Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C Classical Guitar: Full Review

The Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C is an attractive and entry-level classical acoustic guitar manufactured by Gayetana Guitars, a company based in Granada, Spain. The ATTO is an affordable nylon-string guitar aimed at beginners and intermediate players looking for a quality instrument that won't break the bank.

The A77-C features a traditional fan-braced spruce top with mahogany back and sides, giving it a balanced and well-rounded tone. It has a comfortable neck and body size, making it a good choice for younger players or those with smaller hands. The ATTO comes equipped with Savarez Cristal Corum high-tension strings and is built to be lightweight yet durable.

Overall, the ATTO A77-C offers great value as a starter classical guitar for new players who want good sound and playability without spending a fortune. This review will take a close look at the ATTO's build quality, sound, and playability to help you decide if it's the right choice for your needs and budget.

Physical Appearance

The Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C has a traditional concert body shape with a lower bout width of 14.75 inches. It features a solid cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides. The top is nicely grained and offers an open, airy tone while the rosewood contributes warmth and complexity.

The thin matte finish allows the natural resonance of the tonewoods to shine through. Visually, the guitar has an elegant yet understated aesthetic typical of handmade classical guitars. The size is compact enough for comfortable playing yet projects sound beautifully. Overall the materials and construction are characteristic of concert-level instruments.

With its compact concert body size, the ATTO A77-C is easy to handle while still providing robust projection and dynamic range. The cedar and rosewood tonewood combination delivers a balanced, nuanced voice that works well for various playing styles and repertoires. Many players appreciate the comfortable feel and articulate sound that makes this model a great choice.

Another comparable concert classical guitar is the Cordoba CP100 GUCLCOR-03634. This instrument also has a compact concert body for comfort and playability. It features solid Canadian cedar tops with Indian rosewood back and sides, similar to the ATTO A77-C. The Cordoba model provides warm, balanced tone with good articulation and volume. It uses Savarez Cristal Corum high-tension strings for excellent response and dynamic range.

The CP100 has a matte finish that allows the wood to resonate freely. Visually, it has an understated but elegant look typical of many concert-style classical guitars. This makes it ideal for on-stage performance as well as practice and leisure playing. The smooth playability and hand-crafted construction provide quality and reliability. Overall it delivers impressive sound and feel in a compact, comfortable concert body guitar at an accessible price point compared to many handmade classical models.

Both the Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C and the Cordoba CP100 GUCLCOR-03634 represent quality concert classical guitars. Their compact size makes them comfortable and easy to handle while still providing robust tone and projection. The solid wood construction and high-end appointments deliver balanced, articulate sound perfect for various styles. Choosing between the two comes down to individual player preferences and budget.

Sound Quality

The Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C classical guitar produces a rich, warm, and balanced tone thanks to its solid Cedar top and Indian Rosewood back and sides. The combination of Cedar and Rosewood creates a guitar with excellent resonance and sustain.

The Cedar top is lightweight and responsive, allowing the top to freely vibrate and project sound. This gives the ATTO A77-C a powerful voice that fills a room. Cedar is also tonally complex, providing sweet and mellow highs with strong midrange presence.

The Rosewood back and sides offer deep and articulate bass tones to complement the Cedar top. Rosewood has excellent acoustic properties that enhance the ATTO A77-C's volume and resonance. The end result is a well-balanced sound with singing highs, pronounced mids, and rich low end.

Overall, the tonewood combination allows the ATTO A77-C to deliver nuanced tone across the frequency spectrum. It's an excellent choice for musicians looking for a responsive classical guitar with professional-level projection and balanced tone. The ATTO A77-C's sound quality makes it a great option for guitarists who want a rich and complex tone from their classical guitar.

With its solid Cedar top and Rosewood back and sides, the ATTO A77-C is capable of producing a wide range of tones. From bright and crisp highs to deep and rumbling lows, this classical guitar covers the entire tonal spectrum wonderfully. The resonance provided by the all-solid wood construction allows each note to ring out clearly and sing.

The ATTO A77-C is an ideal choice for fingerstyle players who want their intricate playing to be heard clearly. The crisp note articulation will allow complex fingerpicked passages to come through cleanly. The balanced and nuanced tone also makes this classical guitar a great option for ensemble playing. Its well-rounded voice will fit nicely into any group context.

In addition to its excellent tonal qualities, the ATTO A77-C also provides great playability right out of the box. The comfortable neck profile and low action facilitate complex chord melodies and fast scale runs. Guitarists looking for a classical guitar capable of keeping up with virtuosic playing will appreciate the ATTO A77-C.

All in all, the ATTO A77-C offers professional-level sound in a classical guitar package suitable for amateurs and experts alike. The all-solid wood construction delivers rich, balanced tone that any discerning guitarist will appreciate. For more great classical guitar options, check out the Fender 0373250558.

Playability

The ATTO A77-C has an easy-playing neck that most guitarists will find comfortable right away. The neck has a traditional classical guitar profile that is neither too thin nor too thick. It has a c-shape that nicely fills the hand.

The string action on this model is set low and buzz-free, making it very playable up and down the fretboard. The action can be further adjusted thanks to the truss rod in the neck, allowing players to customize it to their preferences. The low action facilitates advanced techniques like fast scales, wide stretches, and ease of barre chords.

Overall, the playability of the ATTO A77-C is one of its standout features. The smooth neck and low action create an inviting playing experience for guitarists of all levels. It's an easy guitar to form chords on and fluidly move around the fretboard.

