Manuel Velazquez Classical Guitar (1990)
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Manuel Velazquez Classical Guitar (1990), made in New York City, natural finish, rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, period hard shell case.
This truly superb concert classical guitar is the work of one of 20th century New York's most renowned luthiers, Manuel Velazquez. It was made in 1990, labeled "Manuel Velazquez, Constructor de Guitarras, New York." The elegantly simple label is hand signed by Velazquez and also has the date, "ano 1990", written by hand in brown ink. The guitar also has hidden signatures on the underside of the top, off each side of the fingerboard extension.
Manuel Velazquez was born in February 1917 in Manati, Puerto Rico, the twelfth of 13 children. His foray into woodworking began as an adolescent, working in his older brother's furniture shop. The workshop also fabricated cuatros, which became the catalyst for Manuel's interest in building guitars. He completed his first guitar at age 16. Shortly after, he showed one to Jorge Rubiano, conductor of a large string orchestra. Impressed, Rubiano ordered two for the orchestra and soon became a source of encouragement and valuable critique. Thanks to Rubiano, a few orders began to come Manuel's way.
Rubiano also urged him to see Segovia in concert. Hearing Segovia's 1937 Hauser had a profound effect on Velazquez; it would become the standard reference of the instrument for the rest of his life. Thanks to Rubiano he was able to also analyze guitars by Antonio de Torres and Santos Hernandez, using them as references for his own instruments. In 1940 he moved to New York, working as a cabinet maker and joiner and as a carpenter in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. His first New York-made guitar was finished in 1942, made from Brazilian rosewood mess hall tables reclaimed from a sunken troop ship dismantled at the Navy Yard.
In 1948 Manuel established his first NYC workshop at 420 Third Avenue. Through the 1950s, he almost single-handedly maintained the finest tradition of European classical guitar making in the United States, producing over a thousand purely handmade instruments. 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 since that time been highly regarded for their elegance in tone quality, sustain and playability, achieved with critical selection and calibration of materials designed in the tradition of Torres, Hauser, and Santos Hernandez.
By 1960/1961, Velazquez incorporated his business with an aim to scale up his one man operation. Bringing on a small staff of fledgling luthiers under his guidance, the new business was split between two workshops; "Manuel Velazquez, Inc." in New York at 205 East 23rd Street and "Guitar Velazquez, Inc" in Caguas, Puerto Rico, established in 1963. This expanded venture was short lived; the workshop in Puerto Rico failed and in 1965 Velazquez reverted to building guitars on his own. Sr. Velazquez closed up his NY shop in 1972 and relocated to Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. In 1982, he moved to Arlington, Virginia to be close to his first grandchild, later settling in Winter Garden, FL in 1991 to retire. Due to the continuous demand for his instruments, he frequently returned to his workshop to fulfill "a few special orders".
This is a typically elegant Velasquez concert guitar in his traditional Hauser mode, built in the later end of his career. After a lifetime of refining his technique, Velazquez instruments of this era are often considered his best. The spruce top has a darker amber finish with grain so tight that it would make C.F. Martin blush. The back and sides are beautifully figured Brazilian rosewood, with all wood bindings and trim. The Spanish cedar neck has a 54mm nut width and a 650mm scale with a fairly typical "D" profile and is very comfortable to play. The rosewood-faced headstock has a simple round-peaked profile and the tuners appear to be Reischl fishscale Landstorfer replicas with ivoroid buttons. The sound is deep and rich with considerable volume, and responds to a light touch while being capable of a wide dynamic range if forced. This is a particularly nice guitar from one of the later 20th century's most esteemed luthiers, a worthy instrument for the master player.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 15/16 in. (10 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 2 in. (51 mm.).
This 35 year old guitar shows some general wear overall from use over the decades but no repairs or alterations and remains a superb instrument to play. There are light finger marks into the top finish below the strings, accompanied by a small gouge in the top right between the treble side of the rosette and the treble side of the bridge. There are various dings and scratches on the either side of the fingerboard extension, more notably on the treble side, along with small impact marks from numerous re-stringings behind the bridge. There is what appears to be an impact mark caused by case bite, on the bass side of the top, closest to the bridge.
