1983 Manuel Contreras "Double Top" SP/CSAR

The Contreras Double-Top is perhaps his best-known and most sought-after design. Several players have performed on this model since the 1980's, including the Romeros. The name "double-top" is actually a slight misnomer: in Spanish "tapa" means "cover" and actually refers to an additional piece of wood that is "covering" the inside of the back. So in reality, the back (not the top) is doubled-up, with the rosewood exterior and tone-wood interior (this spruce top model has a piece of cedar lining the inside of the back). This is in line with the Madrid school of using double sets of wood - Ramirez line the sides of the 1a with cypress and Bernabe of course uses double sides on some of his models.

This is a fantastic example from 1983. Being very loud and lively, this guitar is great fun to play, and the sound is characteristic of the Madrid style. It is focused, rich and quite expressive. The action and setup are comfortable, and the quality of materials is first-class. The condition is excellent for its age - there is only one cleanly repaired crack on the top.