1969 Jose Ramirez 1a- BRAZILLIAN rOSEWOOD & CEDAR (NO.3861, PC STAMP)

The José Ramírez workshop has defined the sound of the modern concert classical guitar more than any other single atelier in history. From Andrés Segovia's long association with the house to the generations of concert artists who have carried Ramírez guitars onto the world's great stages, these instruments represent the apex of the Madrid school — powerful, warm, and singing. The 1960s are widely regarded as the golden era of Ramírez production: Brazilian rosewood was still available without restriction, the workshop was at full creative strength under José Ramírez III, and the guitars of this period are among the most prized on the vintage market.

This is No. 3861, a signed 1969 Ramírez 1a — the flagship model — with a cedar top over Brazilian rosewood back and sides. The instrument bears the PC stamp on the heel block, identifying this guitar as the work of Pedro Contreras, one of the skilled builders working within the Ramírez workshop during this important period. At over 55 years old, the cedar top has fully opened up and the Brazilian rosewood has deepened and matured — producing the rich, powerful basses and clear, singing trebles that define the best vintage Ramírez instruments.