2022 Vicente Carrillo "Maestro Double Top SP/SP" SP/MP

This is the newest classical guitar model from Vicente Carrillo, which joins his "concert grand" lineup of instruments that feature his best materials, and most sophisticated designs. This guitar has a nomex double-top that was designed under the supervision of Gernot Wagner - one of the founders of the double-top school, and along with Matthias Dammann, its most respected builder. The internal structure of the guitar follows very closely to the Wagner design, not just the soundboard but also in the use of doubled sides (the inner layer being of cypress) which is a technique designed for improved volume and power on the concert stage, as this forces the vibrating surfaces of the instrument more to the soundboard, and less is lost to the sides. The cypress also "flavors" the sound that radiates from the box ever so slightly, giving it added warmth. Soundwise, in addition to its huge volume, the sound is thick with a beautiful overtone content in every note. It is also very balanced, with excellent separation between voices and a surprisingly wide palette of tonal colors, not typical of the double-top design. It has an elegantly shaped neck for optimal playability and is a great guitar for the serious concert performer. Very few of these models are planned to be built, due to the added complexity of the design and additional work required in the build process.

Guitar making has been a constant tradition in the small Spanish town of Casasimarro, in the province of Cuenca, since the 18th century. One of the earliest shops, dating from 1755, was run by none other than Alfonso Anselmo Alarcon, the great-grandfather of Vicente Carrillo Casas (b. 1963). The family art was subsequently handed down son to son, starting with Blas Carrillo Alarcon, (a.k.a. "Abuelo Moreno" - the "dark-haired grandfather") in 1836, then on to Vicente Carrillo Lopez, to Vicente Carrillo Cantos (and wife, Gabriela Casas Fornier). Their son, Vicente Carrillo Casas has been running the shop since 1980, maintaining a family tradition now in its 5th generation. For many years now, the Carrillo workshop has earned the small town of Casasimarro the loving name "El Pueblo de las Guitarras" (the Town of the Guitars). The distinctive elements of the Carrillo style have been influenced in recent years primarily by Madrid luthiers Angel Benito Aguado, and Jose Romero (of the Jose Ramirez workshop). The guitars therefore have a big, deep and powerful quality much like the best guitars from the top Madrid shops, yet they still retain a lyrical charm found in the southern Spanish instruments. In cooperation with GSI, Vicente has also made several further modifications to his guitars and GSI is proud to be re-introducing several new models, which we believe are among his finest instruments to date.