Lester Devoe Brazilian Rosewood Flamenco Negra Guitar

Lester Devoe Brazilian Rosewood Flamenco Negra Guitar

Vustom made Lester Devoe Flamenco Negra, a one-of-a-kind, Brazilian Rosewood guitar, from one of the world’s top luthiers. Lester Devoe needs no introduction to the world’s great Flamenco players. The late, legendary Sabicas played a Devoe– and converted some of the great Flamenco players in Spain to the fold. Paco De Lucia, and Vicente Amigo, among others, play Devoe Flamenco guitars. (I personally delivered a Devoe Flamenco Blanca guitar to Paco De Lucia in Spain in late 2010– Paco likes his Devoe’s hand-delivered. Paco De Lucia began playing a Devoe Negra guitar years ago– and there are many Paco De Lucia recordings and feature films where Paco plays a Devoe Flamenco guitar.) And it’s rare that Lester makes a Negra with Brazilian rosewood of this age and quality.

  • 650mm scale length
  • Nut: 52mm
  • Neck width at nut: 52mm
  • String Spacing at nut: 44mm
  • 80 year old Brazilian Rosewood (pre-CITES) back and sides (Quartersawn).
  • European spruce top, with some beautiful and understated “”hazelfichte” (what Americans call bear claw).
  • Custom, flamed Spanish Cedar neck
  • Brazilian Rosewood headstock overlay, and bridge
  • Brazilian Rosewood body binding, top and back
  • Ebony fingerboard
  • Sloane tuners
  • Austere yet elegant Santos style black and white rosette, that Devoe uses only rarely, on top custom models
  • Nitrocellulose lacquer finish

There was only one of these guitars made, with this combination of wood. It’s a rare custom instrument from this maker, and the tone is glorious– with the trebles only old Brazilian Rosewood delivers. But this is a Flamenco guitar– made by one of the best– so there is not too much “sustain”– that would disqualify it from being a great Flamenco, where a fast “decay” of the trebles emphasizes the percussive quality of the guitar. Only a master luthier can make a Negra that captures the best qualities of Brazilian, making those bass notes both crisp and growly, while assuring that the trebles ring with Brazilian bell-like clarity.

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