Manuel Contreras Cedar Doble Tapa Brazilian Rosewood 1985

Manuel Contreras was one of Madrid's great guitar makers, and this 1985 example is a beautiful piece of his work. With a cedar top and Brazilian rosewood back and sides, it carries that unmistakable Spanish voice in an instrument built to a genuinely high level.

For this guitar Contreras used his Doble Tapa construction on the back: Brazilian rosewood on the outside with a second layer of cedar on the inside. This doubled back is stiffer and more reflective than a single back, so rather than absorbing the sound it reflects more of it back towards the top and out through the soundhole. The result is more volume, projection and sustain, with a bigger, richer voice, while keeping all of that classic Spanish warmth and colour.

The cedar top gives it a warm, immediate response, and elegant details like the rope purfling and matching rope rosette round out a guitar that is as beautiful to look at as it is to play. This is a truly special instrument.

This 1985 Contreras is in very good condition. It has picked up a number of scratches and dings over the years, mainly on the top and back, where it also shows a few small marks. These are purely cosmetic, and the guitar is otherwise in lovely shape. It comes with a CITES certificate and a TFOA Passport, and is supplied in a beautiful old case, however the case no longer closes quite perfectly.

This guitar has been carefully inspected for condition and playability, then set up to our Gold Standard by a luthier. We make sure it arrives in your hands exactly as it should: sounding its best, playing effortlessly and ready to be enjoyed from the very first note.