Jose Ramirez　［ホセ・ラミレス］ Estudio 140 Cutaway　No.115

Product Description

Neck:Cedro
Fingerboard:Ebony
Finish(Top):Polyurethan
Finish(Back & Sides):Polyurethan
Tuning Machines:DerJung
String Height(1st):2.5mm
String Height(6th):4.0mm

[Luthier Information]
The José Ramírez workshop was founded in 1925 by José Ramírez II and has played a leading role in the development of Spanish guitar making and guitar culture for more than a century. José Ramírez III, born in Argentina in 1933, took over the workshop in 1957. In the 1960s, he was among the first to introduce Western Red Cedar as a soundboard material, establishing an important foundation for the characteristic sound of the modern Ramírez guitar.

Today, the José Ramírez workshop continues to produce guitars at its own factory in Spain, maintaining a balance between traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation while responding to demand from musicians around the world. The Estudio series carries on the Ramírez approach to acoustic design while offering instruments at a more accessible price point for a wider range of players. In particular, the cutaway models represent an innovative development designed to meet the diverse needs of contemporary guitarists, including improved access to the upper frets, suitability for popular music, and compatibility with onboard electronics.

[Instrument Information]
This is a 2024 José Ramírez Estudio 140 CWE (Cutaway with Electronics), No. 115, with a 650 mm scale length.

The instrument is characterized by a substantial, solid response and embodies the essence of the Ramírez acoustic design at the modern Estudio level. It produces a well-balanced tone with rich harmonic content and an impressive, harmonically complex resonance. While its volume is moderate, the overall tonal balance is exceptionally well controlled. It reflects the Ramírez design philosophy of emphasizing tonal quality, acoustic purity, and consistency rather than simply pursuing maximum volume.

The guitar is built using carefully selected, high-quality tonewoods. The soundboard is solid Western Red Cedar, while the sides are solid Indian Rosewood. The Cedar neck is fitted with an Ebony fingerboard, and the bridge is also made of Indian Rosewood. The nut width is 50 mm, slightly narrower than that of a traditional classical guitar, providing a comfortable and highly playable feel. The action is set relatively low for a classical guitar, at approximately 2.5 mm on the 1st string and 4.0 mm on the 6th string, contributing to its comfortable playability.

The instrument incorporates José Ramírez's distinctive internal bracing system, developed through years of experience to provide strength and stability. The guitar also offers a wide dynamic response to the player's touch and is exceptionally easy to play.

For amplification, the guitar is equipped with an L.R. Baggs Anthem preamp system voiced specifically for José Ramírez instruments. The L.R. Baggs Anthem SL pickup incorporates L.R. Baggs' award-winning acoustic guitar pickup system featuring patented TRU•MIC technology. TRU•MIC uses an innovative microphone positioned beneath the bridge plate and combines it with noise-cancellation technology to produce a clear and accurate amplified sound.

The Anthem SL provides the same clarity and high-quality sound associated with the standard Anthem system while featuring a simple, minimalist control layout with a volume control only.

The cutaway design provides significantly improved access to the upper frets, making the instrument particularly suitable for contemporary playing styles and modern popular music.

Having been built only a few months ago, the guitar remains in very good overall condition. There are some playing marks around the soundhole on the treble side of the soundboard, apparently caused during normal playing, but these are considered typical signs of use. There are also several small dents on the waist area of the treble-side rib. Overall, however, the guitar remains in very clean condition. There is no history of crack repair, the finish is in good condition, and the neck is also in good condition.

The modern Ramírez Estudio 140 CWE Cutaway represents an ambitious fusion of the latest Ramírez technology and traditional Spanish guitar-making techniques. It combines the heritage and strong brand identity of José Ramírez with the diverse requirements of 21st-century guitarists. With its ability to accommodate both acoustic performance and amplified applications, it can be regarded as a contemporary classical guitar designed for the next generation of players.

A lightweight case is included.