Manuel Velazquez El Classico Special Flamenco Guitar (1960)

Manuel Velazquez  El Classico Special Flamenco Guitar  (1960)
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Item # 10310
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Manuel Velazquez El Classico Special Model Flamenco Guitar (1960), made in New York City, serial # 1, natural finish, Spanish cypress back and sides, spruce top, Spanish cedar neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.

This lovely Flamenco guitar is the work of one of 20th century New York's most renowned luthiers, Manuel Velazquez. It was made in 1960, labeled "M. Velazquez Guitars Inc. El Classico Special". Although this is a Velazquez shop label, this is not a shop-made guitar, but the personal work of the master himself. Typed by hand on the label is "Original model-Made by Manuel Velazquez" and serial number #1; the label is also hand signed by him. This was a prototype instrument made by Velasquez personally to demonstrate to his workers what he expected them to follow in building guitars to be labeled as Velazquez shop instruments. Although obviously a Flamenco guitar, this instrument is labeled "El Classico Special #1", which by the catalog listing would have been a rosewood concert model. As the first guitar Velazquez built to demonstrate the prototype design he may simply have used whatever label was available!

This guitar was for many years the property of well-known player/teacher Rolando Valdez-Blain. Along with his wife, brother Albert and a few other investors Valdez-Blain was involved in the project to turn Velazquez' personal guitar building into a "workshop" business similar to the Ramirez model. This simply meant a small number of workers would build guitars to Velazquez design supervised by the master, thus allowing a greater level of production than one luthier could possibly achieve. In an era of burgeoning interest in the guitar these "Shop" guitars would make Velazquez' designs and quality available at a somewhat lower price.

Manuel Velazquez was born in Puerto Rico in 1917. Interested in guitar-making, he went to a woodworking school and at 14 was employed at a local cabinet shop. Manuel became acquainted with local guitar teacher Jorge Rubiano, who urged him see a Segovia concert in Puerto Rico. Hearing Segovia's 1937 Hauser had a profound effect on Velazquez; he would also come to analyze guitars by Antonio de Torres and Santos Hernandez. In 1940, he was able to move to New York, working as a cabinet maker and joiner in a shipyard before establishing his first workshop at 420 Third Avenue in 1948.

In time Vladimir Bobri, Rey de la Torre, Saul Marantz, The Haines Bros., Alexander Bellows, Noah Wolfe, and more would come to know and recommend him as one the finest guitar makers in the world. Velazquez guitars have been highly regarded for their elegance in tone quality, sustain, and playability, achieved with critical selection and calibration of materials and design in the tradition of by Torres, Hauser, and Santos Hernandez. In 1960 when this guitar was built the workshop was located at 205 East 23Rd Street.

This Flamenco instrument has the traditional set of materials, with a Spanish cypress back and sides, spruce top, Spanish cedar neck and ebony fingerboard. The workmanship is exquisite throughout, as one would expect for an instrument intend to be used as a template for his own acolytes to follow. The grain is quite pronounced on all the body woods, giving the instrument a dramatic appearance. The standard Flamenco tap plates are affixed to the top. It is featherweight with a fabulous sound combining the richness of a concert instrument with the dynamic response of a Flamenco.

Rolando Valdez-Blain's ownership of this guitar is documented by a hand-signed letter from his widow dated 2021. The guitar also includes a fascinating and extremely rare Velazquez Guitars Inc. catalog from 1960, with many photos detailing the production process and models offered; inside the back cover Valdez-Blain is pictured testing out one of the newly made guitars. A contemporary promotional postcard for the Velazquez shop is also included. Even the case has interesting provenance; inside is a pad with "Size sample for M.Valazquez" written on the backside. This is truly an amazing package of Velazquez history, as well as a wonderful guitar.
 
Overall length is 38 3/8 in. (97.5 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 3/4 in. (654 mm.). Width of nut is 2 in. (51 mm.).

This guitar has some light wear and old repair but does not appear to have been too much used since new. There are two long spruce grain cracks to the top behind the bridge, directly behind each of the E strings. These are solidly sealed but visible. The finish has some small scuffs and dings with a patch of tiny divots on the back and two wear spots through the finish on the back of the neck behind the 5th and 9th frets, probably caused by years of friction in the case. The clear plastic tap plates have pulled and darkened just slightly at the edges. This is a wonderful playing and sounding instrument as well as a truly unique piece of guitar history. Excellent - Condition.