Luthier: Tomatito Guitars

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For legendary flamenco guitarist Tomatito to put his name on a line of flamenco guitars, he had to find an extraordinary luthier (or, as it turned out, two) to design and build the guitars to his exacting specifications. Juan Miguel Gonzales and Vicente Carillo turned out to be a perfect match for Tomatito’s vision.

Juan Miguel Gonzales was born in the town of La Cañada, Almeria, on January 17th 1947. His apprenticeship starts with his own father, Miguel Gonzales Abad, “El Cojo” (the man who limped), who helped Gerundino Fernandez in his last years. He himself learned from the Moya brothers, who were contemporaries of Antonio de Torres, and worked for him during a very long period. For this reason, it can be said that Juan Miguel descends directly from Torres in his guitar construction. His work is constantly evolving, as he experiments with new techniques in construction in a never-ending attempt to perfect his guitars. For this reason his guitars are born with that magic (duende) that all flamenco guitarists look for, and we can find among his clients Norberto Torres, Manolo Franco, Ivan Rijos and, of course, Tomatito.

Vicente Carrillo was born in Casasimarro, Cuenca, on July 31st, 1963. Hi professional experience comes from the very long history of the Carillo family, of which he is the sixth generation of guitar maker. His construction style has been influenced by various schools, most notably the Madrid school, where he perfected his craft. His guitars are well known for their very special sound that brings forward a noticeable balance between deep, powerful basses and sweet sounding trebles. His constant innovative efforts and exploration of different construction techniques allow himn to accommodate the needs and desires of each professional guitarist. Some of those who play his guitars include Paco de Lucía, Niño Josele, Vicente Amigo, Rafael Cañizares and Tomatito.

The fusion between these two guitar makers, each bringing his personal experience, make it possible to offer this new line of signature model guitars, backed by the professionalism and caliber of a guitarist like Tomatito. They are made according to the strict specifications of Jose Fernandez Torres (Tomatito), and each guitar will be personally inspected by him. This assures an unparalleled level of quality control, assuring the satisfaction of any guitarist, amateur or professional. All 1a and 2a models will be personally signed by Tomatito, Vicente Carillo, and Juan Miguel Gonzalez.