Hardware

The Gayetena ATTO A77-C features high-quality hardware that enhances the playability and sound of this classical guitar.

The guitar utilizes open gear, gold tuners that provide precise and smooth tuning stability. The tuners turn effortlessly to accurately tune each string.

The nut and saddle are both made of bone, which helps transfer string vibrations efficiently. The nut is cut and set at an optimal height for easy fingering of notes without buzzing.

The saddle is compensated to enable accurate intonation across the fretboard. Its curve allows the bass strings to vibrate freely.

The bridge utilizes a classic tie block design made from Indian rosewood. This provides a solid foundation for anchoring the strings and allowing their vibrations to resonate through the top wood. The height and position of the bridge are optimized for comfortable action and projection of sound.

Overall, the high-quality hardware components on the Gayetena ATTO A77-C enhance its musical performance and playability as a classical guitar. The tuners, nut, saddle, and bridge are carefully designed and installed to bring out the instrument's voice.

Craftsmanship

The Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C is hand built with excellent craftsmanship using high quality materials. The top is solid Canadian cedar from British Columbia with beautiful straight grain lines that give it an eye-catching aesthetic. The back and sides are made from solid Indian rosewood which not only looks stunning but adds resonance and fullness to the guitar's voice.

Every detail on the ATTO A77-C shows a meticulous level of care from the smooth neck finish to the perfectly cut bone nut and saddle. The rosette features an intricately designed mosaic that demonstrates the luthier's great attention to detail. The neck joint is also beautifully executed for seamless playability across the entire fretboard.

Overall the guitar has a refined yet rugged quality that reflects the skill of its makers. From the first strum, it's apparent that no shortcuts were taken and this is a professional grade instrument made to last. The ATTO A77-C is built to be an heirloom quality classical guitar.

Tone

The ATTO has a balanced tone with bright treble, warm bass, and good sustain. The spruce top produces crisp, bell-like highs with complex overtones. The cypress back and sides add resonance and fullness in the lower registers.

When strumming, the treble strings ring out with clarity while the bass strings have enough punch to drive rhythms. Arpeggios and fingerpicking allow the guitar's harmonics to bloom. Notes decay evenly across all strings.

The bracing pattern and thin finish help the ATTO project sonically. It has enough volume to hold its own in an ensemble setting. The tone remains balanced across playing dynamics, from delicate passages to aggressive strumming.

Overall, the ATTO's tone palette works well for various styles. It has the brightness required for Baroque and the warmth desired for Romantic. The balanced EQ makes it suitable as a "one guitar quiver."

Pros

• The Attó has a full-sized neck and body, which gives it a rich, warm, and resonant sound with good sustain and volume projection. The spruce top and mahogany back and sides combine to produce a balanced tone across the frequency range.

• The guitar feels very comfortable to hold and play, thanks to its contoured body shape and carefully shaped neck profile. The smooth satin finish and narrower nut width also enhance playability.

• The build quality and attention to detail are excellent for the price point. From the clean woodwork to the precisely cut nut and saddle, it's clear that skilled luthiers constructed this guitar.

• It stays in tune very well, thanks to the combination of a solid spruce top and quality tuning machines. Intonation across the fretboard is also accurate.

• The guitar comes fitted with Savarez 500CJ Classical Guitar strings, which give it a bright and responsive sound right out of the box. The strings are also durable and hold their tune well.

• The Attó punches above its weight in terms of sound projection and dynamic range, especially for a classical guitar under $1000. It has the volume and tonal complexity to handle advanced classical repertoire.

• The guitar comes with a lightweight hard case, providing safe and secure transportation and storage. The included composite travel guitar strap also makes the Attó easy to carry around.

Cons

While the Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C classical acoustic nylon string guitar has many excellent features, there are a few potential drawbacks to consider:

• The guitar may feel too large or bulky for smaller players, particularly children and younger teenagers. The full size dreadnought body results in a large overall size.

• The wider Classical neck profile could be uncomfortable for some players used to modern steel-string acoustic necks. The neck is also not adjustable.

• Lack of cutaway can inhibit upper fret access. This classical guitar does not have a cutaway, which can make it harder to play notes in the upper registers.

• Nylon strings create a different feel and sound than steel strings. Players used to steel-string acoustics may need time to adjust to the softer tension and mellower tone.

• Minimal ornamentation and decoration. While some may prefer the simple and traditional appearance, others may desire more ornate designs.

• Not suitable for aggressive strumming styles. The lighter bracing and construction are best suited for classical fingerstyle, not heavy strumming.

Overall the drawbacks should be considered minor, and many players will find the full rich sound and comfortable playability of the ATTO A77-C to be very appealing. The potential downsides primarily relate to the constraints inherent in a traditional nylon-string classical guitar.

Conclusion

The Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C is a high-quality classical guitar that lives up to its premium branding. It features an elegant design with a solid Engelmann Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides that produce a balanced, nuanced tone. The playability is excellent, with a comfortable hand-shaped neck that makes it easy to play complex pieces. The precise craftsmanship and attention to detail make this a guitar that will last for many years.

Overall, the ATTO A77-C is an excellent choice for intermediate to advanced classical guitarists looking for a handmade instrument with top-notch sound and playability. It may be more costly than factory-made models, but the impeccable construction and tone are worth the extra investment for serious players. The guitar's beautiful look and feel also make it a joy to play. For those seeking a lifelong classical guitar to grow with their musicianship, the Gayetana Guitars ATTO A77-C is easy to recommend.