# NGD: Mick Lazar 2010 Classical Guitar



## JordanLee (Sep 9, 2010)

Hey guys,

It is with great pleasure that I unveil to you my new baby. I commissioned the guitar in February of 2010, and it was structurally finished in July, and after I played it a bunch, and had a few things adjusted, it was off to french polishing. When I returned from my trip on Monday, I swung by to pick up the final product, and I couldn't be happier with it! I know Mick through the Classical Guitar Society of Edmonton, and so I was able to secure a good deal with him (plus a discount for being a student and studying with one of his friends). Final cost: $5200 CAD. If this seems like a lot to you... it's not. The classical world is very expensive, and the same guitar from Greg Byers (whom Mick is friends with, and studied guitar building with for many years) would run $9000 + 

Specs:
- 650mm scale length
- Cocobolo backs and sides. 
- Alessi Tuners with mother of pearl buttons (these are very high quality tuners that are hand made and hand polished in Italy. This is part of the reason the price was steep... these add a good $500 + to the cost)
- Englemann Spruce top
- Honduras Mahogany neck
- Macassar Ebony fretboard 
- Cocobolo headstock with AAA flamed maple stripe
- Brazilian Rosewood bridge (sits better than cocobolo, since cocobolo is a very oily wood)
- Hand made rosette from Tula, Russia. 
- Elevated Fingerboard with fully compensated nut and saddle for improved intonation
- and lastly, it's his new dual fan lattice bracing system. I don't know all the details, but I do know that the trebles on this new design are far superior to the old design. The purity of tone on this guitar is ridiculous! 


Pictures attached. The first two are before the polish, and the last three are after. 

Enjoy! 


- Jordan


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## JordanLee (Sep 9, 2010)

Some more pictures:


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## Beef McStud (Sep 11, 2010)

nice guitar. who did you study under?


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## Joeywilson (Sep 13, 2010)

That is all kinds of beautiful!

any chance of a vid or some clips?


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## BigPhi84 (Sep 13, 2010)

Gosh, Jordan, you have the best acoustic guitars on this entire forum!


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## Beef McStud (Sep 13, 2010)

BigPhi84 said:


> Gosh, Jordan, you have the best acoustic guitars on this entire forum!


Haha, i wouldn't go that far.


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## BigPhi84 (Sep 13, 2010)

Beef McStud said:


> Haha, i wouldn't go that far.



Ok, this dude has the best classical guitar.



And this dude has the best steel string guitars:
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ja...e-loves-fingerstyle-acoustic.html#post2113145


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## Beef McStud (Sep 14, 2010)

BigPhi84 said:


> Ok, this dude has the best classical guitar.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I play a smallman guitar, along with a greg brandt, and a gilbert. the gilbert alone costs over 30,000. just saying man. i dont go flashing my guitars in a seven string forum haha. its an alright guitar. for a student. his that is.


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## Harry (Sep 14, 2010)

That's a gorgeous guitar.
That Cocobolo back is just stunning.


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## JordanLee (Sep 15, 2010)

Beef McStud said:


> nice guitar. who did you study under?




Thanks man. Though it's not as renowned or as expensive as the guitars you listed, it certainly serves me purposes well. How did you get your hands on so many fine guitars?

I've played electric primarily for the last 6 years, but started studying classical 1.5years ago. I've studied with Ernst Birss here in Edmonton primarily, though I was going to go to the University of Victoria and study with Dr. Alexander Dunn. When preparing for my auditions, I was offered a position in my professor's lab for psychology, and that turned into me doing my honors thesis with him, and so now I'm in psychology finishing up my thesis. I hope to go and study with Dunn or someone else again someday, but for now, school is my main commitment (though I still play daily). 

if you want to see some videos, I've posted a few short ones on my facebook page. Feel free to add me and have a look! Just search Jordan Lee Clemens.


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## Beef McStud (Sep 15, 2010)

JordanLee said:


> Thanks man. Though it's not as renowned or as expensive as the guitars you listed, it certainly serves me purposes well. How did you get your hands on so many fine guitars?
> 
> I've played electric primarily for the last 6 years, but started studying classical 1.5years ago. I've studied with Ernst Birss here in Edmonton primarily, though I was going to go to the University of Victoria and study with Dr. Alexander Dunn. When preparing for my auditions, I was offered a position in my professor's lab for psychology, and that turned into me doing my honors thesis with him, and so now I'm in psychology finishing up my thesis. I hope to go and study with Dunn or someone else again someday, but for now, school is my main commitment (though I still play daily).
> 
> if you want to see some videos, I've posted a few short ones on my facebook page. Feel free to add me and have a look! Just search Jordan Lee Clemens.



well. i didnt get them all new, only the smallman. and the gilbert is only partially mine (i can play it anytime i need or want to, and the rest of the time it just chills at my old teachers house). the main reason is because my old teacher had great connections. knew a bunch of the right people.

nice. what was your audition piece?

and its great to study. good luck with the psychology. im not good at anything but music so its either that or im screwed haha. but i havent heard of those guys from here in los angeles haha. so i cant really comment on them. if they have a doctorates they should be pretty good.


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## JordanLee (Sep 16, 2010)

Audition pieces were: 
El Cameron De Negro - Leo Brouwer
Capricho Arabe - Francisco Tarregá
995 Prelude - J.S. Bach 
(and also potentially En Los Triagles - Joaquin Rodrigo, though we ended up picking the Brouwer piece over it for the more "modern" section.) 

Do you play classical primarily then? Who have you studied with, and what are your plans with the guitar? Study professionally or what?


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## Beef McStud (Sep 17, 2010)

JordanLee said:


> Audition pieces were:
> El Cameron De Negro - Leo Brouwer
> Capricho Arabe - Francisco Tarregá
> 995 Prelude - J.S. Bach
> ...



nice. altho the caprichio arabe seems a little out of place haha. 

well i started off on electric about 2 years ago. playing mostly metal. then about 5 months ago my music theory teacher signed me up for a guitar competition for classical guitar haha. i learned rosita by tarrega and canarios and played both of them in front of judges from CSU northridge.

after that i learned a little here and there and i couldn't afford lessons so i was doing this all on my own. but i was really into classical guitar by then , i started to practice 7 hours a day on average.then i met a kind man called james hunley , a good friend of pepe romero (who i got to meet ^_^ ) and an amazing player.he noticed my dedication and love for classical guitar and agreed to teach me for free. 

i studied under him for abit (like 4 months) and recently landed an audition to study under John Dearman of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet( Scott Tennant, Bill Kanengiser, John Dearman, And Matt Greif) . he only took 6 students. my audition piece for that was Villa-lobos etude 1. altho i was thinking of doing etude 7 but i cant do it at full speed.

ive only had 2 lessons with him so far tho haha. hes pretty busy.and my plans involve touring and performing professionally and some studio work because im a pretty good reader. so im going to study for a few more years. after that well see what happens.


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## JordanLee (Sep 21, 2010)

That's great man, good luck! 

LAGQ is here in Edmonton in Novemeber; I can't wait!


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