La Mancha Festival

[grounded]

I have recently acquired a "pre-loved" instrument, a La Mancha Festival which the label states was made in Spain. I have so far been unable to find any information about this beautiful looking instrument, the only La Mancha guitars I can find being made in MExico. Does anyone have any information to share or can anyone point me in the right direction? Very many thanks.

[EvilTwin]

I have an all-laminate classical that has "La Mancha" on the headstock, "made in Spain" on the interior label. I got it for $50 at a local shop's blowout sale (it was sitting in a corner for years, covered in dust; I'm consistently amazed at how darn good it sounds, though).

 

I e-mailed the company that now makes guitars under the "La Mancha" banner, but if memory serves, they don't have any connection to the older guitars. I can't get into my e-mail here at work (it's blocked), but I'll try to dig in later tonight to see if there was anything else in that message...but from what I remember, the guitars are a bit of a mystery.

 

One theory I traded with a fellow forumite was that there could've been a line of guitars introduced to capitalize on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_of_La_Mancha_%28film%29

[grounded]

Very many thanks for that. To my inexperienced eye, this appears to be a solid top with beautifully grained back and sides. The spare strings with it are also branded "La Mancha", made in Spain which may assist with tracking I suppose. I appreciate your interest.

[lauren]

pics:love:

[lauren]

pics:love:

[grounded]

Ok, here goes. I hope this works!

[grounded]

Hmm, one didn't work. I will try again.

[grounded]

I have seen another La Mancha for sale locally, this one is a "Tarrega" dated 1975 for $1200. Does this help finding out about the maker?

[EvilTwin]

Well, I've tried searching my e-mail, but I cannot find the message in question. I must've sent it from a hotmail account that I no longer have.

 

If memory serves, the company that sells La Mancha guitars right now from Mexico does not have a direct line to the company that sold guitars branded "La Mancha" from Spain, although they have heard of them.

 

With what we've gathered so far...it seems that they definitely made more upscale models (like yours), as well as all-lam beaters (like mine). From the time period they were made, they could've been trying to cash in with a little name recognition from Hollywood. Odds are, they died out or were simply assimilated into another company when the novelty of the name wore off in the states.

 

Jerry Roberts has his e-mail up on the current La Mancha Web site:

jroberts@lamancha.com

 

We don't want to spam him with e-mails, but one of us could try to e-mail him with our renewed questions on the origins of this namesake. He may be able to fill in a few more details. It's worth a shot, right?

[Queequeg]

back looks a little like koa.

and a spectacular paucity of bridge pins on that beauty!

[grounded]

Hi "Eviltwin". Very many thanks for your efforts. I will e-mail your man at La-Mancha and see if he can throw any light on the history of these instruments. If I find anything out I will post it here.

Thanks again.

Chris

[EvilTwin]

 

I hope Mr. Roberts can give us a bit more insight.

[lauren]

does it play sweet?

[grounded]

Ahh, Lauren, would that I could tell you. I am in the early stages of learning to play the guitar and I do not feel qualified to answer your question. My teacher says it has a lovely sound but not as "bright" as he would have expected (though new strings may make a difference) and he considers the sound made by the Esteve I picked up last year to be superior.

Chris

[lauren]

[new strings on straight away and give your teacher a run for his money;)

 

QUOTE=grounded;25184298]Ahh, Lauren, would that I could tell you. I am in the early stages of learning to play the guitar and I do not feel qualified to answer your question. My teacher says it has a lovely sound but not as "bright" as he would have expected (though new strings may make a difference) and he considers the sound made by the Esteve I picked up last year to be superior.

Chris