1925 Francisco Simplicio No. 58 SP/CSAR

This 1925 Francisco Simplicio is a spruce and CSA rosewood classical guitar from Barcelona, No. 58 – from the Russell Cleveland collection and featured in the book "The Classical Guitar – A Complete History".

In the video above, Taro Wayama plays a Prelude No. 4 on this guitar.

From the Russell Cleveland Collection

This guitar comes from the Russell Cleveland collection and is featured on pages 30-32 of the book "The Classical Guitar – A Complete History". Its label – No. 58, dated 1925 – is one of the first of Simplicio's own printed labels, after his early guitars had gone out with García's. The ornate purfling and rosette detailing and the engraved headstock show this maker at his best.

Sound and Playability

The sound of this Simplicio is magical, with great depth and rich overtones from the lowest bass to the highest treble – and it has ample volume to fill any hall. Playability is a breeze with a more compact neck size and shape. The guitar was also refretted recently by Pat Quinn, who attended to some old cracks that had re-opened, and it is now in concert and recording-ready condition. Overall, a highly desirable guitar from this famous builder.

Orfeo article on Simplicio – the French guitar magazine Orfeo devoted a feature to Francisco and Miguel Simplicio in its first issue.

Francisco Simplicio: Enrique García's Only Pupil

Francisco Simplicio (1874–1932) was brought up in Barcelona and was a cabinet-maker before he turned to guitar making in the workshop of Enrique García, the founder of the Barcelona school. He joined García in 1918, and the guitars of García's last years were built by the two of them together. When García died in 1922, Simplicio took over the premises at Paseo de San Juan 110, and his labels proudly state that he was García's "successor and only pupil" – "Suc. y único discípulo de Enrique García" – with García's Chicago 1893 medals.

Carved Headstocks and Art Nouveau Ornament

Simplicio was known not only for the beautiful tone of his instruments, but also for his exquisite workmanship and use of extravagant ornamentation. The ornate purfling and rosette detailing are immediately recognizable features of his work, as are the heavily and beautifully engraved headstocks, very much in the Art Nouveau taste of Barcelona at the time. His standard head was based on the Torres pattern, he often fitted a "tornavoz" (a conical tube attached to the soundhole), and in 1929 he won a gold medal at the World's Fair in Barcelona. He died in January 1932 and his son Miguel carried on the workshop.

The Simplicio Sound

The famous 'sound' of Simplicio is perhaps the most unique of the great makers of the twentieth century – it has a very "old-world" charm, and players of these guitars often remark how they are transported psychologically to another world when playing a Simplicio. His guitars left their mark on later makers such as Ignacio Fleta and Daniel Friederich, and they are sought after by collectors because despite their age they continue to play well.