“Spanish guitars must be built in Spain,” enthused Manuel Rodríguez III, CEO of Manuel Rodríguez Guitars, while speaking to MMR from the company’s factory in Toledo, Spain earlier this spring.
Other, non-Spain-based producers of similarly styled guitars would likely take issue with Rodríguez’ assertion, but it’s hard to argue with the man’s passion and joy.
Founded back in 1905 when Manuel Rodríguez Perez began crafting guitars in San Fernando, Cadiz, Manuel Rodríguez Guitars takes pride in being “the second oldest nylon string guitar brand” in the world. “In the past 111 years, we’ve endured two World Wars and one Civil War, exporting guitars to, at this point, over 120 countries,” observes Rodríguez.
But family history relating to the guitar goes further back than that. “I have gypsy blood – my great grandfather was a gypsy and he had a flamenco group in the late 1800s,” Rodríguez explains during a brief follow-up meeting at this year’s Musikmesse gathering.
Before joining the family business, Rodríguez’ own father spent time working at the Ramírez workshop and, later, for himself. The family moved to the Los Angeles area in the mid-‘50s – among other reasons, to take advantage of the wide-open U.S. nylon string guitar market – where they stayed before returning to Madrid in 1973 and setting up a new shop.
Only a few short years after this was when Manuel Rodríguez III, still just a teenager, started working full-time alongside his father.
“We have built three workshops throughout our history,” says Rodríguez. “Our last and current workshop, located in Esquivas, Toledo, employs 50 luthiers.
The facility (factory tours are available for individuals and school groups) is unique and ambitious, melding high-tech advancements with old-school methodology. It’s also one of a growing number of examples within the guitar world of suppliers embracing “green” practices.
“Our Nature Models are sustainable guitars, with ecologically sound varnishes,” Rodríguez explains. “We also have one model with recycled wood, and we built all the guitars with solar power.”
Current Manuel Rodríguez sales break down to roughly 80 percent classical and 20 percent flamenco – but what about the whole “Spanish guitars must be made in Spain!” declaration?
After a number of years during which some guitars were produced in China, in 2015 the company made the decision to move everything back to Spain. Now production is at the same levels as before with roughly 15,000 guitars shipping per year.
“China was getting very difficult,” Rodríguez told MMR. “For 13 years we had a workshop there but now salaries are going up, labors laws are getting more difficult. The stock market in China is very volatile. Another reason was the currency, but now it’s a lot more even. With the cost climbing up in China and the cost in Spain stable, it’s worth building everything in Spain. Since we started saying we were [100 percent] made in Spain we’ve seen that people want to buy Spanish guitars, not Chinese, and we’ve seen a 20 percent increase in sales.”
Can’t argue with success and since January of this year, it’s been easier than ever for American dealers to get in on the action – Manuel Rodríguez Guitars appointed KMC Music as exclusive U.S distributor for its product.
To help support the launch of its expanded United States sales and marketing program through KMC Music, the company Guitars produced a six-minute video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ZC3fBqksg) that takes the viewer through the entire production process of a guitar line known around the world as “Brand Spain.”
“We felt it was important to show our distributors, dealers, and, most importantly, our customers where and how we design and make our unique line of instruments,” says Rodríguez. “Our Spanish roots, the cradle of the classical and flamenco guitar, are key for the quality and beauty of our products. This new video vividly showcases the passion, care, and commitment to quality that goes into the production of our guitars — a commitment that goes back to 1905.”
What would Manuel most want dealers to understand about his company and their product?
“Spread the message that ‘Made in Spain’ matters to players, solid tops and bone saddles and quality construction matter, and 111 years, rich in sound, history, and beauty all help us to create some of the finest instruments in the world.”
