Manuel Jr. Rio Classical Guitar

The Manuel Rodriguez Manuel Jr. Rio Classical Guitar is the embodiment of 3 generations dedicated to the art and science of crafting Flamenco and Classical guitars. The care and attention to detail is evident, from the unique headstock to the colorful wood rosette.

This Rodriguez Guitar is hand crafted by Manuel Jr. himself and glued to create precise balances. From the invisible careful sanding, even inside the body, that ensures the finished instrument's purity of tone, to the beautifully unique rosette inlays around the soundhole and on the back of the neck, each guitar is a credit to its luthier and worthy of being handed down from one generation to another.

The tone, resonance and beauty of fine guitars are all dependent upon the wood from which they are made. The wood used in the construction of the Manuel Jr. Rio is carefully chosen and aged to guarantee the highest quality. No wood is purchased before the tree has been cut down, and at least 2 years must elapse before the tree is turned into lumber. The wood has to be well cut from the log. The grain must be close and absolutely vertical. The shop is totally free from humidity.

For the top of the Manuel Jr. Rio, Rodriguez has chosen solid Canadian cedar for its unique tonal qualities. The body is made of solid Madagascar rosewood for amazing fullness of tone and sustain. Intricate body binding surrounds the back and front, while a multi-colored wood rosette adorns the soundhole. These elements exhibit the attention to detail that characterizes every Rodriguez guitar.

For the neck, Rodriguez uses cedar from Honduras as preferred over heavy mahogany. There are many kinds of Cedar, as the name is used on so many continents. The Honduras Cedar used is very hard and stiff, but at the same time, light. Necks are reinforced with 2 ebony strips on the underside of the fingerboard to give total rigidity and to eliminate movement caused as a result of the aging of the guitar.