I received this guitar for Christmas and was actually a bit disappointed when I saw the brandname on the box. I've never heard of Merida before. I had my heart set on something else. When I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was the attention to detail. The headstock has a rosewood overlay that is simply exquisite! The rosette inlay is very intricate and precise. The tuners are gorgeous and feel great....(no slop, no noise). I didn't dare show my disappointment as this was a gift from my wife and children. My wife explained to me that she had researched classical guitars quite a bit, both locally and online. She was told that Merida Guitars was a company that had been building guitars for other companies for years and just recently brought their own instruments to market. I proceeded to take the protective bag off of the instrument, tune it and began to play. I was instantly astounded by the amount of sound and projection this instrument had. Now I was worried she had spent thousands of dollars on this instrument! She assured me I'd be quite proud of her. She we SO right! This guitar is everything I could have wanted and much more. The wood (Cedar Top) has a perfectly straight, tight grain. The bindings, Mahogany (I think) are beautiful, the inside even smells great! The back, also mahogany (I think) looks like an expensive piece of furniture. I've been looking at guitars for almost a year without pulling the trigger and have NOT seen anything that comes close… read more to this (and for a lot more money)! I would strongly suggest to anyone looking for a really well made instrument to try a Merida. I am their new #1 fan. I truly do not think you'll be disappointed! It's probably worth noting that the case that she wasn't able to wrap and gave me separately is also absolutely without question the nicest I've ever seen! It oozes class, both inside and out!

Musical Background:
25+ years as a semi-pro (Paid) musician.

Musical Style:
Fingerstyle, Classical, read less