Pavan TP-10

Solid cedar top with sapelli back and side. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Nickel tuners with plastic buttons. Gloss finish which is probably poly.

Open but too soft. It's tone reminds me of a Miguel Rodriguez. It's a nasal tone. Some people call it an old world tone. I like it just because it's different but it doesn't suit some pieces that I play. My Takamine has a nice cleaner tone that makes it suitable for almost everything.

A lot of the budget Spanish guitars ($1500 and below is budget) aren't great in craftsmanship. The guitar I bought had excess glue on the inside and the finish was really heavy and uneven on the top near the fretboard. There's an uneven feel in some spots of the neck. The soundboard is evenly matched, though.

It feels like it will last.

Warranty only applies to first owner. Bought mine used. Probably won't need it.

For the $100 I paid, it's an interesting guitar of a different flavor. If stolen or lost, I'd probably replace it with something better.

This is a 2008 Spanish made guitar, solid cedar top, laminated sides and back, full scale classical guitar. It's the less expensive model in the Pavan line of guitars so I guess I can't give it more than a seven since it's not solid wood all around.

Three weeks ago I attended the Luthier Convention in Miami Beach and I spent the whole afternoon playing classical guitars ranging from $4000 up to $8500. So when I got home I put my nylon string Ibanez for sale and luckily I got rid of it almost immediately. I couldn't play that thing after getting my hands on such fine instruments. The problem is I have not a lot of money to spend on a decent classical guitar. What to do? Thank goodness I decided to risk buying from Tom Prisloe after reading one excellent review of his Pavan guitars after another. My TP-10 is easily one of the best sounding guitars I played, and definitely THE BEST in its price range bar none.

The playability of this guitar is amazing. Tom set it up before shipping and made sure the intonation was right. I'd say intonation is great across the whole neck. The action is as good as it gets and I detected no buzzes or anything. Finish is good enough, there's obviously not a lot of fine details in this entry model but with a sound like this for the price, who needs anything else. :)

All my guitars are taken care of really well and this will be no exception. It looks like it should have no problems with durability.

Very good support from Tom Prisloe. I'd say -other than taking too much time to ship it from the moment I ordered it- I only have good things to say about his customer support. And ultimately that extra time he took was used for setting up the guitar and making sure intonation and action were as good as it gets.

I've been playing for more than 30 years and I currently also own a Fender Strat Yngwie Malmsteen Signature and a Gibson ES-175, two top-notch instruments in their class.
This TP-10 is a really really good guitar, no question. I'm so happy with it that I'm writing this at almost 3am. If I ever have the need for a better sounding guitar (and I hope I do) I will definitely get either a TP-20 or a TP-30.
I'm convinced there's no better choice in this price range. I'd even say I don't think there's any guitar below $1000 out there that competes with the playability and sound of this TP-10.

The TP-10 is a solid top classical guitar. Gloss finish, very nice. There were some small, and I mean really small, irregularities here and there, but overall very nice fit and finish. Once you play it, those tiny issues disappear. Made in 2007 in Spain.

Great tone. Even, controlled, very nice tone and sustain. The only two issues I have are that the D and, occasionally, the A string have a bit of a buzz; it's really my technique, but they are less forgiving in spots. The G sounds a bit dull, but this seems to be par for nylon strings. I have not yet tried carbon composites, but I am sure the trebles would brighten up. The G is really the only string I wish were brighter. Overall, it's got the best tone I've heard on classicals in this price range.

One thing that drew me to this company is that Tom sets up each instrument. I really appreciate the fact that someone who knows the instrument as well as he does goes over it *before* it ships, so that you are assured that when it arrives, it's right. That's huge.

Build quality seems very solid. I have only had the guitar for a few months now.

These days, it's tough to find someone who A)knows what they are talking about and B)will return your phone call. Tom Pristloe is great to deal with. Again, I really like the fact that he personally sets up the guitars he sells. Phone calls usually work better than emails, just fyi.

Been playing non-seriously for the better part of 25 years. I recently determined to learn to read notation for classical guitar. Have owned several guitars from various manufacturers (Yamaha, Ovation, Martin, La Patrie). This guitar is a solid value for the $350.00 (without case). You get the full package for a reasonable price: Personal service, solid build quality, and a tone quality you won't often find on guitars in this price range.

It was the features of this guitar that drew me to it. Solid Cedar top was one of the most critical. It has a nice gloss finish, 18 full frets which I believe is pretty standard on a classical guitar. My guitar was built in 07 in spain. All Pavan guitars are built in spain and have solid tops. The sides and backs are laminate Sapele, but the top is really the crucial element. I have been playing guitar for approx. 16 years, If you are going to buy a guitar to play for a long time, buy a solid top guitar. I got mine with a bone nut at the neck. I will rate this category a seven. I am rating that against a Ramirez or Smallman at a 10. I am subtracting points based on a 10 having solid wood all around, bone on the neck and saddle, compensated saddles, armrests, etc. A seven is really good considering those guitars cost 5 grand or more and this was 350.

I must say the sound of this guitar is better than any classical I have ever played and better than only the best steel strings if you can really make a comparison across string types. I have played Martins and Taylors and this is at least in the same league if not above. My Dad bought a LaPatrie about 3 months before I got my Pavan (for several hundred more I might add), he wishes he got a Pavan. The sustain is very good and the guitar responds quite well to vibrato. Play Villa Lobos prelude 4 on it and you will see what I am talking about. The only negative thing I can say about sound is the intonation above the 12 fret is a little off. That is not really a big deal because how much time do you spend above the 12 fret on a classical. The only time I notice it is during Asturias, when you play the octave on the 12th. With the vibrato it is a bit off. For sound I will give the guitar an 8. You will not find a better sounding, better respounding instrument that is not made for a concert level.

