Antonio Hermosa AH-15 – Affordable Ticket to Flamenco

Body And Neck:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Due to their specific tone and nature, classical guitars are a bit tricky to bring into the affordable range. That is if you want them to sound remotely good. However, that doesn't mean that you can't find a classical guitar that is both affordable and decent. Antonio Hermosa AH-15 is one of the rare cheap Flamenco models which are actually worth investing. As a matter of fact, it's one of the best acoustic guitars for those just starting out. Naturally, it has some flaws, but just how much of an impact do they have? Let's find out.

Body & Neck

One of the things you definitely want to see on any acoustic guitar is a solid top. Finding one in this price range isn't unheard of, but it's rare enough to make it worth your attention. For this build, they went with a solid spruce top paired with cypress back and sides. Overall, the build quality is very decent, bordering that of a more expensive model. The neck is a mahogany piece that features a classical profile and is overall pretty smooth to play. With a standard rosewood fretboard, it's on the better end of average necks.

Hardware

In terms of hardware, Antonio Hermosa went with a compromising solution. They've installed a rosewood bridge, bone nut and saddle, but opted to cheap out a little on the tuners. Now, the tuners work alright as long as you're gentle on the fretboard. Anything else will cause them to work overtime. Straight out of the box, the action can sometimes be too high. A good practice for any new guitar you get is to take it to a shop for a proper setup. The same applies here. In the end, aside from tuning machines, hardware on this guitar is pretty awesome for the price. Even so, this isn't too big of a deal. Investing in an aftermarket set of tuners is a small price to pay for what this guitar offers.

Sound

A good classical guitar should offer a fine balance between a warm and clear tone. Antonio Hermosa AH-15 is near that sweet spot. Its spruce top goes a long way toward delivering some range in terms of warmth, while cypress gives you a fair bit of sharpness. The instrument's low-end response is borderline impressive for the category, that's for sure. To put it in simple terms, this is the type of guitar you can rely on to keep up with you as you evolve your skills.

Conclusion

While it's far away from perfect, Antonio Hermosa AH-15 offers the type of compromise that is rarely seen in the entry-level range. This guitar is strong where it matters the most, which makes up for whatever shortcomings it might suffer from. For a beginner, AH-15 is a great tool to start with and one that will prove to be a long-term workhorse. This rings even truer considering the rather competitive price.

For more info on the Hermosa AH-15, click here.
For more beginner acoustic guitars, click here.