This week we lost another great of the guitar, Manuel Reyes of Córdoba. Recognized by most as the greatest builder of flamenco guitars, his talent and popularity was another stone in the monument to the traditional spanish guitar.  When I met him he seemed to be a very intuitive builder (as opposed to the scientific trends we see nowadays) and was very clear that his place was with the flamenco guitar.  He even went so far as to ask himself what he needed to change to make a great classical.  This conversation took place in Granada when he travelled here with his daughter Manuela to buy wood from my teacher Rolf Eichinger.  We all had lunch together that day and I I remember Manuela being very excited and passionate about the craft she was learning from her father.   I met Manuel once more in Córdoba on the occasion of the Festival in 2007 when we were both asked to exhibit a guitar for the hommage to Torrres.  If you search “Reyes” one of the first photos to come up is of Reyes with Romanillos and Andrés Dominguez and was taken at the opening of that exhibition.

I am sad to see him go and I wish all the best to his son Manuel and his daughter Manuela.