2006 Rafael Moreno Rodríguez "Negra" SP/CSAR

This 2006 Rafael Moreno Rodríguez "Negra" is a flamenco guitar in spruce and CSA rosewood from Granada, Spain, from the maker whose flamencos are played by his close friends Pepe and Juan Habichuela.

A Flamenco Negra from Granada

His flamenco guitars are played professionally by his close friends Pepe and Juan Habichuela. Although completely different from his classical models in terms of construction, sound and design, this negra shares the same beautiful 18-hole bridge style and rosette. It has a thinner body than the classical model, and is built with incredible materials – including a very striking set of CSA rosewood for the back and sides, with an Indian rosewood strip down the center of the back.

Sound

Like his blancas, this has a proper flamenco bridge and neck setup. It also shares much of the personality of the blanca, including the crisp, aggressive attack and shocking volume. However, the rosewood adds a very woody, earthy character to the tone, as well as noticeably longer sustain. The flamenco guitars of Rafael Moreno are simply incredible guitars for the price.

Read more: Orfeo Magazine No. 8 – The Granada School

Rafael Moreno Rodríguez: Classical and Flamenco Guitar Maker of Granada

Rafael Moreno Rodríguez (b. 1954) – "Rafa" to everyone in Granada – began making guitars at the early age of 12 under the watchful eyes of Manuel López Bellido and Antonio Marín Montero, and in those early years he also studied with Eduardo Ferrer, often called the "teacher of teachers" of the Granada school. Although unrelated to Miguel Rodríguez of Córdoba, he counts Rodríguez's guitars among his strongest influences, along with those of Santos Hernández and Benito Ferrer. After his apprenticeship he opened his own shop on the famous Cuesta de Gomérez below the Alhambra, where he stayed until 2000; since then he has worked at Jesús y María 10.

One Level of Guitar, Built Entirely by Hand

Rafa works alone and refuses to hurry. He builds every guitar from scratch – down to the bone nut and saddle, carved by hand – mostly from CSA rosewood, spruce and cedar that he bought, cut and cured himself, and he makes only one level of instrument. His classical and flamenco guitars have been played by Pepe and Celin Romero, Vicente Coves, Gerardo Núñez, Juan and Pepe Habichuela and the late flamenco singer Enrique Morente, among many others.