Description
Hernandis Spanish Classical Guitar — Grade 1 A (1970)
Valencia, Spain — Ricardo Sanchis Carpio Workshop Premium Early Sherry Brenner Import — Mint Condition
Overview
This 1970 Hernandis Grade 1 A is a top‑tier Spanish classical guitar built in Valencia, Spain, almost certainly in the Ricardo Sanchis Carpio workshop. It represents the highest level of the Hernandis line during the early Sherry Brenner import period, combining premium tonewoods, hand‑laid mosaic work, and traditional Spanish construction.
The original label dated December 1970 reads “Grade No. I” and includes a handwritten capital “A”, identifying it as a Concert‑level Grade A instrument — the finest specification offered in the Hernandis Spanish range.
This example is in exceptional condition, with no cracks, repairs, or structural issues, and displays craftsmanship rarely seen in Spanish guitars of this era.
Specifications
- Top: Solid Spanish Pine (Mediterranean Spruce)
- Back & Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood
- Neck: Spanish Cedar
- Fingerboard: African Granadillo
- Scale Length: 655 mm
- Nut Width: 50 mm
- Binding: Persian‑style hand‑laid wood marquetry
- Rosette: Hand‑laid mosaic tiles (Valencia pattern)
- Tuners: Gold‑plated engraved plates (early Grade A specification)
- Finish: Thin Spanish nitrocellulose
- Condition: Exceptional — no cracks, repairs, or structural issues
Construction & Craftsmanship
Spanish Heel
The neck is integrated using the traditional Spanish heel, hand‑carved and structurally superior to dovetail joints. This is a defining feature of authentic Spanish workshop guitars.
Mosaic Rosette
The rosette is composed of individual mosaic tiles, not printed rings. This craftsmanship is characteristic of Valencia workshops and confirms Spanish origin.
Persian Marquetry Binding
The red/white/black geometric binding is hand‑laid wood marquetry, used only on the premium Grade A Spanish models.
Solid Indian Rosewood
The back and sides show the grain continuity and pore structure of solid Indian rosewood, providing warmth, depth, and sustain.
Granadillo Fingerboard
A rare, high‑end tonewood used only on the Spanish Grade A instruments.
Gold Fustero‑Style Tuners
Earlier Grade A models (1969–1971) used gold‑plated engraved plates, distinguishing them from the later nickel‑plated Grade A1 models.
Label Details
The original Hernandis label dated December 1970 reads:
- “Grade No. I” — Brenner’s designation for his top Spanish workshop guitars
- Handwritten “A” — a workshop mark identifying the Concert‑level Grade A build
This combination confirms the guitar’s position at the top of the Hernandis Spanish line.
Workshop Attribution
Based on rosette pattern, heel carving, binding style, centre strip mosaic, tonewoods, and hardware, this guitar aligns overwhelmingly with the work of Ricardo Sanchis Carpio, one of Valencia’s most respected 20th‑century luthiers.
It is not a Tatay or Bros build, and not part of the Japanese factory line.
Historical Clarification
During the early 1970s, Sherry Brenner imported two distinct Hernandis lines:
- Spanish‑built Grade A / Grade A1 / Concert models
- Japanese‑built student and mid‑tier models
Because both lines carried the same brand name, some confusion arose over the years. Modern research clearly distinguishes the two:
- The Spanish models feature solid tonewoods, mosaic rosettes, Spanish cedar necks, Spanish heel construction, and thin nitro finishes.
- The Japanese models used laminated backs, printed rosettes, and factory‑style construction.
This 1970 Grade 1 A is a true Spanish workshop guitar, built to a higher standard than the Japanese student models.
Tone & Playability
This instrument offers:
- Warm, rounded bass
- Clear, singing trebles
- Fast response from the Spanish pine top
- Traditional Spanish voice with excellent projection
- Comfortable 50 mm nut and classic 655 mm scale
It compares favourably to mid‑tier José Ramirez workshop guitars of the same era.
Collector’s Note on the Hernandis Label
Sherry Brenner used a single universal Hernandis label for both his Spanish workshop guitars and his separate Japanese student line. Because of this, the label includes references to Japan that relate only to finishing materials and string recommendations, not the construction of the instrument. All structural and decorative features of this guitar — including the Spanish heel, hand‑laid mosaic rosette, Persian marquetry binding, cedar neck, solid Indian rosewood, and the handwritten “A” workshop mark — confirm that it is a Spanish‑built Grade 1 A, produced in Valencia in the Ricardo Sanchis Carpio workshop. Collectors now recognise these early Grade A Spanish Hernandis guitars as the finest instruments in the line.
Summary
A mint‑condition, Spanish‑built 1970 Hernandis Grade 1 A from the Ricardo Sanchis Carpio workshop is a rare and highly desirable instrument. With premium tonewoods, hand‑laid marquetry, and traditional Spanish construction, it stands as one of the finest Hernandis examples available.
