEAR THE RECORDINGS. NO BETTER DEAL IN THIS CLASS THAT I HAVE FOUND.

Year made unknown. No serial number. MusicLink imported this guitar from Spain. Light coloured solid Cedar top, Solid mahogany neck, solid rosewood back and sides and ebony fretboard and bridge. Lacquer finish. Deacal soundhole. Lovely binding color. Standard tuners. Lovely guitar. Some sloppy gluing inside visible.

I am learning Classical. Love blues and rock and roll, so I love the nice bass sound from this little baby. The strings that it comes were gone the first day. Just garbage. Everyone has their own string preference. I found a nice set of Red Savarez Corum Alliance made a nice difference in volume, particularly with the treble strings. Very nice rich full sound. I had a Cordoba and this is a nice jump up for me.

Action at the nut is 1/16" and 3/16" at the 12the fret., which is nice and comfortable for me. I am happy with it as my last cheaper guitar was higher. Nice quality wood in this guitar. I feel this is a very good deal for the money. Sounds comparable to the much more expensive Classical guitars I played at GC. I took the advise of members at AG Classical forum and I am forever grateful. Really like this sweet baby.

I only play at home. Guitar seems sturdy, nice finish and I won't be parting with it as I don't expect to really be able to afford a higher end Classical anytime soon.

Lucida Artista Concerto LG777s are made by Saez, apparently. I have heard it rumoured anyway. Who knows? It's a secret from the buyer. No warranty, no paperwork, no tags, nothing. I personally don't think it is important. It's obviously factory made, but I am not a collector, so it doesn't matter to me.

I also have a Larrivee Parlor which is also a solid wood guitar and I love that one too. Yes, if the Concerto got broken or something, I would replace this one. Lovely rich sound, nice low setup. It's exactly what I wanted. Highly recommend this guitar for those on a budget like me who want an excellent Classical guitar with a solid cedar top, solid rosewood back and sides. You wouldn't be sorry with this one.

Bought used, unsure of year made.
Solid cedar top, solid rosewood back and sides.
Ebony fingerboard, wood binding, inlaid rosette, rosewood bridge and veneer on the headstock.

The sound is rich and warm. Nice volume and resonance. I am very happy with it. I bought this for classical music and it is perfectly suited to it. I'm certain there are better sounding guitars, but the sound on this matches much more expensive instruments.

Action is just over 3mm on the bass string. It's set up just right for my tastes, not too high. The bookmatching is perfect on the front and back. The only flaw I find that was not due to the fact that it is a used instrument is that the tuner on one side is mounted a bit crooked so it peeks just above the surface of the headstock ~1mm at the bottom. Only a really really picky inspector would see it though.

It seems to be very well built. I have no doubts it will serve me for a very long time.

No warranty- bought used. It's the 2nd guitar I've bought from this seller though (the other was a new Burguet) and he's great. Very helpful and really went beyond expectations. I'll positively buy from him again if I decide to upgrade down the road.

I love the rich strong sound. I love the look- it is an absolutely beautiful guitar with the woods used and the bindings. The inside has a fair amount of glue showing though, where my Burguet is as spotless inside as out. Not that it matters especially, but it is clear that more attention was given in every area in my Burguet. But this guitar is just as gorgeous in every other respect and the sound is every bit as respectable. The tuners work well and look good, but they do look a bit outclassed by the high quality of the rest of the guitar. I'd buy this guitar again if a flash if it were lost. Given the sound and material quality, I can see no reason to spend 3 times as much for another comparable one. If I want to upgrade from this in the future it will be to a handmade luthier instrument, not to a mid-range factory with a modest improvement in quality..

Bought a 2003 model. Paid too much at Guitar Solo guitar in San Francisco. $659, because I fell in love with the sound and did not do my homework! Standard nylon string, classical Spanish made guitar. Solid Cedar top and solid Indian rosewood back and sides, I was told. Good hardcase was purchased separately.

Sound is fantastic for the price. I had already purchased a Cordoba 50R, with return policy. Also tried a bunch of similiar priced Yamahas and others. Comparing the all by sound was no contest. The beautiful clarity and complex overtones won me over again and again!

Action is good and high as usual with a classical guitar. Some minor finish flaws on body and neck. Neck feels somewhat lightweight, especially compared to Cordoba 50R and Yamaha 201 compared to. That said, the external embellishments are better, unique, and beautiful. I especially like the wood binding, whatever it is. Tuners seem better than most, but guitar does not stay in tune well, but neither did the Cordoba 50R I had for three weeks!

