Description
Hernandis Spanish Classical Guitar — Grade A (1970)
Valencia, Spain — Ricardo Sanchis Carpio Workshop Premium Early Sherry Brenner Import — Mint Condition
Overview
This 1970 Hernandis Grade A is one of the top-tier Spanish classical guitars imported by Sherry Brenner during the early 1970s. Built in Valencia, Spain, almost certainly in the Ricardo Sanchis Carpio workshop, it represents the highest level of the Hernandis line before the later “Grand Concert” designation appeared.
The instrument features solid tonewoods, hand-laid mosaic marquetry, Spanish heel construction, and the warm, lyrical voice associated with traditional Valencia craftsmanship. Its condition is mint, making it an exceptional example of an increasingly collectible Spanish workshop guitar.
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: Mint — no cracks, repairs, or structural issues
Construction & Craftsmanship
This guitar displays all the hallmarks of authentic Spanish workshop construction:
Spanish Heel
The neck is integrated into the body using the traditional Spanish heel — hand-carved, slightly asymmetrical, and structurally superior to dovetail joints.
Mosaic Rosette
The rosette is composed of individual mosaic tiles, not printed rings. This is a defining feature of Valencia craftsmanship and a key indicator of 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 are solid, not laminated — confirmed by grain continuity and pore structure.
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.
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 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.
This 1970 example is more ornate and earlier than the 1973 Grade A1, placing it at the top of the Hernandis value spectrum.
Summary
A mint-condition, Spanish-built 1970 Hernandis Grade 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.
