Estas Tonne gets his new 10 string MR guitar

It would not be excessive to say that Estas Tonne’s visit to Spain was one of the most expected event of the year for all the MR family. Since two years ago his beloved MR guitar was stolen (the one with he played his famous The Song of the Golden Dragon), Tonne was in talks with our CEO Manuel Rodríguez to get a new one. In one of this chats, the guitarist started to talk about this particular sound he was looking for, stronger and with more presence, and Manuel Rodríguez offered the chance to manufacture a 10 string guitar personalized and especially produced for him.

This is how the trip of the Ukranian guitarist to our country started, to collect the instrument that Manuel Rodríguez’s luthiers have been making for months. It is an adaptation of a FF boca MR made of Cedar on top and Cypress on sides and back. And to withstand Estas Tonne’s power, we added a pick guard made of Ebony, same as the neck. Because it is a 10 string guitar, the most part of the pieces were created exclusively for this one.

Estas Tonne was excited and intrigued the first time he saw the guitar. “I wanted it to have 10 strings so I can get a more powerful sound when the first four where played together”, he said. As this was his first 10 string guitar ever, he confessed he was a bit nervous because he did not know exactlly how it would be to play it. After the finishing touches it came the awaited momento to try its sound. In front of Manuel Rodríguez and some of its workers, included the luthiers involved in the manufacturing process of the instrument, Estas Tonne plugged the guitar and for several minutes, he captured the attention of all the people gathered in the room.

“The sound and the strenght projected is much better and powerful than expected”, he said excited for his new instrument. “It is like a wild horse you have to tame. Each guitar has its peculiarities and you have to work it to make it your own and get the most out of it”, Tonne said.

After doing a tour inside the factory to know first hand the manufacturing process of the handmade instruments of Manuel Rodríguez, Estas Tonne enjoyed trying some other guitars that also would play that night in a small show at El Huerto de Lucas, in the city centre of Madrid.