High gloss finish seems sturdy. Beautiful wood binding may be less durable than others - already have a small nick! Neck seems lightweight and somewhat fragile, but that is only my perception!

No use, no idea!

I've been playing on and off for five years. I also have a great Guild D50, but recently developed a nylon string urge I could not loose!
This guitar seduced me like a beautiful, mysterious European women who could also hold a great conversation, and was a gourmet cook! The sound and aesthetic beauty was overwhelming at the price and I would definitely try to replace her, but have some doubts that every single example is this good. As always, try before you buy!

I'm not sure when mine was made. I purchased it new in early 2003. It has a solid cedar top and nice sides and back of Indian Rosewood. The neck is mahogany with an ebony finger board.

This is a classical guitar and I have been playing classical and finger-style music on it. It has a very nice sound with plenty of bass.

The action was high, but was easily adjusted.
The finish is a little thick in corners--like at the juncture of the top and the fret board, but everywhere else looks great.
I think the quality of the top is good, and the quality of the back and sides is very good. Tuners are a bit cheap looking, but work perfectly fine.

I have been playing it a lot, and have had no problems. I have traveled with it, but only by car.

I don't even know whether there is a warranty.

I chose this guitar because it was an incredible value. It easily stacked up to guitars in the $1200 range, and sounded better than one new guitar that was priced at several times that. I have no illusions that there are better looking, better sounding, and better playing guitars, but not for anywhere close to this price. I intend to get a really fantastic classical in Brazilian Rosewood at some point, but I think I will still keep this one.

This is a brand new (2003) Lucida Concerto (LG777) made in Spain. It is supposedly hand "Crafted", but for the money, I doubt that each instrument receives the personal Luthier attention of a higher end ($1,500 and up) guitar, but I could be wrong. Regardless, it is quite pretty and sports a solid Spruce top (not Cedar like most of the ads show), solid Rosewood Back and Sides, Ebony fingerboard (although it so not quite as polished and perfect as a higher end guitar). The tuners are Gold Lyre tuners (plated) that feel pretty good - not the best feature of this guitar, though. Remember that this is a $500 to $800 guitar.

The sound is pretty surprising for $500.00. I've played Ramirez, Almansa, Saez, etc. and the difference is subtle.

The action was set standard at the nut - way too high for some of the fingerstyle pieces I play - definitely need to drop that a little and, man what a difference (watch out for buzzing when you do this). At the 12th fret it was standard too but I don't spend a lot of time down there so I didn't adjust that. No real flaws to speak of and the finish was nice and shiny.

Too soon to tell.

Too soon to tell

I've been playing for over 25 years but only the last three have been focused on classical music (in my youth I was wacking my Telecaster pretty much exclusively). I own several acoustic guitars that are mostly laminated student guitars and a couple of electrics (Jackson PS-4, 1977 Telecaster). If the LG777 was stolen, I'd probably start over looking for something simply because I like change - not because the guitar isn't a good one. I give it an overall 8 because it looks and sounds (and somewhat plays) like the real Valencia, Spain type of serious guitar. Good choice for the average Joe that can't part with $1,500 or more.

Not sure when it's made, I bought it online in Aug 2003, it was definitely new. This is a Spanish-made classical guitar with standard sized body. Made of solid woods - cedar top, rosewood sides and back, ebony fretboard - just what I wanted, and for that little money, hard to beleive! Nut and saddle are said to be ivoroid, but it I think they are plastic. Lyre's gold-plated tuners look good, surely not superb butter-feeling ones, but they are Ok. Stock strings are cheap junk.

It came packaged in factory packaged with lots of bubbled bags, no hard shell.

Out of the box the guitar sounds great, but when you restring with something better, like Martin Silverplated, the damn thing just SIGNS! No noises/buzz, sound in low-mid range is close to perfect, deep and clear. Trebbles are warm and distinct, lack some sustain, but I think it's Ok for classical. Even with factory string volume balance is excellent over the range.

Action out of the box was about 5mm at the 12th fret. AFAIK this is a standard action for classical. The thing I wan't fond of is the action at the nut. It was way too high making it hard to play in first position. I did some research on how to lower it and did it myself (www.frets.com - great resource!!!). A piece of sandpaper - it's all it takes. I also compensated at saddle a little, but the way the bridge is constructed there's not too much room for lowering 12th fret action, you can hardly go below 4mm, but again this is perfectly enough for classical.

