Restoration of M. G. Contreras estudio

[markustg]

Hello all,

I have an M.G. Contreras Student guitar and I am looking for restoration advice.

On a whim I picked it up for $50.

The full label on the guitar reads:

Guitarreria
M. G. Contreras
Guitarras Classico, Flamenco Y Estudio
Bandurrias Y Laudes
Calle Mayor, 80 Madrid - 13

Made in Spain

If the top were not so good looking (solid and wide bands) and the sound out of this old beast was not surprisingly good I would not bother.

I can not tell if the neck was repaired, or was just put on sloppily.

But it seems to have some potential.

I posted photos on Gearslutz under this same title.

Advice?

[dosland]

I'm not up on the details of this maker, but Contreras did make some really amazing guitars back in the day. I'd say you got a great deal on the guitar, but what kind of work does it need to get it up to your standards? New neck? Cracks fixed? Saddle/nut/bridge work? I'm pretty sure a guitar of that label in good condition could bring in the hundreds of dollars, at least, but if you're just looking for a player, it might not be worth investing several hundred dollars (or loads of time, if you're a specialist) into repairing the cosmetics on a guitar that already plays well enough. The neck issue you have identified seems (to me) likely to be a post-production issue, as I think the guitar was made in a pretty reliable factory (unless it's much more recent than I think). You might be better served by the decamp forum, which is full of real classical guitar types (that's the first place I'd go with a question like this one, but the people around here are usually quite willing to help as well, and they all know A LOT more than I do!). Good luck with your new guitar, if it sounds good and plays ok, then I think you got a killer deal on that thing! So congratulations, too!