HISTORY OVER 110 YEARS OF CLASSICAL EXCELLENCE The history of Rodríguez guitars is as rich as the wood from which they are crafted. Manuel Rodríguez — grandson of flamenco guitarist Manuel Rodriguez Perez Marequi and son of classical luthier Manuel Rodríguez Perez — learned the art of constructing a guitar firsthand. His apprenticeship began at the age of 13 in Madrid, where he also began exporting his finely crafted instruments to France, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Fast forward to 1959, Manuel Sr. opened a shop Los Angeles, making classical guitars for a myriad of professional players, teachers, students, and even the Hollywood elite. He and his son moved back to Madrid in 1973 where Rodríguez guitars have been designed and built ever since. His son, Manuel Jr, continues on with the family tradition of crafting exquisite instruments with the fire and passion he learned from his heritage. Using only the finest tonewoods and expert craftsmanship, Manuel Rodríguez develops distinctive guitars fit for the worlds preeminent artists. Each instrument is as unique and individual as the musicians who play them. Embodying the skills he learned as an apprentice to the master luthiers of Spain, Manuel Jr. ensures each guitar is a work of art to be treasured for generations. “If that which cannot be repeated is art, then our guitars are also an artistic instrument. It is even more so when each artist constructs his guitar by creating exclusive ornamentation, using precious and unique woods, creating a mosaic, which distinguishes this soundhole from all the other soundholes. It is like a feather; a purfling that will never be repeated as far as color, thickness and taste are concern. We are therefore talking about an art piece that has a life of its own, produces elegant sound, and provides the guitarist with their own one-of-a-kind instrument to express their musical skill and harmonic knowledge. It is held in the hands and close to the body; it is an art piece of precious natural materials built to the luthier’s taste and woodworking skills; it is your trade, personality, and dignity in doing a good job.” -- Manuel RodriguezJr. The Rodriguez Family The career of Manuel Rodríguez Pérez as a professional guitar-maker started back in 1905 when he was just 18 years old. He was an apprentice in Agustín de Andrés’ workshop. At that time, Julián Gómez Ramírez (who would later become the first skilled worker of José Ramírez guitars) worked there as well. Manuel Rodríguez Pérez then worked at Julián Gómez’s workshop and remained there until 1914 when World War I broke out. After Manuel’s return to Spain in 1914, he joined the workshop of José Ramírez I. After leaving the shop in 1930, Manuel went on to work with other famed luthiers (Santos Borreguero, Saturnino Rojas) and also handcrafted his own instruments on a special order basis. Move to Madrid & Manuel Rodríguez II In 1939, the Rodríguez family returned to Madrid. Soon after, Ramírez II called Marcelo and Manuel Rodríguez I to resume the activities in the Ramírez workshop. The workshop included a young Manuel Rodríguez II — who was just 13 years old at the time — as an apprentice. Manuel Rodríguez II undertook the task of handcrafting the inner parts of bandurrias, lutes and guitars, manufacturing sticks and bracings and also carrying out bel labrado (carving). On March 4th, 1954, shortly after joining the Ramirez workshop, Manuel Rodríguez II installed a workbench in his own house. He used it to fix instruments belonging to some of his amateur musician friends. This enabled him to manufacture his first guitars, bandurrias and lutes. He also produced a great amount of capos for the then popular flamenco musicians. The first guitar signed and labeled by Manuel Rodríguez II was a flamenco guitar. This was an evolution that made Manuel Rodríguez II’s name more widely known than his father’s – who only manufactured instruments for workshops and never signed any of them. In 1955, Manuel Rodríguez II set up his own workshop. During the following few years he exported guitars to France, United Kingdom and the USA. In June 1959, thanks to the support of a few UCLA professors, Manuel moved to Los Angeles. Manuel Rodríguez I passed away in 1958, having had the satisfaction of seeing his son firmly established in the trade. Many professional players, teachers and students visited his Hollywood shop from the summer of 1959 through the early ‘70s, when Manuel returned to Madrid. Present Generation 1973 was the beginning of a new phase for Rodríguez guitars. Manuel Rodríguez Jr. decided to go beyond displaying and selling their guitars in their own workshop. He travelled and worked in London, visiting nearly every guitar expert, shop