Every wooden part is executed excellently, not lacks whatsoever. The lacquer finish is quite good, but there were few flows in it where the neck connects to the top and on the neck where finish meats fretboard. Barely visible from 2-3ft. This is the reason I give it 8.

Frets are Ok.

As I said the thing is solid and seems to last long with proper care.
No strap buttons, it's a classical, they don't jump on the stage ;_)

I'm not into public performances so no comments on dependability/backup.

10 I given should be thought of as of a relative mark in the same category. Still, classicals are pretty fragile things, you cannot even put steel strings on'em ;-_\)

No warranty/haven't dealt with them.

I'm a hobby player, studied classical guitar for a year, have been playing on and off for about 8 years. I have owned 3 guitars, and definitely this one is the best of them, although not the most expensive. If it were stolen or lost, I'd buy one in a heartbeat, even for the higher price that now everyone seems to be selling them for ;(.

I did cross shop several guitars and tried many at local stores. Didn't fall in love with either of'em and decided to go for this one blindly - no one sells them in the local stores, everything else made of solid woods was way out of my price range, and I wanted a solid wood instrument! Previous reviews on Concerto here did affect my choice and I'm happy I listened! Love absolutely everything about this baby, and special thanks to Musiclink for not glueing in nut&saddle, otherwise it would've been a pain to adjust action.

If you're in doubts trying to decide between <$800 Yamaha or Cordoba - forget it and get the Concerto, it'll beat crap out of them.

Unsure of manufacture date. Made in Spain. Solid cedar top, SOLID mahogany sides and back. No electronics. Gloss finish - not that thick polyester finish. Standard classical shape and accompanying hardware. 2 things that were done to the guitar before I got it. The previous owner added a bone saddle and a bone nut. For the price - and having SOLID wood throughout, it gets a 10

one word - WOW!!! Unbelievable sustain, great projection, very rich, full sound. No tubbiness in the low end and the treble has a bell-like quality to it.

Action was fine. Very well put together guitar. Has some excess glue on the braces, but in no way does it affect the tone of the guitar. Nicely finished/polished frets without sharp edges.

One would have NO problems using this guitar in a concert situation. Never play without a backup! With care, this guitar would last a lifetime.

no experience

for the money - even new, the Concerto is less than 700.00 - it SMOKES EVERYTHING that I played prior to getting it. Even some 2500.00 "high end" spanish classicals. I love the sound complexity, tone, projection...hell, I love everything about it. Even that cool cedar smell. :+) I would replace it in a heartbeat if it was to disappear. My classical guitar instructor played the Concerto for a few minutes and couldn't believe how good it sounded - and she played the HELL out of it. Your guitar always sounds different when someone else plays it, and I was sure digging the sound. Snatch this one up QUICK!!

2002. Spanish made classical with all solid wood construction. Cedar top, rosewood back/sides and bridge, mohogany neck, ebony fretboard, wood binding and laquer finish. Tuners are cheap but do the job ok. Plastic nut and saddle are fairly cheap and hurt the sound. Came with a hardshell case. The strings it came with were awfull. I immediately put some D'Addario Pro-Arte strings on it. Much better.
Cedar top is probably AA grade with uneven spacing in grain. Fretboard was given some sloppy treatment when installing frets. Only cosmetic flaws but would'nt be seen in a guitar from a bigger company.
Nicer tuners and a better nut/saddle would have given this guitar a higher rating for this category. Solid woods are rarely if ever seen at this price, so I gave it an 8.

Lots of volume, with very resonant lows. Decent sustain but highs are weak. I suspect that a bone nut and saddle will really improve the sound, especially the highs. I have heard very few guitars at this price sound this good so I gave it a 9.

Action is pretty high with not a whole lot of room to work with on the saddle. I took it down a little and so far no buzzing but many players will wish to go lower. It is not the easiest playing guitar mainly due to the high action. The finish is not as thick as you will see on a mass-produced guitar, which is great, but there are some small specks and a small run where the fretboard meets the top on the trebble side.

I see no indication of poor costruction. It looks like it will last decades if cared for.

