2007 Manuel Reyes SP/CY

The tone of this instrument is sweet, beautiful and lyrical while retaining the bite and energy of flamenco: when playing melodically, it sings like a human voice, but also awakens with a tremendous bite when pushed with the slightest flamenco touch. The strong, voice-like trebles are balanced by its big low-end that is full but not boomy. As sweet as the tone is, it still has the aggressive response when pushed in the right direction - rasguedos in particular are quite explosive and powerful. Volume on this guitar is also notably huge - Reyes guitars always come with plenty of power but this one is exceptional even by Reyes' standards. Condition is amazing, it's near-mint with almost no signs of previous use and of course no cracks or repairs of any kind. The French polish is mirror-like, which is astonishing to see on a guitar of this age. This is a true masterpiece, and could easily please the most discriminating player or collector. Truly a remarkable and rare instrument in such fine condition.

The late Manuel Reyes of Cordoba is considered to be among the greatest and most sought-after flamenco builders in history. He is known for his superb workmanship and authentic Andalusian flamenco sound - he built his guitars in the heart of the old quarter of Cordoba, in the deep south of Spain. His guitars have been played by dozens of flamenco professionals internationally, perhaps most notably being Vicente Amigo and Paco Serrano. At the time of his passing in 2014, his waitlist for new instruments remained closed for years prior due to its enormous size.