I bought this instrument used around 1980 for $250. The previous owner had replaced the tuners with better quality Schallers. The purchase was brokered for me by a well-respected concert guitarist who knew the owner (and the instrument) and assured me that the guitar outperformed its pedigree. He played it when he delivered it to me and commented that it was a remarkably loud and resonant guitar for its price. It had a small surface crack in the soundboard that began at the back end of the bridge and extended about 1/2 inch towards the butt. I took the guitar on a flight about 10 years later and had to put it in the baggage compartment. I examined it at the baggage claim and found that the crack had widened and extended all the way to the tail. Needless to say I got no satisfaction from the airline. A luthier braced the crack for me, and the guitar still plays beautifully with no buzzes. I try some classical guitars whenever I’m in guitar store, and I would have to spend at least $800 to get a guitar that sounds as nice as this Hernandis.

I too have a 1970 Model. I bought the guitar for 100 bicks used on 1975 at House of Guitars in Rochester NY.

I have a 1970 Hernandis grade 1 (final assembly Japan) classical in excellent condition. Can you give me any idea what it’s worth?

I was wondering how much my guitar is worth. I’ve owned it for years. I believe I obtained it in 1976 as a gift from a girlfriends father. The sound is wonderful. I’ve never come across a better sounding guitar.

I have a ’73 Grade 1 and it’s a very nice guitar. Have had the chance to A-B it against handmade Spain guitars and it has always outperformed them. Now, granted these handmades are only in the $5000 – $6000 range, so don’t know how it would stack up against a $10K-$20K instrument.

I have always used Augustine Blues and Savarez High Tension strings.

I used to sell these guitars and was able to buy whatever I wanted. I had a real fondness for the Hernandis guitars. Very fast action / neck and a sound like a grand piano.

for your listening enjoymnet:
Hernandis Grade 1
Made by Japan’s great artisan T. Kurosawa – Tokyo, K. Yairi – Gifu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf5ODcularI

Hernandis Grade 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY4XrDZFlVE

Hernandis Grade 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtCYH_KRAJ8

I’m in the process of buying one from a private seller. Its from 1969.It needs new string. He’s selling it for 20.00 dollars. he sent me a picture from his phine, and it looks to be in good condition. Is this a good buy? Thanks.

With all the vitriol about these guitars there is obviously a lot of confusion about their origin, construction and marketing. My father purchased this guitar for me new in 1972. It was purchased from my first guitar instructor, Frank, who gave us the in store discount I believe was $175.00. The guitar was kept in a back private display room with other high end concert guitars. Frank told us about the guitar, the importer Sherry-Brenner and a little known and probably purposely omitted fact that this line of guitars were the inspiration of one of the luthiers for Rameris guitars. Forty years earlier he had purchased the woods and intended to build his own line of guitars to compete with the Rameris line but Rameris put the kybosh on his project saying he was contracted to them and couldn’t build guitars under his own name. The woods sat in a controlled enviornment for forty years untill the luthier surreptitiously cut and shaped all the pieces, shipped them to Japan where another luthier assembled and finished them. Sherry-Brenner bought the whole line planning to market them as concert guitars and Rameris stepped in again threatening action against them. They dummied up the Hernandis lable and sold the guitars at a steep discount as “student” quality guitars. Frank said that this guitar was well worth keeping and one day the truth of it’s pedigree will come forward and it’s true value will be known. If you examine the construction you will see the similarity to Rameris guitars and examining the glue joints you will see that this instrument could only have been built by hand in 1972 as very little excess glue oozed from the glue joints and no extra effort was necessary to remove any excess glue. No doubt the nay sayers may well represent Rameris still and are trying to keep these guitars in their undervalued state. One day the estates of the two luthiers may well disclose the heritage of these guitars and Rameris will have an embarassing moment but they have always built fine guitars and in the long run the Hernandis line will be comprable or exceed the value of Rameris just due to the controversy surrounding their planning, construction and marketing. I was shopping guitars and went to More Music in Santa Cruze that deals in concert guitars to see what’s out there. I tried the top end $6,000.00-$8,000.00 guitars and when the sales man (he was extremely knowledgeable and totaly knew every detail of every guitar he sold) asked me what I currently have and I said “1972 Hernandis grade 1”. The sales man shook his head, patted me on the back and said “I can’t sell you a guitar today. Nothing I have will compare to what you have already and you will never be satisfied with anything else.” He sold me Kremona pickup and a set of strings instead. I choose to believe he is right.