The company who sold it to me warrants it for two years against defects. If you want to deal with the manufacturer, hire a detective. I've done some searching on the net, but only find dealers.
I can't rate it for this category because I only dealt with the company long enough to buy it.

I've got a Takamine C-128 and this guitar beats it by miles in sound but the Tak plays a little easier. I've had a year of instruction in classical and played off and on for 10 years or so. I picked it up again recently and decided to spend a little money on a good sounding guitar. I planned to spend about $600. I read some good things about this guitar so I took a chance (not really, I had 10 days to try it out).
In it's price range you will really have to look hard to find a guitar this nice(despite some cosmetic flaws). I plan to upgrade to a bone nut and saddle, which I think will make this guitar realize it's full potential.

The construction and features of this guitar is well detailed in reviews below. To reinforce what others have said, the gutiar uses good wood elements and low cost tuners that are okay. All elements of the must be evaluated in terms of price paid. Rating based on price would be a 10. I gave it an 7 so that it could be compared to other models regardless of price. I used the same logic for ratings in each category.

This is my first classical guitar. I've played steel string guitars for 30+ years and have owned from beginner to high end models. The tone on this guitar is wonderful, I'm sure that a high end classical would reveal some weaknesses of the Concerto, but for a entry-level guitar I don't think you can beat this one. The string tone is well balance and it has very good projection and volume when finger picking. You must replace the strings to hear the guitar sing. I bought this to learn some classical pieces and technique. The guitar produces rich and loud harmonic overtones. This is another category where a rating based on price would be a 10.

The finish on the guitar is very good. There are a few thick spots in the finish where the fingerboard joins the cedar top, but again for the price you get some real value. The action seems pretty high, I guess they do that so there is no fret buzz out of the box. It plays pretty well even with the higher action. I plan on lowering the action on mine. The woods used are attractive and of very high quality when compared to price. This is another category where a rating based on price would be a 10.

I would not hesitate to use this guitar live (if my skills were worth sharing with others). I think the tuners will have to be replaced and the nut and saddle will likely be upgraded some day. It is lightweight and should not be beat around, but it looks like with proper care, the guitar will hold up well. This is another category where a rating based on price would be a 10.

I haven't dealt with the manufacturer. The guitar was made in Spain, but there is some debate about who actually makes the guitar. SurfCityMusic.com handled the transaction well, I haven't needed any follup up support from them.

I own all types of guitars, mostly electrics because it takes more than one of those to cover the bases. I've been playing guitar for 30 years and this guitar is the best value by far that I've purchased. If this were lost, I would buy another one in a heartbeat. The only reason to buy a different guitar would be if classical guitar became my main instrument. In that case I would look for one in the $1,500 - 2,000 price range. This guitar was perfect for what I wanted. I wanted a solid cedar top, rosewood back and sides CG to learn on. I couldn't believe how little money I had to pay to get one. I decided on this model because of what others had to say about it and the relatively low price compared to other guitars of similar quality and features.

My LG777 was made in Spain and purchased on line in September of 2002. The guitar features a solid cedar top, Indian rosewood back and sides, and an ebony fingerboard. The neck is made from a light mahogany and the head has an overlay of rosewood. The bridge is rosewood also. The finish is excellent as long as you like high gloss finishes. The tuners are inexpensive but adequate. A hardshell case was purchased at the same time.

The guitar has a pleasant sound with very good harmonics. Volume is excellent.

AS it came from the factory, the guitar had a very playable but silghtly high action. A local luthier suggested lowering the action by cutting the nut and improving the intonation by compensating the bridge saddle. With this done, the sound and action are even better! I consider the additional $60 to be money well spent.

I have no concerns regarding durability to date.

Buying on line with this company was a stress free experience.

I have "messed around" with guitars for over 30 years, but am now trying to learn classical methods with a teacher. I would buy this guitar again in an instant. Both my teacher and other more experienced guitarists have spoken highly of the instrument.

This is a 3 month old Spanish-crafted instrument. The main feature that the LG-777 Concerto model offers is solid wood construction throughout. This is unheard of in a $400 classical. The top is solid cedar, the sides and back are solid rosewood. No laminates! The attention to detail in the construction of this guitar is obvious. The rosette is inlaid marquetry and the binding is highlighted by black and white purfling. The neck is claimed to be mahogany, but if it is, it's a pale mahogany. The fretboard is ebony, as is the bridge. The tuning machines are mediocre, but adequate.

