2016 Andrea Tacchi "Coclea Thucea" CS/WE

This is Andrea Tacchi's flagship model, the "Coclea Thucea". It is a fusing together of two different design ideas that were developed independently. In 1989, Tacchi publically unveiled his "Coclea" model – named after the Latin word for the part of the inner ear that transforms sound vibrations into the psychological sensations of volume, timbre, and tone. It is based on geometric and mathematical concepts that Tacchi discovered in researching the dimensions and proportions of old stringed instruments (including not just guitars but also instruments from the violin family), as well as more abstract concepts such as Fibonacci sequences (as in the shape of the human "coclea"), and the relationships found in the careful combining of circles and spheres to generate his plantilla (outline shape of the guitar) as well as the side-view shape with its unique back and soundboard doming.

Years later Tacchi was able to personally examine and evaluate the last Torres ever built from 1892 (the year of Torres’ death), an instrument which would profoundly influence his future work. Notably, Torres constructed the soundboard with four pieces of spruce. The densities of the outer two pieces were sufficiently different from the inner two that over the course of 100+ years, they oxidized at different rates, leaving the outer two pieces noticeably darker in color than the inner two. This inspired Tacchi to develop yet another new design concept – a three-piece top made of two pieces of western red cedar at the extremities and a single piece of European spruce in the middle, named "Thucea" from the union of the Latin words Thuja Plicata (cedar) and Picea Excelsa (spruce). Tacchi’s idea was to work with woods of different densities (as Torres had done with his final instrument) to maximize the efficiency of sound transmission in his soundboards, resulting in great response and projection.

Notable qualities of this guitar are an easy emission of sound, a great variety of timbre, polyphonic clarity, increased volume, great playability and relaxed, comfortable string tension. Back and sides are made with wenge, which Andrea has favored for this model for over 20 years due to its assistance in production of a clean, focused quality of sound emanating from the box. Fitted with Rodgers tuners and 20th fret. Overall a very sophisticated guitar, successfully achieving its intended aims, the primary of which is beauty of sound.

Orfeo Magazine article on Tacchi, Locatto and Frignani