Manuel Velazquez 1969 (SOLD)

The guitar maker

Manuel Velázquez (1917 - 2014) was born in Puerto Rico where he first learned about guitar making from relatives, eventually becoming a mostly self-taught luthier.  

Puerto Rican conductor Jorge Rubiano saw and liked Velázquez's early guitars and encouraged him to move to New York in order to be more visible in the guitar community, which he did in 1941.

Evans calls Velázquez and Manuel Rodríguez of Los Angeles the two earliest North American luthiers to make great Spanish-style classical guitars.

Description

This is a very fine instrument by New York master Manuel Velazquez from 1969 - signed underneath the front.

This particular guitar has a wider neck and deep body.

Top of European spruce with the spectacular bearclaw / haselfichte.

Back and sides of beautiful quality, quarter-sawn and straight-grained brazilian rosewood.

Hauseresque rosette and rosewood bridge.

Tuners are made by Fustero. Lyre-ended design with engraved sideplates and synthetic pearl buttons.

The sound is typical, rounded, sweet, traditional.