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This Fleta features his standard materials of this era for the top (spruce) and back (Indian rosewood) but curiously, a set of CSA rosewood was used for the sides which is rare. The year this was built was the same year that Fleta made the decision to dedicate himself to guitar making full-time, and abandon his primary work with bowed instruments that he had done since the late 1920s. This guitar was just released by the family of Theodore Bikel, its first and to date, only owner (the original bill of sale to Bikel is included with this guitar, as well as the original "Fleta" case). It was played live, in studio, and on screen by Bikel, the well-known folk-musician, actor and artiste who played this instrument for much of his career. There are some well-repaired cracks in the guitar recently done expertly by GV Rubio who also re-polished and re-fretted the guitar, all done without any loss of integrity to the instrument sound-wise or structurally. As expected, the sound is incredible - deep and complex with incredible dynamic range and balance. It also has a firmness in the fundamental which provides great projection in larger venues. Many players find the slender neck shapes on Fleta from this period to be his easiest to play - and this guitar is no exception - playability is easy on the hands, and can be played comfortably over many hours in a single sitting. This is also from Fleta's golden 'spruce' era - players like Segovia and Williams were concertizing and recording on Fleta instruments from this very period, making this sound one of the most beloved and cherished to modern admirers and aficionados of the classical guitar.
