Giralda classical/flamenco guitar info?

Buchanan · December 2021

I have taken a rather lovely little Spanish made Giralda Model 30 classical (I *think* it’s actually a flamenco) in a trade and was wondering if anyone knew anything about them?

There is pretty much no information available online. The previous owner said he bought it new at least 15 years ago.

It’s super light weight, definitely a solid top, ebony board, and surprisingly loud.

bertie · December 2021

there's a used Giralda Emilia FS on the Hobgoblin website - try using that as a search perhaps

more · December 2021

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fpML2QvCcWk
They are a Madrid based manufacture , not quite mass produced. I don't think they have every been widely available in the UK . I have never played one , but not a bad guitar by the looks of it.

Buchanan · January 2022

Thanks @bertie the one for sale at Hobgoblin is fairly similar and the only other I can find for sale.

Buchanan · January 2022

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/910zi6cwxbubosj/IMG_6707.jpg?raw=1

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/skqedt7p43bejjb/IMG_6708.jpg?raw=1

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/14hc820xucktaud/IMG_6709.jpg?raw=1

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/noefhx3komg7uiz/IMG_6706.jpg?raw=1

Cig35 · January 2022

That looks really great! To me it looks more classical than Flamenco. Body looks rather deep and Flamenco guitars often have a thinner body. Also Flamenco guitars quite often (but not always) have a transparent plastic protection on the top from the bridge to almost half the soundhole on both sides of the strings for tapping out the rhythm. How is the action? It should be really low on a Flamenco guitar and it is fully acceptable with a bit of string buzz and a tone that dies out quite quickly..

Giralda seems to be a brand that's not easy to trace but they seem to be currently produced by Geronimo Mateos in Madrid ( https://www.geronimomateos.com/en/ ) as a "budget" brand compared to the ones branded Mateos that are hand-made. The headstock shape on your guitar seems to match the one on Hobgoblin but that guitar has the text "hand-made in Madrid" whereas it looks like your guitar has the text "produced in Madrid" so at some point in time they probably separated the two brands.

Today the brand Giralda seems to be available from the Spanish shop SinergiaMusic but your guitar seems to be of a clearly higher quality than the current Giralda range there https://sinergiamusic.es/buscar?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=giralda

Enjoy the guitar!!

Buchanan · January 2022

Thanks @Cig35 and yes, it is indeed a classical model.

It turns out that Guitarras Giralda is the old business name of Guitarras Geronimo Mateos, and they never used the two names as different lines, but for a while Geronimo Mateos was printed on the label alongside Giralda.

I have been in touch with them (a father and son outfit) and they have been very helpful.

They have sent me the original brochure for my guitar along with all the specs and they are checking the serial number to let me know when they made it, with a rough date so far of between 17 and 19 years ago.

The brand Giralda that now exists has nothing to do with them.

Cig35 · January 2022

Good to know the history, and now that the guitar has been identified you really have to be more than happy with the deal!

McToot · January 2022

I can also chip in with the (almost totally pointless) fact that Giralda is named after the tower in Seville next to the enormous cathedral. I spent a year there while at Uni and got hideously pissed in a bar right next to La Giralda pretty much every night. A fantastic use of my dad's money I thought (he was born in Spain after all and surely would not begridge me that).

There. Now y'all know.

Beaut of a guitar BTW.

CHRISB50 · January 2022

Nothing more to add other than that’s a lovely looking guitar. Hope you enjoy it.

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Giralda classical/flamenco guitar info?

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