2002 Vicente Carrillo "Blanca" SP/CY

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.