Classical Guitars - Kent Guitar Classics

Manuel Contreras of Calle Mayor 80, Madrid

• Year:

  1990. Labelled, dated and signed by the maker.

• Body:

  Brazilian rosewood with pre-convention CITES certification. Very dark, attractive timber with some complex grain character with single purfling lines of boxwood. The back of this 'doble tapa' model is lined with spruce (so double back, not double front).
  The back & sides are finished in varnish or lacquer.
  Body length:- 484mm.
  Top bout:- 287 mm wide & 98 mm deep.
  Waist:- 238 mm & 102 mm deep.
  Bottom bout:- 374 mm wide & 103 mm deep.

• Front:

  European spruce - a very good, quarter-sawn top with a lot of medullary figuring showing throughout the length of the board. The rosette, purfling and bridge tie-bock capping have matching design, with fine intricate detail.
  The strutting system includes five curved fan-struts with a proprietary shape bridge patch but no closing struts.

• Tuners:

  Fustero with lyre-ended, engraved side-plates, white rollers and perloid buttons.

• Scale:

  648mm with 19 frets on the ebony fingerboard.

• Neck Width:

  52.4mm with 43mm string spacing

• Weight:

  1807 grams

• Condition:

  The guitar is in very good original and attractive condition.
  The front has some string slip marks below the bridge and about eight small handling marks down near the bottom, bass side; otherwise lovely.
  The back and sides, protected by the finish are in lovely condition; as also is the back of the head, neck and fingerboard.

• Comments:

  Manuel Contreras was one of the great Madrid makers who was originally one of the artisan craftsmen at the Ramirez workshop, later setting up his substantial business. He was quite an innovator and produced many guitar design developments including this 'doble tapa' model. Typical in design and sound of the Madrid guitars, these instruments find favour with many people.
  With a firm yet bright sound, the character is typically Spanish with plenty of Iberian warmth.
  Fortunately this one is in lovely condition, has full CITES documentation and hopefully a tempting price.

  Manuel Contreras - Click here to find out more about this maker

• Price:
  Sold May 2018
• AVAILABILITY
  SOLD + 44 (0) 1732 453 523 Contact via Email

  Available from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. UK time.