El hacer compras para una guitarra (Ken)

At Calle Talcahuano, just past Saramento, hay muchos negocios Instrumentos musicales. It is the Buenos Aires equivalent of West 48th Street in Manhattan. I took a walk today to shop for a guitar.



Me compliaños es 10 dias mas y quiero una guitara Aregentina. My collection is missing a classical guitar with a cutaway and active electronics. In fact, I have not purchased a classical guitar since I bought one from Colonial Music in Frederick back in 1980.



Every year, I work up my Feliz Fiestas repertorio, pero no tengo una guitarra perfecto. It is about time I got a proper guitar to play my Christmas music. I did not bring a guitar with me to Buenos Aires. Actually, there are many things I did not bring that I should have. But that is what happens when you have never been out of the USA before and try to pack for a six-month trip to live in a foreign country. I look at the clothes I packed and shake my head in disbelief. What the hell was I thinking? I think of all the things I would have brought if I had only known. (Charlie, we are making a list. Only ONE of your suitcases is for you. Fair warning.)



Mi amigo nuevo, Lucas, the barman at Shoeless Joe´s, told me about all the negocios de musica in BA and drew me a map. He is an aspiring musician who recently purchased a guitar, but has not learned to play. We are in serious negotiations for trading Spanish lessons for guitar lessons. I followed his map and found the mecca of music in BA.



I went to the first store and told the man what I was looking for: "Mirando para una guitarra clasica con electonicos activos y un cortado." He showed me the Takamenis and Fenders for $800-1200 pesos. "¿Tenés una mas barato?" He handed me a Chinese-made axe with a piece of plywood for a fretboard. I gave it a try, but it was a piece of junk. He then gave me the one-step-up model. It played well, but still, it was a $775 peso Chinese guitar with the brand name "Texas." For those of you who know me, ´nuff said.




I went next door to MAK music and met Stelis. I told her what I wanted and she showed me a Gracia, Argentine-made guitar. A young man hooked me up to a PA and left me alone to try it. It was nice. "¿Quanto questa?" me pregunta. Ella dije, "$580." Hmmm, some quick arithmetic, that´s, carry the one, US$193. "Necesito hablar con mi esposa." I told her and tried to leave, but, no, there were still more guitars to try.







Here is the one I like, the Gracia Modelo Junier with both a phone jack and XLR input and a six band EQ with a built-in tuner. For . . . $670. That is $US223.00

I think that is a reasonable sum to spend for my 50th birthday. ¿No?

And I really like the idea of coming home from Argentina with the guitar I have been wanting that was made in Argentina.

Also, for those of you keeping score-

I saw a mexican Fender Strat in the window of another store. They wanted $2400 pesos for it. That is $800 US dollars. Musician´s Friend has the same thing for US$400. That means there is a 100% import duty on musical instruments.


So, if you are headed to Buenos Aires, bring along a Statocaster and hook an Argentino brutha up. Musico a musico.