I bought mine from a friend in 1970 for a song, pardon the pun, ( or maybe I traded it for aGibson 12-string acoustic – I don’t remember). In any case, she said it was the finest classical guitar she could afford. I have used it and abused it on and off, mostly off in the past 25 years since I went steel string and electric, but when I take it out of its case it looks new and sounds incredible, even though I haven’t changed the strings in 10 years. I suspect I have a neglected treasure that is worth quite a lot by now but I haven’t done my research yet. I’ll be curious to see what one goes for on eBay.
David in New Haven

Hello, I bought the Hernandes assembled in Japan 2 years ago. I paid $150 at a cherity auction. It was on TV “We Care”, a n annual Christmas event in Kokomo Indiana. Anyway, they didn’t give any details on the guitar & I think people were hesitant to bid. It was after I’d bought the guitar, that I learned of the controversy on the cost of the guitar….. I have to say that mine plays & sounds beautifully! Sounds like way more than a $150 guitar! I took it to a music shop in Kokomo & they had no info on it. And they seemed to be pretty knowledgable on guitars. So, like all other Hernandes owners, I too would like to know whst this guitar is really worth. Thanks!!….Mike in Greentown

Hello Dale: I don’t have any info on this guitar but I have the same one… made in Madrid, 1969. I bought it in Miami in probably the late 70’s. I believe I paid $175.00 with my tax refund check. I’m starting to learn to play this instrument again (after many years absence). Thomas Preibsch, a Swedish classic guitarist who teaches in Andorra, Andorra… and who I just met on a visit to Europe has inspired me to start again. (I hope you don’t mind my momentary digressing.) I’ve never myself heard a better sounding guitar… nor one much more beautiful. Nice to connect with you. Best wishes. Bill Lathrop Ocala, Florida

: I recently purchased a 1969 Hernandis guitar. I bought it from a classical guitarrist who hadn’t been using it since he bought a Ramirez. I couldn’t find any info on this brand. It is in very nice condition. It has the following label: : —————————————– : Constructor de Guitarras : Antonio Hernandis : Exclusivas Distribuidores : Antigua Casa Sherry-Brener, Ltd. : No. 1 Madrid 1969 : ——————————————- : Has anyone heard of or played this model? : Where was it manufactured? : Was this considered a concert-grade guitar? : What did it sell for in 1969? : What might it be worth today? : Thanks in advance for any info you might give me. I have a Hernandis 1A, bought in 1988, from Sherry-Brenner, Ltd. Chicago, Il. I believe he was having them made for him, but I don’t remember where. I preferred it to the more expensive Ramirez. Although I am not a concert performer I have played for over 35 years and feel blessed to have my Hernandis.

I have just purchased for resale a Hernandis #3 1970 Guitar, OMG it is beautiful, and the sound is amazing. I plan to sell it on ebay here shortly. I am also having trouble finding information on it. I plan to just list it and let the buyers decide its worth. Sound board made in spain, back and sides are rosewood made in india, fingerboard is granadillo neck is cedar/africa, rosette inlaid wood marquetry persia, final assembly was made 1970 in Japan. I’d be interested to learn anything you have about this guitar. You will see mine pictured on ebay by this weekend….. Hope you enjoy yours. Kathy

: I recently purchased a 1969 Hernandis guitar. I bought it from a classical guitarrist who hadn’t been using it since he bought a Ramirez. I couldn’t find any info on this brand. It is in very nice condition. It has the following label: : —————————————– : Constructor de Guitarras : Antonio Hernandis : Exclusivas Distribuidores : Antigua Casa Sherry-Brener, Ltd. : No. 1 Madrid 1969 : ——————————————- : Has anyone heard of or played this model? : Where was it manufactured? : Was this considered a concert-grade guitar? : What did it sell for in 1969? : What might it be worth today? : Thanks in advance for any info you might give me. I bought a 1969 Antionio Hernandis #1 with black palosanto and old spanish pine for $375.00 in 1969 or 70

: I recently purchased a 1969 Hernandis guitar. I bought it from a classical guitarrist who hadn’t been using it since he bought a Ramirez. I couldn’t find any info on this brand. It is in very nice condition. It has the following label: : —————————————– : Constructor de Guitarras : Antonio Hernandis : Exclusivas Distribuidores : Antigua Casa Sherry-Brener, Ltd. : No. 1 Madrid 1969 : ——————————————- : Has anyone heard of or played this model? : Where was it manufactured? : Was this considered a concert-grade guitar? : What did it sell for in 1969? : What might it be worth today? : Thanks in advance for any info you might give me.