Sept 2009

PRE-AGED CLASSICAL GUITARS FROM MANUEL RODRIGUEZ

With the upsurge of interest in pre-aged, distressed electric guitars having caught on like wildfire with musicians anxious to indulge in some serious 'gig cred' type statement over the past decade, it's no surprise that instruments such as the Vintage ICON Guitar Series have been such a massive worldwide success story.

The Antoni range of string instruments from JHS was also subject to pre-aged techniques, resulting in the popular 'Symphonique' series. Inspired by the masters, the Antoni ‘Symphonique’ violin brought together atelier construction methods, premium tonewoods, and a level of fit and finish of a very high standard, imbuing the instruments with the air of a much-used, much loved artifact with an attractively open tone thanks to the minimal finishing on the instrument.

As with the string instrument family, pre-ageing techniques can actually prove beneficial in terms of overall performance on classical instruments. Minimal finishing means the woods are much freer to vibrate, to breathe and flex in response to being played, improving articulation and dynamics in their inherent tone.

With this very much in mind, Spanish luthiery stable Manuel Rodriguez has introduced two pre-aged classicals. Based on the existing Rodriguez Model A and MR11 classicals - meaning their price makes them affordable to all fans of classic guitar - these instruments offer a taste of the experience of playing on characterful and cherished, much-used classical guitars with lively resonant tones and a sprightly response unhindered and restricted by over-protective body lacquer finishes.

The Model A-DS Vintage Finish Rodriguez offers an impressively high level of specification for its price category. Based on the Model A Classic Guitar, the guitar features a solid Canadian cedar top, here matched to flame maple back and sides, with Indian rosewood used for the fingerboard and the bridge, plus the body binding. The Model A-DS retails at £599.00 rrp.

The Rodriguez MR11DS Vintage Finish Model 11 Caballero guitar also features a solid Canadian cedar top here with a slightly darker-toned and impressively-figured laminated bubinga body. Again, high quality Indian rosewood is selected as the ideal tonewood for the fingerboard, bridge, headstock facing and body binding on the guitar. The Vintage Finish Model MR11DS is available at £319.00 rrp.

Below: Rodriguez Model A-DS Vintage Finish, £599.00.

Rodriguez MR11DS Vintage Finish Model 11 Caballero guitar. £319.00 rrp.

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