This is one of the Madrid Style Guitars from the golden age of the Madrid School.
Essentially like a spruce Ramirez from the early 60's. Contreras was shop foreman for
Ramirez before he started making guitars on his own and used a bracing pattern very
similar to the Ramirz 1a design. Outstanding tonal qualities and concert hall volume.
A double top that I recently had did have more volume than this one (and more than
just about any guitar out there), but this 75 Contreras 1a has superior tone than the
double top! It also has the absolute most beautiful Brazilian Rosewood I've seen on any
guitar I've ever had. Unfortunately, it has a blemish on the spruce where a crack was
repaired. If the front were re-finished, it would be difficult to see the repair to the crack.
The bridge was off and has been put back on. It should also have the frets
replaced as the current set are quite worn and the intonation is a bit sharp at the upper
positions. This guitar was at one time set up as an electric classical and has holes that have
been filled in the lower and upper bought and there are still two small holes in the bridge
from the pick up. The nut is not original and doesn't quite fill the slot and is shimmed but
the action is fine as it is.
I'm offering it at a verty reasonable price as it is.
PRICE: $2495