and school. Shortly thereafter, articles extolling the virtues of Rodriguez’ finely crafted instruments started appearing in international magazines, such as Classic Guitar and Magazine Guitar International. In 1994, Rodríguez founded their own guitar factory on the outskirts of Esquivias, in the province of Toledo, Spain, not far from Madrid. This is still a family-run company in which each member of the family plays an important role. In the late early 2000s, Manuel Jr noticed the trend in the market of moving production to make guitars more affordable: in an effort to keep his products competitive while maintaining the long-standing quality tradition of the Rodriguez name, he began a multi-year process of identifying a potential partner factory in Asia. Under the expert tutelage of Manuel Jr, this new factory partner has learned the exacting techniques pioneered and carried down by the Rodriguez family, and combined them with larger-scale production, allowing for lower-priced options while maintaining the expert build quality and superior sound that has become synonymous with the Rodriguez name. Of course, the facility in Spain still produces a largest portion of Rodriguez’ production, and continues the Rodriguez legacy. Over 100 years of knowledge, history, and passion find its way into each and every Rodriguez guitar. TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION From the least to the most expensive models, Rodríguez guitars are almost entirely handmade. Rodriguez still employs the traditional Spanish Heel construction technique , where the neck block is part of the base of the neck (rather than a separate block), and the back and sides are joined directly to the neck block, resulting in a solid neck joint and sturdy build. No detail is too minor to merit attention. For example, the tuning machines are all handsomely and intricately cast, whether nickel-plated or gold-plated. Silver-plated frets from Germany are meticulously set into the fretboard and hand-filed so the strings lay a consistent distance above the fingerboard. The neck and headstock of Rodríguez guitars are typically made of Canadian cedar, often reinforced with two ebony strips on the underside of the fingerboard to increase rigidity and eliminate movement caused by wood aging. Each Rodríguez guitar is hand-formed and glued to create precise balances. From the delicate sanding — even inside the body — that ensures purity of tone, to the beautifully unique rosette inlays around the soundhole and on the back of the neck, each guitar is a credit to its luthier and are worthy of being handed down from one generation to another. Once assembled, each guitar is balanced, and receives a thin varnish coating, which is lightly sanded in order to facilitate the remaining phases of the treatment. For those who want to enhance the richness of a handcrafted guitar with the power of electronics, the cutaway electric models feature a state-of-the-art L.R. Baggs or Fishman preamp system for excellent response, balance and tonal adjustability. TONEWOODS The woods used in all Rodríguez instruments are collected and dried over many years. Manuel Rodriguez Jr. hand-selects all of his woods, which are chosen with close, vertical grain for the best sound and look. Because of their weight, hardness, stiffness and beautiful color, Cypress, Bubinga and Indian Rosewood are selected for backs and sides. Indian rosewood, in particular, provides the exquisite sound often associated with a classical guitar. Our hand-made, multi-colored all-wood rosettes, add visual intricacy and beauty to every Rodríguez instrument. Wood Types Spruce The best Spruce woods for our guitars grow in southern coastal areas, where trees develop faster and have a wider, coarser grain. They are white, but they develop a golden hue when dried. Western Red Cedar The inner part of this kind of cedar is white, whereas its hard parts are a dark, chocolate brown. It grows in the USA and Canada, British Columbia, and the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Its grain is straight, and its rings clearly show the growth of the tree. This wood has less high-end snap (compared to Spruce), but provides an extra warmth and mellowness to the tone. Honduras Cedar Commonly used for our guitar necks due to its lighter weight (when compared to Mahogany). It has a light reddish brown hue, smooth texture, and a straight grain. When dried, this wood is very stable, has an average density and is not difficult to handle. When varnished, its beauty is greatly enhanced. Indian Rosewood, Jacaranda Indian Rosewood has a slight purple hue and straight grain. It dries easily, and craftsmen relish handling it because of its smoothness and fragrance It is especially suited