Prudencio Saez 59

I bought this on eBay, but nearly didn't get it, since the seller had a problem shipping overseas, despite telling me it was OK before I bid for it, and his feedback included a few dissatisfied buyers, so readers take warning! After waiting a fruitless 10 weeks for him to ship it, I arranged for him to ship it to another US seller who shipped it o/seas to me in Australia!

This is an electro-classical model that differs slightly from the orthodox classical design. It was made at the Prudencio Saez plant at Valencia, Spain, not sure when, fairly recently it seems. I have yet to find a serial number.
It has a solid, high grade spruce soundboard, attractive golden flame maple back and sides, a mahogany neck with an ebony reinforcing back strip, an ebony fingerboard, and a rosewood bridge and face-veneer on the head. I'd like to think the saddle and nut are bone, but maybe they're plastic, like the other models? It has a venetian cutaway that extends to the 17th. fret. The fingerboard extends over the soundhole, so there are 19 frets and two extra short frets for the top 2 strings, but there's room for a 22nd. fret! The frets are standard classical size. The soundhole rosette is quite attractive.

The scale length is 65.6 cm, the nut width only 49 mm, the neck is 60 mm wide at the 12th. fret. the lower bout is 37.0 cm wide, and the body is 49.0 cm long and 9.3 cm deep at the top, and 9.8 cm deep at the base. The action is a low 3.5 mm for the 6th string at the 12th fret.
It has gold tuners with pearloid buttons.
It's fitted with an active swing-out Prefix Pro preamp system with a 3 band equaliser, volume, and brilliance controls, that takes a 9-volt battery. I guess the pickup is an under saddle piezo type, I need to check on this.
The heel is low and gently rounded with a gold strap button, and the gold output jack at the bottom doubles as a strap button.
The neck is only (for a classical guitar), 22-23 mm thick.

OK, the departures from the standard classical design would be the cutaway, the extended fingerboard with 21 frets (I plan to fit a 22nd), the slightly narrower fingerboard at 49 and 60 mm at nut and 12th. fret resp., the strap buttons with the low, rounded heel, and the preamp system. Also, the soundhole is oval, 6.0 x 10.0 cm, with the longer axis across the body.

The volume is great, with a bright, rich tone that's a bit like a flamenco, due to the spruce/maple body. The tone is even across the range, with good sustain, although the volume above the 15th fret on the 1st and 2nd strings could be a bit more.
So it contrasts with the dark sounds of my Matsuoka cedar/rosewood classical.
Plugged in to my Kustom acoustic AA65 amp, it sounds lovely, but a bit "nasal", even with the treble reduced and the bass raised.
I'm giving this 9, in view of the usual price for these.

This guitar is quite well made, I've yet to find any flaws. The action it came with is nice and low, it suits me fine.
If I modified it, I might replace the pickup with a higher fidelity one. I shall also add small position markers to the side of the fingerboard.

This guitar seems quite well made, it should last a long time with proper care. I think it's always a good idea, though, to have a backup in case of strings snapping.

I haven't needed to contact them, hopefully never will!

Compared with my K Yairi and Matsuoka classical guitars, which are just acoustics, it's very comparable in every respect, apart for the preamp system. I've been playing for 35 years,and this is my 8th classical so I think I can pick a good guitar by this!
Compared with my La Patrie CW concert classical, it beats it easily for unplugged volume, but it's not so good as the Canadian guitar when plugged in.
Compared with a Yamaha electro-classical I had for a while, one of the better models in cedar/mahogany,(& should have kept), it would be a close call. Fom memory the P Saez may be slightly better unplugged, but the Yamaha may be better amped.
In terms of value for money, this was a bargain!