Tom Prisloe (the fine man making Pavan guitars available to us) sets up the guitars himself, so the action is about as good as I can see it being. I measured it at 4/32 at the 12th fret. You could go to 3/32, but a lot of work would have to be done to eliminate fret buzz. The fit and finish on mine is very good. He was actually low on stock when I ordered so I waited to get the first pick from a new shipment that was coming in two weeks later. To get a guitar that is set up my a man and not a factory, I will give this category an 8.

The first question is will this guitar withstand live playing? Well that is a loaded question on the classical guitar. Am I playing a local thing or a recital. This is not a concert guitar. You are not going to see Bream, Williams, or even Xuefei, playing this during a recital. The flip side of that is the guitars they do play during recital cost 5 grand or more. If you were going to be playing in a student capacity at any level this guitar will do the job and maybe a little more. The hardware is of good quality and the finish seems good. I will give this a seven based on the varying levels of live performance applicable to a classical guitar. You can buy a 500 dollar Jackson and play live with Metallica, you cannot buy a student classical and play a professional recital.

Short of driving to NC to personally attend to my needs, Tom Prisloe provided the best buying experience I have ever had in my life. Seriously. He took the time to answer my questoins, he made all adjustments to the guitar I requested, and did a very good job doing it. I have never had as much confidence in a purchase as I did in my Pavan. Tom Prisloe is the reason for that. I would have no reservations reccomending him to anyone. Nothing less than a ten will do in this category.

I have been playing guitar for about 16 years now, and classical guitar for about 5. My last classical guitar was a Washburn with a laminate top. I always thougt is sounded pretty good. Then I got my Pavan. The Washburn sounds like a dish rag. The Pavan plays like a guitar many times its price. I played 900 dollar classical at the local guitar store (cant remember the name), it was not as nice as my Pavan. If I ever need another classical you can bet it will be a Pavan. If the TP-10 is this nice, the TP-20 and 30 must be fantastic. This guitar sings. I love it every time I play it! I will give this a nine only because I know there must be something better out there, I just have not seen it yet. On the other hand with the Pavan I dont feel the need to look for it either.

I wanted to start classical guitar and wanted a good quality, inexpensive guitar to start with. The TP-10 is a 2006, lacquer finish, 650cm length 53 cm across with a solid cedar top and Sapelle laminated back and sides. It came with a nice hard sided case. Not sure about tuners. The finish had a couple of drips in it next to the neck and there are a couple of finger prints slightly visible, likely oils prior to staining. Finish I would rate low because of these problems but it is solid construction otherwise.

The sound is great. It has a warm tone and you can get different tonal qualities with varying attack and right hand placement. Tones are pretty even across the neck accept for the first position A on the 3rd string which is somewhat muted. I practice downstairs and my wife hears me from upstairs so I consider it a fairly loud guitar. I have played other guitars in stores that are in the same price range and they do not compare. If you are in the 300 to 400 price range, look seriously at the TP-10.

I mentioned some finish flaws and one of the tuners is not flush to the neck but these do not affect sound which is most important. It is a nice looking guitar.

Don't have any problems, seems well constructed.

I think Tom Prisloe is a good person to work with, wish he would have spent more time looking this guitar over before choosing to to send though. I would guess with these less expensive models, there is more variability.

I will want to eventually get a spruce top and the Pavan TP-30 is certainly on my short list. This has been a good guitar to learn and enjoy playing classical guitar.

I play several Martin steel string guitars and wanted a nylon string that would advance my playing but without breaking the bank. I almost got the TP-20 but I settled on the TP-10 and I am glad I did. The guitar is loud and balanced, full sound. It has a great bass response. I had to adjust my picking hand a little from my steel string play to get the trebles out louder but that was a problem with my form. This guitar really sounds great. I am sure that a more expensive Pavan or Prisloe model would sound better if I played one, but I sure am not missing anything by not knowing.

For the price ($325 w/o case) I was very pleased with the quality. The guitar was set up by Tom Prisloe before shipping and the setup was perfect as far as I am concerned. The finish is gloss and well done. There were a couple of little nicks along the connection between the back and sides. 2 small dents. It really didn't bother me but someone who is very picky would probably have a problem with it. The guitar is solid top and laminated back and sides so compared to my Martin HD28LSV I really wasn't expecting that much in an insturment but I think it is great value.

I took this guitar on a trip with me a few weeks after I had it and it was fine. It stayed in tune (by the way, nylon strings stretch way more than steel so you will be tuning constantly for about a week). It feels very solid and should hold up for years. After playing it a lot the past 2 months, there are no signs of wear on the finish or tuners.

I talked with Tom Prisloe over the phone and e-mail several times and he was very helpful and seemed like he wanted to get me into the right guitar for my needs (basically a nylon string guitar to bang around with) without trying to sell me up. He did tell me that if I played classical for a few years I might want to move up to the TP-30 If I really got into it. He was very relaxed and was not bothered by the list of questions I had. He shipped the guitar when he said he would. I feel completely assured that if there was any problem he would take care of me. If I give this guitar to my daughter eventually I would have no hesitation buying from him again.

If you are an accomplished classical player then I am sure this is not the guitar for you. If you are a steel string or electric player and would like a nylon string guitar to practice with then this is a good choice. I played Alvarez, Takamine, Ovation, even the new Taylor nylon string guitas and I honestly think this guitar sound a lot better than any of those that were priced from $500 to $2500. I am sure a $2000 solid wood classical would sound better but for $325 it is a pretty easy choice unless you have disposable income.