1962 Manuel Velazquez SP/CSAR

This is a beautiful, early and full-sized concert guitar built by Manuel Velazquez in 1962. It is really amazing to see just how similar this Velazquez is to Hauser II instruments from the same period, not just in appearance but also in style of sound: great clarity and separation between voices, perfect balance and a natural, beautiful, "woody" quality of tone. It has a lightweight (yet sturdy) build, with a firm sound that is strongly reminiscent of the "teutonic" style as developed by Hermann Hauser I - sparkling trebles and steady basses are the standout tonal qualities. Playability is very easy thanks to the comfortable shape and contour of the neck. At some point in its history, Velazquez repaired a back crack and inserted a splice in the center seam of the top between the bridge and foot, and then refinished the guitar with French polish for the soundboard. Otherwise the guitar is in excellent shape with only minor signs of use. Overall, this an extremely beautiful and collectible instrument by arguably the most important and legendary North American maker to date.