Manuel Velazquez was born in Puerto Rico in 1917 and made his first guitar at the age of 12. He moved to New York in 1942 and later opened his own luthiery workshop: developing a reputation for his fine classical guitars in the Hauser style. He moved back and forth between Puerto Rico and the USA a few times before finally settling in Arlington, Virginia in 1982. He later retired to Florida in 1991 where he died in 2014. His son Alfredo and daughter Graciela are also luthiers.

Source: Classical Guitar Store - Manuel Velazquez (13 May 2021)