Miguel Rodriguez, 1991
Spruce / CSA Rosewood
Please note: This is an abbreviated early-access description for email subscribers. A full listing with additional details and playing impressions will be available soon.
Overview
This 1991 Miguel Rodriguez comes as a real treat, and for one very special reason: it is 650mm scale. After playing many Rodriguez guitars over the years, we have rarely encountered one with this scale length. Many of Miguel Rodriguez’s most famous instruments are longer scale guitars, often wonderfully playable in their own right, but certainly more demanding for players with smaller hands. To find a Rodriguez with this much sound, this much character, and a standard 650mm scale is genuinely exciting.
Miguel Rodriguez guitars are known for their unmistakable power, balance, and Spanish character, and have been performed on by many of the most important guitarists of the 20th century. Perhaps most notably, the Romero family has relied on Miguel Rodriguez guitars for decades, with Pepe Romero’s legendary “La Wonderful” becoming one of the most recorded and performed classical guitars in history. After just a few notes on this 1991 example, it is easy to understand why these guitars have earned such a reputation. In other words: pluck around and find out.
Sound
The sound is everything we hope for in a great Rodriguez: massive, open, colorful, and deeply Spanish. It has that wonderful old-world power and presence, but also an impressive evenness across the neck, with a consistent character and sustain from register to register.
This is the kind of guitar that rewards both pianissimos and fortissimos, giving the player a huge palette of color without ever feeling forced. It is powerful, expressive, and full of life.
Playability
The 650mm scale length is a major part of what makes this guitar so exciting. Rodriguez guitars are often associated with longer scale lengths, and while those instruments can still be very playable, this standard scale makes the experience much more approachable.
For players who love the Rodriguez sound but have been hesitant about the larger feel of many examples, this guitar offers something very special: the full Rodriguez voice in a more comfortable and familiar setup.
Aesthetics
The materials are superb. The spruce top is beautifully aged, and the Brazilian rosewood back and sides are exceptionally straight-grained and elegant. It has all the visual charm and identity one hopes for in a Miguel Rodriguez.
The iconic rosette is especially wonderful, immediately bringing to mind the great players associated with these instruments, particularly the Romero family. There is something deeply nostalgic and inspiring about seeing that design, especially on a guitar with this much sound and personality.
Condition
This guitar is in excellent condition, with no cracks or repaired cracks.
Specs
Year: 1991
Top: Spruce
Back and Sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Scale Length: 650mm
Nut Width: 54mm
Worldwide shipping available.
If you're interested in purchasing, please write to me at evan@guitarcollection.com