for guitar backs, since it transmits sounds of a high quality and volume. Madagascar Rosewood This wood is prized for having many of the tonal properties of Brazilian Rosewood (which is no longer legal to be harvested), seen by many as the “Holy Grail” of tone woods. Madagascar Rosewood tends to a high velocity of sound transmission, along with broad, rich overtones. Cypress Cypress was the traditional back and side material for Flamenco guitars, due in part to its wide availability. Its density also provides crisp treble response, and a percussive quality when strumming or tapping. Bubinga A sought-after tropical exotic wood with an interlocking grain, it emphasizes an instruments fundamental tones, providing a great low end, gorgeous mids, and bright, ringing treble; Also one of the more visually-striking tonewoods due to the intense swirling of the grain. Sapele Sapele is a reddish-brown wood is a member of the Mahogany family. A feature of Sapele is that the interlocking grain that often changes direction in frequent, irregular intervals, making for an aesthetically pleasing wood. It has a wide variety of applications and is very popular as a decorative surface veneer for high-grade furniture such as book cases and cabinets. It is a great alternative to genuine Mahogany. Tops After years of experimenting with Spruce from a variety of locations, Rodriguez has landed on Spruce from Central Europe, used in many of our guitar tops. Spruce has an outstanding sonic clarity, especially for strumming or picking, making it one of the most popular top woods. Western Cedar is obtained from Canada and the Northwest U.S. for use on guitar tops, and it offers a beautiful warmth to the sound. There are many different qualities and colors, and we tend to the highest quality red cedar. As with spruce, stiffness, grain and weight are very important. Necks On many of our models, Cedar from Honduras is used, as its lighter weight makes it ideal for classical instruments. The Honduran cedar used is very hard and stiff, but at the same time, light. Our necks are reinforced with two ebony strips on the underside of the fingerboard to give total rigidity and to eliminate movement caused as a result of the aging of the instrument. On other models, we use Mahogany or Sapele (a member of the Mahogany family) due to its strength and supply. Backs and Sides We use Indian Rosewood (Jacaranda), Bubinga, Cypress, and other tonewoods for our backs and sides. Each type of wood is chosen for the unique character and tone it supplies, and is matched with the proper top wood, resulting in an instrument of incredible tone. Varnishes Varnishing is an essential phase in the creation of a good quality instrument, both in terms of the shellacs and varnishes used, and in the way these substances are applied. Rodríguez’s polyurethane finish formula and specially designed equipment ensure a uniform coating that leaves no pores and creates a shiny, resistant coat that will protect the guitar. After varnishing, the instruments are sanded in different phases, and then the pegs, nut and bridge are adjusted. In the last stage, the guitars are strung. FAMOUS PLAYERS Trevor Rabin Carlos Santana Mana Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest) Manuel Algiva Javier Catala Elton John Jose Losada Stevie Wonder Michael Angelo Batio El Barrio Hugo Manu Tenorio Romero Pedro Andrea Ricky Martin Ehsaan Noorani Venesa Melon Estopa Miguel Angel Fernandez Spec Table (See separate attachment) Include statement: All specifications are subject to change without notice Model Copy: Model A The Model A from Rodriguez guitars features a solid Canadian Cedar Top and Rosewood back & sides for a warm, traditional classical tone. , The Sapele mahogany neck is reinforced with two ebony strips on the underside of the fingerboard to provide rigidity and eliminate movement caused by aging. Appointments include stained Indian rosewood binding, custom hand-inlaid wood mosaic sound-hole rosette, and a traditional gloss finish. Model A-CE The A-CE is the acoustic-electric variation of our popular Model A, featuring a classical body design with a single cutaway for easier access to upper frets. The tonewood blend includes a solid Canadian cedar top, Indian rosewood back and sides, and a mahogany neck with an Indian rosewood fingerboard. The Fishman Sonicore™ under-saddle pickup accurately reproduces your sound, while the Clasica™ preamp offers tone shaping EQ and a built-in tuner. Model B The Model has a carefully chosen, solid Canadian cedar top and laminated Indian Rosewood back and sides for traditional tone and projection. The headstock overlay of Indian rosewood matches the body perfectly for a beautiful look. The neck is Honduran cedar for