1987 Manuel Contreras "Double Top" CD/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 a rosewood exterior and cedar interior (the two pieces of wood being glued together). This is in line with the Madrid school of using double sets of wood - Ramirez lines the sides of their 1a models with cypress and Bernabe & Teodoro Perez of course use double sides on several of their top models.

This is a fantastic example from 1987, and features a rosewood cradle which the guitar sits in. Unlike the "25 Year Anniversary" model, where the exterior cradle is permanently attached to the guitar, this one can be removed with a small apparatus at the heel which opens the cradle up, freeing the guitar. The idea behind this system was to liberate the entire body of the instrument from making contact with the player - allowing the entire instrument (top, back, sides, everything) to vibrate freely. Some players will favor this option, others not so this guitar can work both ways easily. 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.