Luthier: Manuel Contreras II

Manuel Contreras I passed away in 1994, and thereafter his son Manuel Contreras II (known as “Pablo” Contreras Jr.) continued the work to carry on the family legacy.

Born in 1957, Manuel Contreras II learned the craft of lutherie by working alongside his father, and he decided definitively to become a professional guitar-maker in 1986. Since then Manuel II carried on the family tradition by continuing to build traditional Contreras workshop models, and continued to demonstrate the same innovative spirit his father had, which allowed for the development of many of Contreras’ most popular models, such as 1998’s guitarra con fondo de resonancia interior (better known as the “Double Top” model) and the 10º Aniversario (the “10th Anniversary” model), which won the Convocatoria Internacional de Guitarras Joaquín Rodrigo Prize on November 17, 2000. That “10th Anniversary” model has since increased in popularity among both student guitarists and concert performers.

Victoria Velasco joined the Contreras shop in 1989, concurrently taking on the role as superior professor of classical guitar at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid. Victoria’s knowledge of music, as well as her fluency in many different languages, allowed her to successfully carry out many of the PR and communications tasks for the Contreras shop that were necessary for the flourishing growth that prototype and completed instruments experienced during Manuel II’s era. Victoria continues to influence how the Contreras workshop is represented worldwide as much as she did before the shop was connected to the digital age.

Manuel II (Jr.) passed away in January 2011, leaving behind a thriving shop with fascinating guitars being built by phenomenal guitar-makers in José Antonio Lagunar, with the help of Victoria Velasco. The two are the heirs to the Contreras tradition, and they remain very close to Manuel II’s sisters as they all collaborate to fulfill the Contreras vision.

Contreras guitars have been critically acclaimed and highly-awarded guitars, which have also been replicated in hommage to Contreras in Spain as well as abroad. Among many others highly-regarded awards, Contreras has received awards from la Cámara de Comercio de Madrid a la Exportación, Establecimiento Tradicional y Artesano Tradicional Madrileño, la Escuela Española de la Guitarra (named Contreras an honarary member), Patronato de Turismo (named Contreras a friend of Madrid), Maestro Mayor del Gremio de Artesanos de Madrid, and medals from the Salón de Provenza y de la ciudad de Digne en Francia. Without a doubt, the Contreras shop considers its best and most fulfilling award to be the support that numerous players and concert professionals show every time they play a Contreras guitar in stages across the world.