This is a real find--and a very affordable opportunity to get a real vintage Contreras (not an Estudio) from the shop of M. G. Sr.  A detailed explanation of where this guitar falls within the hierarchy of Contreras Guitars follows under "the long of it", but I can promise you this:  way the best price for a guitar of this level in perfect working order, absolutely no issues.  For those normal humans among you who are fine without the history lesson and just want to know why you should buy this guitar, try this--
The Short of It
ALL ORIGINAL, INCLUDING ORIGINAL HARD SHELL CASE.  Handmade between 1968 - 1972 (more likely the 60s end of that range), this is a middle level guitar--that is, not an Estudio but not one made by the Man Himself--from one of the most revered firms in Spain.  It's also worth noting that everyone I conferred with agreed that a mid-level guitar of this vintage is clearly superior in every way to the newer ones, and the sound of this one totally supports that.  This is due to both the availability of better wood at that time as well as the quality which age--and age alone--confers on a guitar's sound.  (This guitar is way better than a number I have seen over the years selling for hundreds more than I'm asking for this one.)Wood/details:  Solid European spruce top; ebony fretboard; Brazilian rosewood headstock face; Indian rosewood back and sides (and, since I can't discern with absolute certainty that it's solid, I'll go with double-sided).  Hand engraved FUSTERO tuners--the black ones; of this vintage, worth at the very least $250 on their own.  Fancy rosette, all-wood binding, center strip and tie block inlay; bone nut and saddle; hand lacquer finish with some checking typical of this vintage but no crazing.  The guitar shows considerable signs of wear (would you buy if it didn't?) but frets have been replaced at some point--I assume; no wear at all, and the guitar has clearly been played a lot.  Action is set at 3.9mm on bass side, a hair lower on the treb side.  Absolutely no buzzing as set up now and, for whatever reason, feels more comfortable than its action would normally suggest--and tons of room on the saddle to sand down, though you probably won't want to.  (I prefer flamencos--to me, 3mm is high--but this plays fine as is.)  All of which would be--or should be--of no particular consequence if it weren't for this:  GREAT SOUNDER.  Immense presence; very mature, very Spanish.  From the nail flairs and the low action it had when I got it, I suspect this was used as a flamenco--and I can sure see why.  Although it has the warmth and round resonance typical of Madrid guitars of this vintage, it has a wonderful dry snap and attack.  Reminds me of a girl I used to date in Athens, Georgia--fat and sweet and aggressive.654mm scale; 52mm at nut; lower bout is 14.5 inches; upper, 11; depth, 3 7/8ths.  Very light in weight.  And the case is in perfect working order--and adorable.  The Long of It From links easily found online by simply Googling M.G. Contreras guitars, you can figure out the basics of these instruments, which, as far as I can tell, are these:Historically, most models other than the Estudios are not labelled as such but must be inferred and can be broken down into four basic classes:The highest class are those designated as Consturctor de Guitarra, M. G. Contreras; dated and signed;  Calle Major 80, Madrid;the next level have the same labels but are unsigned; the next level are those with a label that reads--as mine does--GUITARRERIA, Calle Major 80, unsigned (and, before ca. 1980, undated); the next level have GUITARRA DE ESTUDIO on the label and, after around 1980, are dated.  Of the last class, all are built for, but not by, Contreras, and there seems to be quite a range of quality, from the very low to the not quite so low (one of these was recently selling on Ebay for over $1300; no comment).  From what I have learned, both from online inquiries and direct inquiries to the present company, the builders of these instruments were given a lot of freedom, and resulting in guitars of great variation in quality, materials, headstock shapes, details, and so forth.So, back to mine.  Without pretending to be an authority--and I happily welcome any information from others--from what I have gathered, those with the Guitarreria labels were built by Contreras--that is, the firm at Calle Major 80, if not by Senor Contreras--and entailed inspection and approval by the top artisans at the firm.  They were often built by aspiring younger builders, but to the same design and specs of the better models, and with "professional" materials and det