Traditional Spanish Construction and Elegance
Alhambra’s 5FP OP Carlos Piñana Conservatory is an outstanding signature classical guitar with personal touches from an acclaimed modern flamenco artist. Carlos Piñana and Alhambra sought to infuse this guitar with features that tap into Carlos’ virtuosic, emotionally-charged style. Custom touches include a gorgeous red cedar top, an ebony-reinforced mahogany neck, and an open-pore finish for fast thumb movement and superior resonance. Like all Alhambra instruments, the 5FP OP Carlos Piñana uses only carefully curated tonewoods assembled in keeping with Spanish traditions for authentic tone. What’s more, the 5FP OP Carlos Piñana is stunning and stage worthy with eye-catching appointments such as a stunning wood rosette, slim binding, and ornate high-performance tuners. Instruments like the 5FP OP Carlos Piñana take the player right to the source of classical guitar in a way that only a dedicated company like Alhambra can achieve.
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Rosewood and cedar: a sophisticated, sweet pairing
The tonewoods onboard the 5FP OP Carlos Piñana are carefully selected to guarantee comfort, style, and, of course, tone. This guitar’s red cedar top is incredibly responsive with room-filling warmth and a slight dark character that’s perfect for channeling emotions to fuel performances. Cedar’s qualities have made it a favorite classical guitar tonewood for centuries, and it’s also known as a more “forgiving” wood that doesn’t betray slight slip-ups as quickly as alternatives like spruce. In short, cedar is loud yet lenient, making it perfect for students and professionals alike. The 5FP OP Carlos Piñana’s back and sides are crafted from layered Indian rosewood, a species prized for its balanced clarity with strong fundamentals and minimal overtones — a must-have for pleasing results when tackling complex pieces.
True as they come
A classical guitar must be constructed in absolute authenticity, and Alhambra exemplifies dedication to details that count. A close look at the 5FP’s neck reveals a genuine Spanish heel neck joint; such joints take considerable time and care to craft, but the payoff is immediate with full vibrational transfer for maximum resonance and projection. An open-pore finish enhances resonance even further for a huge, open sound. Some players also find the open-pore neck yields faster thumb movement with their fretting hand as an added benefit. This signature model’s mahogany neck also features additional ebony reinforcement. A reinforced neck gives your guitar long-term stability and is a must-have for traveling performers like Carlos Piñana!
Alhambra: top-shelf tradition since 1965
The construction of each Alhambra instrument starts with the selection of top-shelf raw materials and ends with a commitment to quality and reliability. Between these two important bookends lies a process of dedicated craftsmanship with the specialty of over 110 skilled luthiers, ensuring every instrument is made of the utmost performance and comfort. With over 55 years of experience, Alhambra has continued to embrace the same traditional building practices while incorporating the efficiency of modern methods, equating to a more durable take on authentic sound. At Sweetwater, our staunchest acoustic performers and classical fingerstylists rest easy knowing every Alhambra guitar is designed and built with the same love and care that traditional instruments require.
Alhambra 5FP OP Carlos Piñana Conservatory Full-scale Nylon-string Classical Guitar Features:
- Signature instrument of acclaimed flamenco artist Carlos Piñana
- Solid red cedar top delivers room-filling projection with warm, dark tone
- Layered Indian rosewood back and sides with deep clarity and minimal overtones
- Mahogany neck reinforced with ebony for extra stability, especially when travelling
- Carlos’ preferred open pore finish for fast thumb movement, comfortable fretting, and enhanced tone
- Ebony fingerboard with 19 frets and full-size 650mm scale
- Spanish heel neck joint guarantees superior vibration transfer for maximum resonance
- Resonant, conductive hardware including an Indian rosewood bridge and melamine nut and bridge saddle
- Ornate appointments include wood rosette and intricate tuning machine baseplates
- Handcrafted in Spain by a specialized team of experienced luthiers
