1930 Francisco Simplicio No. 293 SP/MH (ex Daniel Friederich)

This 1930 Francisco Simplicio is a spruce and quilted mahogany classical guitar from Barcelona, No. 293 – owned from 1988 by the great French luthier Daniel Friederich, and featured in the Orfeo article on Simplicio.

Daniel Friederich's Simplicio

We purchased this beautiful guitar from Daniel Friederich, who was its owner and custodian since 1988. Friederich was always very fond of the Barcelona makers – as is known, he was very good friends with, and greatly influenced by Ignacio Fleta. When we visited him in his Paris workshop to purchase this guitar, Friederich pointed out a curious historical detail – that he was born on January 16, 1932 – just 2 days after Simplicio died (January 14, 1932). He always felt connected to him in some, almost "mystical" way even though they never met. We have always wondered if Friederich would have designed a carved headstock had he not been so taken with Simplicio.

In the Orfeo Article on Simplicio

Friederich provided this guitar as a supreme example of Simplicio's craft for the Orfeo article on Simplicio – it appears on pages 13-16. Like all his best guitars it combines ornate carving and inlay with striking materials – here a set of gorgeous quilted mahogany for the back and sides.

Tornavoz, Sound and Playability

As for the sound, it is particularly magnificent: great depth to every note, a big bottom-end and lyrical trebles. The "tornavoz" fitted inside adds a sonic boom to the bottom end and a brilliant clarity to the trebles. Playability is superb, thanks to a recent re-fret and setup by Yuris Zeltins. 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.