1961 Manuel de la Chica SP/CY

This 1961 Manuel de la Chica is a spruce and cypress flamenco blanca from Granada, re-polished and ready for the stage.

A Classic Granada Blanca

Few guitars capture the mid-century flamenco blanca as well as this one – a classic, traditional flamenco all around, and as fine an example of the style as anything from the period. Its label, printed in violet, is signed by De la Chica and dated 1961.

Sound

Featherlight and full of energy, it has a huge, raspy voice with real flamenco bark and piercing volume, and if you coax it, a singing, lyrical side too. The slender, easy neck and snappy response make it a breeze to play, as is typical of his guitars.

Condition

It’s in great condition for its age – apart from one well-repaired and stable crack in the top, it is in excellent shape and performance-ready, and it was re-polished recently, so there is currently no wear in the finish.

Manuel de la Chica: Granada’s Great Master

Manuel de la Chica (1911–1998) is arguably the greatest guitar builder from Granada to date. His early professional background was in cabinet making, as is the case for countless other fine guitar makers. His focus shifted to guitar making in the late 1930s when he had seen and become attracted to the Spanish guitar, primarily those of Santos Hernández. His labels – with their view of the Alhambra – come from his workshop on the Placeta de la Sillería in Granada.

Santos, Barbero and De la Chica

Often his instruments are compared to the later guitars of Marcelo Barbero (who assisted in the construction of several Santos guitars left partially built at the time of Santos’s death), which we feel is a very strong and fair comparison. Like Santos and Barbero, De la Chica was at home building both classical and flamenco guitars, and his finer instruments have the flexibility of being played in either style.

Retirement and Rediscovery

In 1973 he was forced into early retirement from guitar making due to health complications he was experiencing from inhaling dust and chemicals in his taller. From his early departure until his death in 1998, his instruments fell into relative obscurity; however, renewed interest in recent decades and a re-evaluation of his work have convinced many that his contribution, skill and insight into the art of guitar making establish him as one of the great makers of all time. Among those who learned from him was Antonio Marín Montero, his student and friend.