Guitarras Manuel Rodriguez is a well-known maker of classical and Flamenco guitars, as well as cajons. Originally, Manuel Rodriguez was founded in Madrid in 1905. By 1994 the company had outgrown their original workshops, and made the move to a large, purpose-built facility in Esquivias in the the province of Toledo (central Spain).
The Manuel Rodriguez Model Clásica A is a solid-topped Spanish guitar aimed at the ambitious student or amateur, who wants to move up a few steps from the guitar he (or she) has started learning on.
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The MR Model A (current price in Finland: 650 €) bears all the important hallmarks of a quality Spanish classical guitar.
The neck – which features a Spanish Heel – has been crafted from a gorgeous looking piece of African mahogany. The neck is a one-piece affair, save for the traditional addition of small pieces for the lower heel portion and part of the headstock.
The solid top uses tight-grained, bookmatched Canadian red cedar.
The only concession to price in the Model A comes in its use of laminated back and sides. But even if this isn’t solid wood, the Indian rosewood used is breathtakingly beautiful, both from the outside as well as looking in through the soundhole.
Both the top and the back sport intricate wooden binding.
The machine heads are traditional and of very decent quality.
The headstock veneer is rosewood, while the fingerboard has been made from a thick slab of ebony.
Both the top nut and the compensated (!) bridge saddle have been crafted from genuine bone.
Once again, very beautiful Indian rosewood is the material of choice for the Model A’s bridge.
Manuel Rodriguez’ intricate and colourful soundhole rosette is a very stylish touch.
The whole guitar comes in a natural gloss finish.
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The Manuel Rodriguez Model A ticks all the right boxes if you’re looking for a high-quality alternative to an all-solid classical guitar.
This is a resonant and beautiful instrument that displays top-notch workmanship in every detail.
The neck profile is a slightly friendlier, more modern version of the traditional squarish design. The nut width is kept at a traditional 52 mm, but the transition between the flat back of the neck into its shoulders has been made a lot smoother and much less angular.
The action has been set at 3.6 mm for the low E-string and at 3.3 mm for the treble E. This gives you a player-friendly playing feel, but leaves enough fretboard clearance to really dig in for loud passages without fret buzz.
The compensated bridge saddle gives the Model A a very true intonation.
Being a solid-topped instrument, the Manuel Rodriguez A required a little bit of playing in to open up the guitar’s mid-range, but spending a few days of intensive playing will reap the rewards. This guitar has a charming clear and sweet voice that just makes you want to carry on playing. The factory-installed Savarez strings feel great and keep their tuning.
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The Manuel Rodriguez Clásica A is a top-quality guitar. This instrument looks beautiful and plays like dream.
Don’t let anybody tell you that a laminated back automatically results in a dull and lifeless tone. The MR Model A’s sound is beautiful, dynamic and utterly inspiring!
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Manuel Rodriguez Model A
650 €
Finnish distributor: Musamaailma
Pros:
+ made in Spain
+ workmanship
+ playability
+ sound
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