Union Musical Espanola (Editores ANTES CASA) Labelled Guitar

A bit odd to start with a label as this is not a luthiers' 

label to our believe but most likely a guitar and other

musical accessoires supplier who had these instruments 

built elsewhere. Union Musicales Espanola had their

shops in different Spanish cities. Price: € 1250,-

Not a well known headstock for me but some details might

point to a Barcelona based luthier: The Juan Estruch company.

Recently I stumbled onto a 1970 guitar with the same headstock.

About the age of this guitar one can conclude that the later

ugly polyurethane finish is not present on the soundboard 

but is there on the neck, sides and back.

In the lower left there is some damage on the back and

after a good night sleep I decided to make some inserts 

for the cracks there. As it has to be levelled afterwards

the back as a whole will be refinished.

The yellow, red and green bindings are typical for Estruch

so possibly another Juan Estruch model. Contact with the

Estruch company indeed learnt that we are dealing with

a genuine Juan Estruch, one of the oldest guitar companies

in Spain though there are no "Estruch" named luthiers

at work anymore in the factory nowadays. Another 

luthier most likely bought the name and went on.

Nice clean rollers and refreshed frets. Alass this guitar 

has to be refretted as the neck is showing a serious backbow

which I have never found on a classical guitar until now!

And the only way to make a proper correction is to treat

the fingerboard by shaving it. In a most worst case the

fingerboard could have been replaced after having lined

out the neck. Most of the time not necessary.

A nice rosette and a spruce soundboard that is "crack" free.

And a matching inlay in the string tie block.

Fustero tuners that are in good condition.

Some spots on the outer neckblock but nothing fundamental.

In fact the case might give an idea about the age of this

guitar. Anyway a lot to be investigated still but a start

has been made by judging its' sound: Someone hightened

the bridgebone by putting some paper under the bridge

bone. A disaster for a good sound. Moreover the bridge-

bone was broken but that has been solved already.

I don't know the brand of strings but to my opinion

this guitar will sound even better with Savarez Corum.

The volume it can provide is already there now!

Here the label on the inside of the case is presented.

Another typical move on the Concerto series of Estruch 

was the use of an ebony veneer layer on the outer heel.

And the multi coloured bindings of course. A short

E-mail contact between the Estruch company and me

confirmed my thoughts about the origin: Juan Estruch.