Alhambra 6 String Classical Guitar, Right, Solid Canadian Cedar, (4Z-US)

I was shopping for a classical guitar. I've been playing for years, but just took it up again seriously now that my children are out of toddlerhood. My teacher was a big fan of Ibanez, and I have fat fingers, so when the electric was hard for me, he suggested I try classical, which has a wider nut, standard at 2 inches, vs. 1 and 11/16, on a Strat. My first guitar was a Peavey Raptor Plus, some of which are good guitars, including mine, but it's worn some and has crackly pots. Next came a Takemine Jasmine classical. I played literally 35 of them, ordered, slightly overordered for a class of students, and I got to pick the best of them, and that was essential, because they were all in what I would call seconds condition, with, in my case, a slightly askew back panel and a tortured fretboard I have lived with and luthiered till I was blue in the face, and still I have upper register buzzing and sharp ends that cut my fingers. But it was cheap, and it has a magic sound. It's still the one I play all the time. My next guitar was an Ibanez GA6CE. Never liked it, worse, I paid $750, new in a small shop, when it retails new at $250 today. I was more naive 20 years ago. Sounds like cardboard unless you plug it in, and I never, or rarely bother with an amp for everyday playing, also known as practice. Was unplayable until I put on softer strings and lowered the action, then it became a worthy practice guitar, but still sounded like cardboard, making no drum sounds on the back, sides and barely on the soundboard itself. The Jasmine sings in the middle of the night every time my son in the next room coughs, it's so resonant. The Ibanez, cardboard. Even when fixed at the luthier, I didn't enjoy playing it. I came into a little money, so I was going to buy a $2000 Kremona or a Cordoba 10 or 12, an all-solid, all acoustic, but I kept doing my research, and I found the Alhambra brand, a new maker from Spain, just working since '65, and was tempted by the 4Z, a ziricote back and sides, cedar topped thing I thought was solid wood at $700, and then I saw one, eye-pop, for $375. I ordered it, and then I saw a video that explained its construction, and it's not solid wood by default, but comes in that option. I really wanted a solid wood guitar, but I had just spent 1/4 of my budget. I did not cancel the order, but I planned on returning it if it sounded like cardboard. The unit is made of solid mahogany with a thickish ziricote veneer, which is a simply lovely wood, but prone to cracking, so it's got 2 plies, not 3 or 5, and the same guitar with solid ziricote is in the $2000 range, and has to be handled more carefully, here in the desert. The sides are solid, only the back is ply, and it's lovely, and most of all, I took it out of the box and it sang like magic. Beautiful wood binding, smooth if not bound frets, no dots or inlays, just pure playing, a lovely, lovely instrument. Worth it at list, $699.99, but a ridiculous steal at $378.73. It's a guitar for serious students or pros with a budget, only I got it at a crappy cardboard price. No frills, just great sound, great playability. I got a ChromaCase to go with it, a humidifier, some books on 3 notes per string, and came in under $500, for a quarter of my budget. Happy? Damn straight. Anybody want an Ibanez? People love those things. They're highly regarded for their lack of resonance when played amplified. If I didn't think I could get $100 for it, I'd put it in the trash.

Advertised as new but appeared used. Damaged sound hole, neck was warped, case had stains all over it.

Excellent quality and Amazing warm Spanish sound

I would appreciate compensation. I payed full price for the guitar :(. It was expensive.Edit: the wood chipping is all around the mouth, not only on the side i showed with pictures.

This is a beautiful instrument with fantastic sound. However, the beautiful ziricote wood, which is the reason I purchased this model, came with a large and unsightly crack on the side. And there are no more currently available on Amazon, so after waiting a month for this one to arrive, we either have to keep the damaged guitar or return it and get another model. Not a great choice. Needs to be packaged MUCH more carefully. I will update review when we are able to possibly get a replacement.

Everything looks as described