The overall impesssion of the Concerto's sound is lively and resonant. Certainly NOT what you'd expect to hear from a guitar in this price range. The sustain is decent, but not remarkable. For a classical, it has a bright tone with pleasing harmonics. The volume it produces is surprising and no doubt a result of its all solid wood construction. I play informally with a group of other classical guitarists and the Concerto has no problems making itself heard.

Straight from the box, the action was slightly higher than I prefer, but it wasn't a problem adjusting it into my comfort zone. The factory strings are awful and I replaced them immediately. There is only one tiny flaw in the finish and that's a small run in the lacquer near the neck on the upper bout. This is a well crafted guitar that plays nicely and sounds great.

I pamper my instruments, so I can't make any call on how the Concerto would hold up to neglect. Will it stand up to live playing? I have no doubt that it would. However, performing professional guitarists are going to be using concert-grade guitars. The pros wouldn't be interested in this model.

I have nothing to say since I haven't needed any service.

I've been playing for a number of years and I have to admit that I'm cheap when it comes to buying guitars. My previous classicals have been Yamaha and Takamine and both were decent. This Lucida, however, is on a par with much more expensive guitars. It represents a "Best Buy" value. If you're looking for a big step up in quality beyond a student guitar, I can highly recommend the Lucida Artista Concerto.

This guitar was made sometime late 2001 or early 2002. It has a 19 fret ebony fretboard. It definitely has a solid cedar top and solid rosewood sides. Some sites indicate the back is solid rosewood while others say it is select (laminated.) The neck is mahogany and has relief built into it. The gold tuners while being of cheap quality are more than adequate and work quite well. The gold plating makes them look good from a distance. Because of the fact that I only paid $375 for this guitar, I'm giving the features a 10.

This guitar sounds great. What else can be said of a guitar in the $300-$600 price range. I had the luxury of playing a different LG-777 at a music store priced at $479. I compared it to guitars priced at $700-$2000. It was very much comparable to the $2000 guitar. I will say the neck was made a little nicer on the $2000 guitar. This guitar has a good full sound with plenty of volume range. And once again, because of the price, I have to rate this a 10.

The action was set to 4.5 - 5mm on the low E string at the 12th fret which is standard concert height. Some people may find this a little difficult to play. I lowered my action to roughly 3.7 mm. The bridge design doesn't allow for much lower than this. Going much below 3.5mm would probably cause fret buzz.
The finish looks decent. It has some flaws here and there. The frets could have been dressed nicer on the 19th frets. With that in mind, from 3 feet away, the guitar looks very nice. It has a nice looking inlaid rosette. An ok looking rosewood bridge. The wood bindings compliment the back and sides perfectly.

I've had this guitar for 4 months now. I play everyday, unless my hand is bothering me and it seems to be pretty solid. I have regularly checked the neck to insure there hasn't been any bowing or warping. The finish seems like it will stand up to years of abuse. I play everyday, unless my hand is bothering me.

I believe Lucida Artista offers a warranty; however, reaching the company would almost require the CIA to help you locate them. Since I purchased the guitar through Ebay, I don't have to worry about getting any warranty support. At this point, I don't see this guitar needing it. If this is a concern for you, your best bet is to make sure the store you buy this guitar from offers support or an in-house warranty.

I have been playing guitar for 15 years. I studied classical guitar under scholarship for 2 years. I would definitely buy this model again. It was exactly what I had been looking for. Quality woods at this price are a steal. I didn't think it was possible to find a guitar of this quality for under $1000 new. The only thing I'm not completely happy with is the action limitations. I prefer my classical guitars to have a little lower action. However, it is at standard concert levels at the 12th fret. And going lower than I have it would cause string buzzing on most classical guitars. Again because this guitar's features and sound are far superior to anything in its price range, I have to give it a 10 overall.

Built in 2001 Solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and side. Surprisingly louad and beautifull sound. neck sould be mahogany but the color is not that dark. I doubt if it is really mahogany or not. it has good finish (seems to be lacquer all ovr the body and neck except) 19 fret fretboard is made from ebony.
Does not include case.

no buzz in all of the frets and all of the strings. bright sound and warm tone features an excellent guitar in this price range. It is incomparable with the other lucida artista models like LG-715, or LG-797 or lower model like LG-520. I personally like the sound very much.

low action, easy to play.

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