Kenneth Brögger is Denmark's leading classical guitar maker of his generation, building in Birkerød, north of Copenhagen, and in Fornalutx, Mallorca. Trained by Yngve Barslev and in Spain, he is known for his Torres replicas and his "Stradivarius" and "Mosaic" models. GSI is proud to be his exclusive dealer in the USA.
At a Glance
- Born: 1948, Hellerup, Denmark
- Workshops: Birkerød, Denmark, and Fornalutx, Mallorca (since 2015)
- Trained: With Yngve Barslev (1972–1975); French polishing with Antonio Marín in Granada; masterclasses with José Luis Romanillos
- Honors: Applied Arts Prize of 1879 and silver Hetsch Medal, 1997
- Books: Klassisk guitarbygning (1990), Danish Guitars – and their Makers (2001), A Life With Guitars
- At GSI: Since 2003; GSI is his exclusive US dealer
Apprenticeship and Early Years
Born in Hellerup, north of Copenhagen, in 1948, Kenneth Brögger began his career as an apprentice to the Danish guitar maker Yngve Barslev from 1972 to 1975. To supplement his training he made several research trips to Spain, the mother country of the guitar, and in Andalusia he studied French polishing with Antonio Marín of Granada. In 1975 he set up his first workshop in Birkerød.
In 1976 and 1977 he worked as a volunteer at the Museum of Music History and Carl Claudius' Collection in Copenhagen, measuring and cataloguing its antique guitars – a window into the history of guitar making that shaped his own style. A short apprenticeship at Phil Parker's workshop in London in 1977 was followed by a return to his own shop, later moved to Ravnsnæsvej in Birkerød, where he still works for part of the year. He also attended the famous masterclasses of José Luis Romanillos.
Exhibitions and the Queen's Recognition
Brögger's guitars have been shown at many important Danish events: two classical guitars at Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen in 1975, the exhibition "A Guitar is Made", which he organized at the Museum of Music History in 1986, a lute at the Museum of Industrial Design in 1997, and a selection of his guitars at Rudolf Rasmussens Snedkerier in Copenhagen.
In 1997 he became a member of Danske Kunsthåndværkere (Danish Artisans) and received the Applied Arts Prize of 1879 and a silver Hetsch Medal, the highest award in the field, presented in the presence of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
A Style Built on the Spanish Masters
Brögger's style blends many influences. His rosettes suggest Enrique García, Francisco Simplicio and Ignacio Fleta, and his headstock recalls the makers of the Manuel Ramírez workshop, Santos Hernández and Domingo Esteso. Over the years he has owned a wonderful Antonio de Torres, a Simplicio and a Fleta, among others, and they have influenced his work. His guitars are light yet sturdy and very easy to play, with a fast response, great balance up and down the neck, and an exceptionally clear, penetrating tone with controlled overtones.
Besides his standard model he has created the Stradivarius model, inspired by the inlaid violins of Antonio Stradivari he saw in Cremona in 2011; faithful replicas of Torres guitars of 1864 and 1890 – he spent several days studying the 1864 original at GSI and owned the 1890 – and a Bouchet; the "Polycentric Baroque Arch" model of 2018; and the "Mosaic" model that celebrated his 50th anniversary in 2025.
Author and Historian
Brögger is a prolific writer on guitar connoisseurship for newspapers and magazines. His first book, Klassisk guitarbygning (Classical Guitar Making, 1990), shows the traditional Spanish method step by step in great photographic detail, from the bracing of the soundboard to the making of the rosette. Danish Guitars – and their Makers (2001) is a lavish photographic history cataloguing 98 guitars built in Denmark from 1777 to the present, and his memoir A Life With Guitars tells of his experiences and the makers he has met in Denmark and abroad.
Players
Musicians playing Brögger guitars include Kaare Norge, Fareed Haque (with Joe Zawinul of Weather Report), Simon Harder, Mikkel Nordsø, Paul Halberg and Lars Hannibal (with Michala Petri), among others.
A Second Workshop in Mallorca
In 2015 Kenneth set up a second workshop in Fornalutx, a medieval village in Mallorca's Sóller Valley. At 7.4 square meters it may be one of the smallest professional guitar workshops in the world, with room for one or two guitars at a time; he divides his time between Mallorca and Birkerød.
50 Years of Guitar Making
Kenneth sent GSI his book Danish Guitars – and their Makers in 2003 and asked whether we would sell his guitars; the first one sold quickly, and we have worked together ever since. In 2025 he celebrated 50 years as a guitar maker.
Video: Kenneth Brögger at Work
Kenneth Brögger Guitars at GSI
GSI is proud to be Kenneth Brögger's exclusive dealer in the USA. 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.
Kenneth Brögger in Orfeo Magazine
Orfeo Magazine No. 19 – The Guitar in Scandinavia
Kenneth Brögger leads the issue's portraits of Scandinavian guitar makers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kenneth Brögger?
Denmark's leading classical guitar maker of his generation, born in 1948, building in Birkerød and in Fornalutx, Mallorca.
What models does Kenneth Brögger make?
His standard model, "1864 Torres" and "1890 Torres" replicas, the "Stradivarius", the "Polycentric Baroque Arch" and the "Mosaic".
Where can I buy a Kenneth Brögger guitar in the USA?
GSI is his exclusive dealer in the United States.