The back of the neck shows little to no wear, with a small scratch on the back bass side of the neck near the 3rd fret. Overall, this is a lightly played instrument with some cosmetic wear, a really super example of Sr. Velazquez's best work with some of the nicest quality wood we've ever seen. It is a wonderful instrument to play, hear or appreciate with a deep, rich mature sound also stands as an important piece of guitar history, particularly as related to the traditions of both Puerto Rico and New York. The guitar resides in a period, possibly original hardshell case. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This truly superb concert classical guitar is the work of one of 20th century New York's most renowned luthiers, Manuel Velazquez. It was made in 1990, labeled "Manuel Velazquez, Constructor de Guitarras, New York." The elegantly simple label is hand signed by Velazquez and also has the date, "ano 1990", written by hand in brown ink. The guitar also has hidden signatures on the underside of the top, off each side of the fingerboard extension.
Manuel Velazquez was born in February 1917 in Manati, Puerto Rico, the twelfth of 13 children. His foray into woodworking began as an adolescent, working in his older brother's furniture shop. The workshop also fabricated cuatros, which became the catalyst for Manuel's interest in building guitars. He completed his first guitar at age 16. Shortly after, he showed one to Jorge Rubiano, conductor of a large string orchestra. Impressed, Rubiano ordered two for the orchestra and soon became a source of encouragement and valuable critique. Thanks to Rubiano, a few orders began to come Manuel's way.
Rubiano also urged him to see Segovia in concert. Hearing Segovia's 1937 Hauser had a profound effect on Velazquez; it would become the standard reference of the instrument for the rest of his life. Thanks to Rubiano he was able to also analyze guitars by Antonio de Torres and Santos Hernandez, using them as references for his own instruments. In 1940 he moved to New York, working as a cabinet maker and joiner and as a carpenter in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. His first New York-made guitar was finished in 1942, made from Brazilian rosewood mess hall tables reclaimed from a sunken troop ship dismantled at the Navy Yard.
In 1948 Manuel established his first NYC workshop at 420 Third Avenue. Through the 1950s, he almost single-handedly maintained the finest tradition of European classical guitar making in the United States, producing over a thousand purely handmade instruments. 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 since that time been highly regarded for their elegance in tone quality, sustain and playability, achieved with critical selection and calibration of materials designed in the tradition of Torres, Hauser, and Santos Hernandez.
By 1960/1961, Velazquez incorporated his business with an aim to scale up his one man operation. Bringing on a small staff of fledgling luthiers under his guidance, the new business was split between two workshops; "Manuel Velazquez, Inc." in New York at 205 East 23rd Street and "Guitar Velazquez, Inc" in Caguas, Puerto Rico, established in 1963. This expanded venture was short lived; the workshop in Puerto Rico failed and in 1965 Velazquez reverted to building guitars on his own. Sr. Velazquez closed up his NY shop in 1972 and relocated to Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. In 1982, he moved to Arlington, Virginia to be close to his first grandchild, later settling in Winter Garden, FL in 1991 to retire. Due to the continuous demand for his instruments, he frequently returned to his workshop to fulfill "a few special orders".
This is a typically elegant Velasquez concert guitar in his traditional Hauser mode, built in the later end of his career. After a lifetime of refining his technique, Velazquez instruments of this era are often considered his best. The spruce top has a darker amber finish with grain so tight that it would make C.F. Martin blush. The back and sides are beautifully figured Brazilian rosewood, with all wood bindings and trim. The Spanish cedar neck has a 54mm nut width and a 650mm scale with a fairly typical "D" profile and is very comfortable to play. The rosewood-faced headstock has a simple round-peaked profile and the tuners appear to be Reischl fishscale Landstorfer replicas with ivoroid buttons. The sound is deep and rich with considerable volume, and responds to a light touch while being capable of a wide dynamic range if forced. This is a particularly nice guitar from one of the later 20th century's most esteemed luthiers, a worthy instrument for the master player.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 15/16 in. (10 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 2 in. (51 mm.).
This 35 year old guitar shows some general wear overall from use over the decades but no repairs or alterations and remains a superb instrument to play. There are light finger marks into the top finish below the strings, accompanied by a small gouge in the top right between the treble side of the rosette and the treble side of the bridge. There are various dings and scratches on the either side of the fingerboard extension, more notably on the treble side, along with small impact marks from numerous re-stringings behind the bridge. There is what appears to be an impact mark caused by case bite, on the bass side of the top, closest to the bridge.
The back of the neck shows little to no wear, with a small scratch on the back bass side of the neck near the 3rd fret. Overall, this is a lightly played instrument with some cosmetic wear, a really super example of Sr. Velazquez's best work with some of the nicest quality wood we've ever seen. It is a wonderful instrument to play, hear or appreciate with a deep, rich mature sound also stands as an important piece of guitar history, particularly as related to the traditions of both Puerto Rico and New York. The guitar resides in a period, possibly original hardshell case. Overall Excellent - Condition.