Making guitar #48 "Homenaje a Torres"

This particular instrument I'm calling “Homenaje a Torres” as it is not an exact copy of any particular Antonio de Torres guitar but instead, my own design infused with many of the concepts and details from the instruments of Torres’ First Epoch.

Some of the Torres influence found in this guitar include thinner than normal sides, an open lower harmonic bar, a brass tornavoz, the classic First Epoch head and bridge design, and a rosette and top purfling design taken off of a specific instrument from 1863. Where it diverges from Torres are in the fingerboard width of 52mm, a slightly larger pantilla (which is actually his own reduced about 5 mm), and continuous linings that are not kerfed, but solid and laminated.

One especially unique feature of this guitar is the removable tornavoz which he implemented to make the instrument accessible for repairs and to give players a choice whether to use it or not. To achieve this I used “high quality copper shielding tape” instead of solder. 

Making guitars #49,50

These guitars were commissioned by a single client who had in mind making 2 guitars using the very best materials and fancy aesthetic. He even wanted MOP monogram inlays in the heel cap. I was reluctant about this at first because of the time and patience involved in cutting intricate designs in pearl but I found an inlay supplier that could make the pearl inlays for me on a CNC machine so the result was a perfectly clean and precise piece to inlay in the guitar. When a client wants to have his initials inlaid in the guitar it means he is making a total commitment with you. After many emails we decided on the following specs:

Guitar # 49:

master grade spruce top

premium ziricote back and sides

Spanish cedar neck

ziricote with sapwood head veneer with B/W flechas center

spalted maple rosette with B/W flechas

B/W flechas around perimeter

ebony binding

B/W purfling on back and sides

Brazilian rosewood bridge with spalted maple inlaid tieblock

MOP monogram inlaid in heel cap

Guitar #50

master grade redcedar top

premium cocobolo back and sides

mahogany neck

camphor burl head veneer

signature rosette 

flechas around perimeter

Brazilian rosewood binding

special purfling on back and sides

Brazilian rosewood bridge with flechas inlaid tieblock

MOP monogram inlaid in heel cap

Making Three Flamenco Blancas

In 2018 I decided to make this trio of traditional flamenco guitars with spruce tops and Mediterranean cypress back and sides.  Two of the guitars are made with a bracing pattern after a '72 Sobrinos de Esteso made by Faustino Conde that once belonged to the guitarist Parrilla de Jerez. The other I fashioned after Manuel Reyes. For all I used 655 scale length. Even though I used the plantilla I normally use which is taken from Esteso, I changed other aspects of the guitar design to conform to the different idiosyncrasies of the originals, such as thicknesses, depth of the sides and bridge design. All in all these are instruments inspired by other makers work.