Ignacio Fleta (1897–1977) was a Spanish guitar maker in Barcelona and one of the elite handful of 20th-century luthiers. Trained in violin and cello making, he turned to the guitar full-time in 1955 and built powerful concert guitars – first famous for their spruce tops, later for cedar – played by Andrés Segovia and John Williams. His sons Francisco and Gabriel became his partners ("Ignacio Fleta e hijos"), and his grandson Gabriel Fleta Jr. carries on the workshop today.
At a Glance
- Born: July 31, 1897, Huesa del Común (Teruel), Spain
- Died: August 11, 1977, Barcelona
- Training: violin, cello and bass-viol making in Barcelona, largely in the French tradition
- Bowed instruments: from the late 1920s until 1955
- Guitar making full-time: from 1955
- Known for: larger, stiffer concert guitars, cedar soundboards and a violin-style French polish
- Played by: Andrés Segovia, John Williams, Angel Romero, Alirio Díaz, Turibio Santos and countless concert artists
- Workshop: "Ignacio Fleta e hijos" – with his sons Francisco (1925–2003) and Gabriel (1929–2013)
- Today: grandson Gabriel Fleta Jr., the third generation
A Family of Cabinet Makers
Ignacio Fleta was born in Huesa del Común, in the province of Teruel, Spain (although many biographies mistakenly have him born in Huesca), on July 31st, 1897, into a family of cabinet makers – an auspicious beginning for one destined to become a fine instrument builder. In childhood he apparently showed great aptitude for music, as there are reports that by the age of 8 he was able to play both the bandurria and guitar proficiently.
Formal instrument-making studies began at the age of 13, when he left home for Barcelona with his 2 older brothers, Manuel and Bienvenido. He began studying violin, cello and bass-viol construction, largely in the French tradition, from a series of established masters, including Benito Jaume, Etienne Maire and Philippe Le Duc from France. Principles of this training remained with Fleta over the entire course of his life, and his guitars were always constructed using the "violin" method, which attaches the neck to the completed soundbox, as opposed to the "Spanish" method, where the neck is attached to the sides at the outset of construction.
From Bowed Instruments to the Guitar
From the late 1920s until 1955 Fleta was primarily a builder of violins, cellos and other bowed instruments, making guitars only on occasion – which is why Fletas from before 1955 so rarely appear on the market. One of the most intriguing is the 1936 Fleta he built after restoring the 1864 Torres "FE 17" – the first of the three Torres guitars owned by Francisco Tárrega. It is a structural copy of FE 17 dressed in Fleta's own ornate style, with herringbone purflings and a carved head: a "missing link" in the Barcelona school between the intricate guitars of Enrique García and Francisco Simplicio and the more conservative instruments that followed.
Then, in 1955, after hearing Andrés Segovia play, Fleta decided to devote himself to the guitar – and, in his own words, to build "only good guitars".
The Fleta Style: Power for the Concert Hall
Fleta sought to more clearly define his personal style. Developing almost in parallel with Hauser II and José Ramírez III, he gradually moved away from the pure, lightweight Torres design, increasing the overall mass and stiffness of the entire instrument. This was primarily done by enlarging the proportions of the body, most notably in the bouts, as well as by adding braces internally (his tops eventually had 9 fan struts and 4 harmonic bars – 2 upper and 2 lower – while the back had an added 4th transverse brace). These modifications are now trademark qualities associated almost uniquely with Fleta.
This added stiffness and mass became popular among concert players performing in increasingly large venues, as it provided a thicker, denser, more "heavy" quality to the sound. The tone from these instruments had a way of penetrating deeper into bigger concert halls, giving recitalists greater reassurance from the added power.
Spruce and Cedar: Fleta's Two Great Periods
Collectors often speak of Fleta's golden "spruce" era – the late 1950s and the 1960s, when Segovia and Williams were concertizing and recording on his guitars – and of his great "cedar" period that followed. Fleta gradually began favoring the use of cedar for his soundboards, and by the early 1970s he was working almost exclusively with cedar. Along with José Ramírez III, Fleta is regarded as one of the great cedar builders in history. Most of his guitars have Indian rosewood back and sides; sets of CSA rosewood, maple, mahogany or cypress are rare.
Despite his progressive modifications to the basic Spanish guitar design, he remained positively traditional in many ways. For example, his polish was considered very old-fashioned yet extremely sophisticated, as he used a formula adopted from his violin and cello training. Fleta finishes are still highly respected among contemporary luthiers, although very few admit to having the ability or patience to reproduce them.
Ignacio Fleta e Hijos
By the mid-1960s his sons Francisco (b. July 22, 1925) and Gabriel (b. December 21, 1929) had become partners in the workshop, and the labels changed to "Ignacio Fleta e hijos" – later from the workshop at Calle de los Ángeles 4 in Barcelona. Ignacio Fleta died in Barcelona on August 11th, 1977. The workshop remained open, and great guitars continued to be produced by Francisco and Gabriel. Francisco died in 2003 and Gabriel in January 2013. Gabriel's son, Gabriel Fleta Jr., was already building alongside his father, and to this day he tends a lengthy wait-list – so the Fleta legacy lives on, now in its third generation.
Famous Players and Their Fletas
Beyond Segovia and John Williams – who owned Fletas from 1956, 1961 and 1972, and played the 1961 guitar in concert and on record until 1972 – many great players have made a Fleta their main instrument. Several of their guitars have passed through our hands:
- Angel Romero recorded the Villa-Lobos concerto on his 1962 Fleta, the Lalo Schifrin concerto on his 1963 Fleta, and was the first owner of a 1992 Fleta that Francisco and Gabriel named "La Princesa".
- Marcelo Kayath won his first prizes – including Toronto and Paris in 1984 – on a 1981 Fleta he bought from his teacher Turibio Santos, and played it for Segovia in 1986.
- Cuban guitarist José Rey de la Torre (1917–1994), a pupil of Miguel Llobet, played his 1965 Fleta in concerts in the USA and Europe.
- Danish guitarist Lars Hannibal recorded "Siesta" with Michala Petri on his 1961 Fleta.
- Norbert Kraft, artistic director of the Naxos "Guitar Collection", was the first owner of a 1992 Fleta.
- Jürgen Ruck recorded for Deutsche Grammophon with the Berlin Philharmonic and Claudio Abbado on his 1989 Fleta.
- Folk musician and actor Theodore Bikel played his 1955 Fleta live, in the studio and on screen for much of his career.
Ignacio Fleta Guitars at GSI
Many dozens of Fletas have passed through our doors over the years. You'll find guitars currently in stock by clicking the "Guitars In Stock" button in the header of this page as well as earlier examples in our Museum by clicking the "Guitars In Museum" button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ignacio Fleta?
A Spanish guitar maker in Barcelona (1897–1977), trained in violin making, whose powerful concert guitars were played by Andrés Segovia and John Williams.
What makes a Fleta guitar different?
A larger, stiffer body with extra bracing, the violin-style neck joint and a violin-style French polish – giving a thick, dense, powerful sound for large halls.
What are Fleta's "spruce" and "cedar" periods?
His spruce-top guitars of the late 1950s and 1960s, played by Segovia and Williams, and the cedar-top guitars that dominate from the late 1960s – almost exclusively cedar by the early 1970s.
What does "Ignacio Fleta e hijos" mean?
"Ignacio Fleta and sons" – the workshop label from the mid-1960s on, when Ignacio worked with his sons Francisco and Gabriel.
Who builds Fleta guitars today?
Ignacio's grandson, Gabriel Fleta Jr., who carries on the Barcelona workshop in its third generation.
