When you bring your guitars to Manuel to be worked on, you become family, and so does your guitar. With love and expertise and a little “guitar whisperer” magic, your instrument returns to your hands more playable than ever, and somehow warmer and more alive than when you brought it to him. A true master at his craft and his art, Manuel Delgado is a man of vision and skill and heart.
Manuel is a remarkable person who has internalized the artistry and ethics of his father, great-uncle, and grandfather, all of whom were luthiers of merit and consequence. His family’s history of crafting and caring for musical instruments goes back to 1928. Because of lessons learned from his family, Manuel’s hands possess the certainty of nine decades. My songwriting hero, the great Tom T. Hall, once gave me a guitar that was in severe disrepair, and I was told by some experts that the guitar would never sing again. Manuel made it sing, and I can hear generations of Delgados singing along with it, with me, and with ‘ol Tom T.
As a professional cellist as well as an amateur guitarist, instrumental quality is very important to me. Manuel’s guitars rival the finest violins or cellos made today; the artistry, craftsmanship, and pure beauty of sound is of the highest order.
Manuel treats you like a lifelong customer the minute you meet him. He’s proud of his work, helpful beyond expectation, and goes the extra mile to make sure you have a great sounding instrument.
I decided to return to the guitar at age 56 after recovering from a heart transplant. I wanted a single instrument that would last a life time. What I received from Manuel was a work of art that has a beautiful voice and a soul as well.
From the perspective of a friend, Manuel Delgado is a man who embodies the word “integrity.” As a craftsman, he exudes descriptions such as “visionary” and “perfectionist.” Manuel has wonderfully repaired and fine tuned my existing guitars. I have also played at least ten of his personal creations, each one of them are wonderfully unique in artistry, tone and personality. Manuel has forgotten more about creating tone than I can ever remember! My order has been placed.
Manuel builds some of the best sounding guitars I have ever played. He is a master Luthier, and a good man, who works with the finest materials, a passion for what he does, and has the ability to put his heart and soul into everything Ive seen him make.
I have played with lots of different guitars and grew up in a family of Greek musicians. The one thing I noticed immediately with Delgado guitars is that It had an authentic spirit. I got excited again for the first time in years to hold and play a guitar. The love put into the instruments built gives me the feeling that it has a heartbeat of It’s own. I look forward to writing my songs through it.
Manuel.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
When my son “J” was thirteen, I bought his first guitar, a Martin D-16R. It is not an expensive guitar but it is what he learned to play on. At age eighteen, he joined the US Marine Corp and traveled the Pacific playing guitar and singing at every port of call. At age 22, he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor. He passed away four years ago at age 30. This guitar was with him all the time, though at the end he had lost the dexterity to play. So, it is very special to me.
It is now owned by his brother who had not played it. On a recent visit, I asked to see it and was deeply saddened to see it was in a state of extreme disrepair. There were large cracks on the soundboard, the action was awful, and it seemed to me to be falling apart slowly. They say instruments draw life from being used and this instrument seemed lifeless.
You all understood how priceless my late son’s guitar is to me and in just three weeks brought it back to life through your skill and care. It is still his guitar with all the dents, dings, scratches, and “little man drawing,” but it is fully alive again. It plays exceptionally well and sounds rich and full. You will always be in my prayers for what you have done. Thank you.
B. M###r
The Delgado tradition is deep and soulful. The stuff you can’t buy if you had all the money in the world. A gift and a blessing.
Hello Manuel, I hope you´re doing well. After a while I want to give you a little feedback. The two guitars are completely different to the others I have at my store. When I´ve tried them first, it was if I taste a complete new meal. And like this it needs a couple of times to eat it, it took a couple of times to play to find out their fantastic very special sound of its own. I can tell you, I like these guitars very much. Talk to you soon.
What a wonderful experience it was to have Manuel build a guitar for me! My “Monica” flamenco model is everything I wanted in a guitar! Manuel was there every step of the way providing pictures and updates on the progress. Manuel is truly gifted in the art of guitar making. His soul and passion actually become part of the instrument! The sound of this guitar is magical. The playability is effortless and the workmanship is absolutely beautiful. Thank you Manuel for this awesome guitar and your dedication to the art!
I have played guitar for 35 years, and of the many excellent guitars I have owned, my new Delgado Custom Classical stands above them all. This fine handmade instrument is multi-sensory art. It is visually stunning and detailed, it feels like it is truly part of me, it even smells wonderful when you open the case. Then there’s the sound: Clear, bell-like, exceptionally balanced, and highly responsive. Power when you demand it, and a sweet whisper when you want. There are few instruments that truly coax you to play ‘outside the box’, and this guitar does just that. It makes me a better musician every time I put her in my hands, and I will forever thank Manuel Delgado for crafting this incredible instrument for me.
Hola Manuel! I’ve been wondering about you and your father for over 30 years. I just discovered that you are in Nashville thru a newspaper article. I have two instruments made by your father, and a few he modified. The originals need some work and I would be thrilled to bring them to you. We are working on a show for Nashville, but I will stop by even if we don’t play there… And I’ll bring the instruments. I would be very wonderful to have you repair these and bring them back to life. all the best to you.
Manuel, The Candelario model guitar that I had been dreaming for a long time arrived today. The sound is more beautiful than I imagine. Especially I like its chord sound. And the playability is remarkable due to the slightly thinner neck. Thank you very much for satisfying my long dream. This guitar will be my treasure forever. I will never forget you Manuel, your work, your kindness and the name of Delgado. It is my honor to know such an honest and passionate person like you. Thank you very much for these nine months since I first e-mailed you.
I cannot say enough great things about Manuel and his instruments. I say instruments because he has made two guitars for me. There are many great and talented luthiers out there but I chose Manuel initially and a second time for several reasons. There is a personal relationship that Manuel cultivates with each of his customers. He doesn’t just want to know what you want for your instrument, he wants to know about you as a person and as a musician because this will make a better more personalized instrument. His skill and craftsmanship are undeniable. I have many professional musician friends that have been awestruck when they see either of the guitars Manuel has made for me. Of course, the bottom line is the sound and there is nothing lacking there either. Both instruments he has made for me have a rich complex tone and a volume that I have not heard in mass production guitars. His instruments really are one of a kind. ¡Gracias Manuel!
Let’s give the credit where credit is due: Delgado Guitars, are the best sounding acoustic guitars I have ever played in my life. Their resonance and their tone come from the passionate work of a builder whose quality standards are much higher then we are all used to. His attention to detail for each guitar is something you are gonna have to learn about when you order your guitar: only then you will truly understand. God Bless you Manuel.
We have known Manuel for six years. The purity of spirit, the integrity, and honor of this man is what drew us to him. It is no surprise that these very things are imparted to the instruments he builds. Listening to a Delgado guitar is like hearing the Angels sing. In the future, our new web site opening page, we will feature Manuel’s fine instruments with a link. Although we have some links within our site, we felt that these fine instruments deserved to be on the front page.
