Guitar review - Santos Martinez Raymond Burley Signature

Santos Martinez has teamed up with the highly respected classical guitarist Raymond Burley for its latest offering.

Modelled on the traditional instrument, it features a class A German spruce soundboard, with Indian rosewood back and sides lined with maple and rosewood binding. The neck is mahogany, while the rosewood fretboard with its 19 well finished frets is topped with a 52mm bone nut. Beyond is a finely carved headstock bearing the SM insignia with a maple inlay and fitted with gold plated machines and white buttons. Down at the sharp

end beyond the attractive multi-coloured rosette is a standard rosewood (we believe) tie bridge carrying a bone saddle. Inexplicably (from our point of view), there are two strap buttons, one to the Spanish heel and one to the rim base.

On the knee, there are two things that immediately strike you: the excessively heavy lacquer and the instrument’s weight. The tuning machines are clean and solid and very smooth in use – nice! The fingerboard is marble like, while the neck profile with it’s comfortable contour is ideal for extended periods of playing.

Strung with D’Addario FJ45s, the action is set low to Flamenco levels delivering a response that is immediate with excellent projection. The rosewood body is of course just a decorative laminate (solid rosewood would cost much more), so it is perhaps not that surprising that the tone is not typically that of the warm, more delicately voiced rosewood instrument, but more towards the harder tonality of either cherry or walnut. String balance is exceptional across the full range with good separation and bright, clear and clean focussed notes, which is rarely seen in a guitar at this price point.

The instrument is shipped in a luxury padded semi-stiff gig bag with a tough nylon weatherproof cover and a ¾-zip. It has an adjustable padded back harness and a zippered front pocket with a piggy-back pouch and Raymond Burley’s signature (not sure that that would have been something he would have signed up to!)

With an RRP of £399, this instrument is excellent value for money, and perfect for the advanced student who is looking for something more from their instrument. 

Find out more: www.jhs.co.uk

This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Jazzwise. Whether you want to enjoy Jazzwise online, explore our Reviews Database or our huge archive of issues, or simply receive the magazine through your door every month, we've got the perfect subscription for you. Find out more at magsubscriptions.com