lighter weight and rigidity, and is mated to an Ebony fingerboard. Gold-plated tuners and silver-plated frets are installed to last a lifetime. The hand-inlaid, all wood body binding and rosette add to the exquisite looks of this guitar. Also available with a Solid spruce top (B-Spruce: special order only) Models B Cutaway Boca “MR” Our model B cutaway is a variation on our popular model B with a slightly narrower body for better comfort. The B cutaway includes a signature “MR” logo soundhole for a distinctive visual experience to match its amazing sonic one, and relies on a LR Baggs premium preamp for complete tonal control of your amplified sound. Model C-Sapele This new addition to the Rodriguez family of instruments provides incredible projection and crisp, cutting tone through the use of an all-Solid Sapele back and sides and a Solid Cedar top. The all-wood body binding and rosette are exquisite. The Rodriguez C Sapele Guitar is handcrafted - from the invisible sanding -even inside the body-that ensures the finished instruments purity of tone, to the beautifully unique rosette inlays around the soundhole, each Rodriguez guitar is a credit to its luthier and worthy of being handed down from one generation to another. Model C1 The C1 marries Rodriguezs long-standing tradition of impeccable craftsmanship, old-world building techniques, and superior sound to an instrument of remarkable value. The Indian rosewood back and sides combine with a Solid Canadiancedar top for amazing tone that doesnt need to be broken in. Custom accents like a wood rosette and mahogany binding make the guitar a visual standout, while traditional construction techniques like a true Spanish heel make the C1 a great value. Model C3 The C3 is a premium instrument with impeccable sound quality. Hand inlaid wood rosette sets off the beauty of the red cedar top, which adds a warmth and roundness to the tone, and the rich mahogany body binding accents an Indian rosewood body for traditional classical tone with a distinctive visual flair. Model C3F The Rodriguez model C3F is designed for the Flamenco player. I thinner body depth, along with less internal bracing and a thinner top to allow for the more percussive quality required for Flamenco. The Sycamore back and sides combine with a Solid Spruce top to provide snappy tone with excellent projection. Equipped with a clear Golpeador (tap plate) for rhythmic finger tapping. Traditional construction techniques like a true Spanish heel set the C3F above the competition. Caballero 8S The Caballero 8 series of guitars were developed with the educator in mind, and offer a superior student guitar experience. The Caballero 8S is available in three scaled sizes – “cadete” (¾), “senorita” (7/8), and full size – and all comform to traditional Spanish sizing standards. Sought-after features include a solid spruce top for superior tone and projection, striped mahogany back and sides for a warm, rich sound, and a polyurethane finish to protect the instrument. Caballero 11 The Caballero 11 represents incredible value along with amazing sound quality. Our all Bubinga back& sides are mated to a solid cedar top for a rich tone with a roundness and warmth seldom found on instruments in this price range. The beautiful figuring of the Bubinga adds to the overall aesthetics. A sapele neck combined with the rosewood fingerboard will make sure the neck stays straight and true, and the wood rosette and binding will ensure great looks accompany your incredible sound. Model D Our Model D Classical Guitar is traditionally crafted with a solid Canadian cedar top and laminated Indian rosewood back and sides, providing warm, rich tone and great projection. The Model D is a well-balanced guitar with custom fan bracing and a full 25.6 scale length. Other features include a rosewood headstock overlay, Cedar neck with ebony fingerboard, gold-plated tuners, and a beautiful multi-wood soundhole rosette. This elegant rich sounding guitar was made in Spain and is sure to provide you with years of musical pleasure. Also available with a solid spruce top (D-Spruce; special order only) Model FC A carefully chosen, solid Canadian cedar top and all-solid Indian rosewood back and sides ensure incredibly the pure classical tone and increased volume of the model FC. The headstock overlay is rosewood to match the warm, rich look of the back and sides, and the neck is Honduran cedar reinforced with ebony, along with an bony fretboard. An Indian rosewood bridge and real bone nut and saddle provide ringing tone and sustain. INCLUDES JR SERIES CASE Model FF A traditional Flamenco instrument, crafted of Solid cypress back and sides, combined with a solid German spruce top, the FF will transport you to the streets of