1974 Manuel Reyes Blanca
Back and sides: Cypress
Scale: 655mm
Nut: 53mm
Strings at bridge 57mm
Action at 12th fret 2.7mm
Room for saddle to go lower if desired
Origin: Spain
Price: $13,500
A guitar from one of Reyes’ great decades, the 1970s. Amazing sound and playability as you expect from this legendary builder. This guitar had a professional career, twice, having been
owned and played by two working Spanish pros. In the process it developed a few dryness cracks in the top, which were spliced and repaired by the great California luthier Ron Hachez. He then repolished the top, using the original shellac with no sanding – a very time consuming process, but the only right way to refinish French polish – rendering it in perfect condition and at the original thickness just as Reyes built it. Ron also touched up the polish on the headstock and installed new frets, and new old-stock Fustero tuners with pearl buttons, putting this guitar in close to new condition. Comes in a new TKL case. Looks great, plays wonderfully, sounds superb with excellent snap and volume – and priced attractively for this maker and this era.
As mentioned, this one had two professional owners, but was in remarkably good shape – except for four dryness cracks on the top only, which had opened slightly, and wear to frets and fingerboard. I sent it to Ron, who determined that splicing would be the most secure way to repair them, which he did. He also replaced the fingerboard and refretted it, meaning it plays as good (actually better) than new. When he had the fingerboard off, he installed a carbon fiber reinforcement in the neck for good measure, making sure the neck will stay straight forever. Ron does fantastic work. It took two years to get this guitar back from him. End result, the cosmetic condition is really excellent. You can see the splices if you look for them, but from a few feet away, and certainly when playing it, you don’t.