Madrid with a sound and feel that is pure Spain. The multi-colored wood rosette and body binding add to the unique visual appeal of the instrument, while the thinner top and custom bracing pattern ensure a brilliant, percussive tone. Model FF-CE An acoustic-electric version of our popular FF model, the FF-CE includes the LR Baggs preamp to amplify your playing for the masses. A custom-braced, solid German spruce top is combined with solid cypress back/sides for a traditional Flamenco sound that is snappy, bright, and percussive. The cutaway neck allows for easy upper-fret access, making for a purely enjoyable playing experience. INCLUDES JR SERIES CASE Model FF Flamenco The FF Flamenco Style Nylon String Guitar is the embodiment of 3 generations dedicated to the art and science of crafting the best Flamenco and Classical guitars. The care and attention to detail is evident, from the unique headstock to the colorful all-wood rosette. Using Solid cypress for the back and sides, and solid German Spruce for the top, the FF Flamenco is light with an aggressive sound. To facilitate rapid solo runs, the action is lower than standard classical guitars. The guitar is also fitted with a transparent tap plate or Golpeador above and below the soundhole to protect the spruce top from heavy strumming and tapping. Model FG The all-solid model FG incorporates rosewood back and sides in conjunction with a red cedar top for warm, rich, traditional classical tone. The ornate hand-inlaid wood rosette and purfling are a testament to the time-honored classical craft, and the ebony fingerboard will make your playing feel effortless. INCLUDES JR SERIES CASE Flamenco Moderna New for 2014, our “Flamenco Moderna” instruments are designed for everyday guitarists looking to add the warm tone and softness of nylon string to their sonic arsenal, without sacrificing the “feel” of a comfortable neck. The FLMOD series are designed with a slim-profile neck that will be instantly comfortable in a steel string or electric player’s hands. The thinline body is comfortable to play, while the Fishman™ electronics offer a wide range of tone-shaping options to your amplified signal. Available in 2 versions: - FLMOD500 features Walnut back & sides combined with a Solid Red Cedar top for a round, warm tone - FLMOD550 features Cypress back & sides with a Solid Spruce top for additional snap and brightness Model MRJR The MRJR model is ultimate in craftsmanship, and a tribute to the luthier. Sporting solid Madagascar rosewood back and sides with exquisite figuring, combined with a select solid cedar top, the MRJR is a tribute to the luthier himself. Intricate hand-inlaid rosette, body binding, purfling, and marquetry abound, and the custom bracing pattern & premium wood selection make the MRJR one of most sought-after instruments. Also available with a select solid spruce top (MRJRSPR: special order only). INCLUDES SR SERIES CASE MRJR Flamenco A Flamenco version of our premium instrument, featuring solid cypress back and sides with rosewood centerpiece, and a beautiful German spruce top which provides extended high-end resonance and snap for accentuated “golpes” (finger taps). The Ebony fingerboard is sleek and straight, and deluxe antiqued gold-plated tuners and hand-inlaid rosette add to the overall visual beauty of this fine Flamenco instrument. Norman Flamenco The Norman Flamenco is named after Norman Rodriguez, brother of Manuel and features select, aged solid cypress back and sides from Manuel’s personal wood supply, a rosewood back centerpiece, and a select German spruce top for a brilliant high-end presence. The visual beauty of the Norman Flamenco is a tribute to the legacy of the Rodriguez legacy. Sabicas models – insert picture of Agustin Castellon Campos Famed Flamenco guitarist Agustín Castellón Campos, the most famous player in the Flamenco world, was a personal friend of the Rodriguez family, and our Sabicas models are a tribute to this brilliant performer. Sabicas helped introduce the artform outside of his native Spain, and influenced many famous players, including Paco De Lucia, Vicente Amigo, and countless others. Our Model C3F, E, and FF Sabicas models are instruments of impeccable quality, and incorporate a longer 26” (660mm) scale length for more output volume & improved bass response, making them worthy of their namesake. The FF Sabicas includes a JR series case. JR Case Our custom-built hardshell case is made to protect your investment, and is included with several models. SR Case This custom-SR case is included with our MRJR and Norman models, and features an internal humidity gauge.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 12:19:54 +0000
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