1961 Marcelino López "Blanca" SP/CY

This 1961 Marcelino López Nieto is a flamenco blanca in spruce and cypress made in Madrid, Spain, in totally original condition apart from one well-repaired crack.

A 1961 Flamenco Blanca from Madrid's Golden Age

This guitar, made in 1961, is a great example of the style he championed – a flamenco blanca with an extremely lightweight build, making it a thrill to play thanks to its lightning-fast response and old-world charm. It easily compares for sound and playability with the top flamencos of the "golden age" of mid-century makers like Barbero, Arcángel and Reyes.

Condition

Condition is excellent for a guitar of this age. Apart from one repaired crack on the soundboard (with only 2 small cleats), the guitar is in totally original condition – thicknesses, finish, everything. It is concert-ready for any professional performance situation. An outstanding example of Marcelino López at his best.

Read more: Orfeo Magazine No. 3 – interview with Marcelino López Nieto · Orfeo No. 3 on our blog · our 2008 interview with Marcelino

Marcelino López Nieto (1931–2018): Guitar Maker of Madrid

The late Marcelino López Nieto was one of Spain's most respected guitar makers of the 20th century. He was originally a performer of the guitar – a student of Daniel Fortea, who was himself a pupil of Tárrega – and his professional background was in cabinetmaking, so the move to guitar making came naturally, as it has for so many builders throughout history. After the death of Santos Hernández in 1943 he befriended Santos' widow, Matilde Ruiz López, and was able to spend time in the Santos workshop before setting up his own shop in 1949, at the age of 18. He also worked with Hernández y Aguado in the early 1970s and built several "Hernández y Aguado" models over the years.

Small-Bodied Guitars in the Tradition of Torres

Although a Madrid maker, Marcelino never fell under the shadow of the larger, sturdier guitars of the Ramírez school. He always preferred to build in the traditional style of Antonio de Torres and the southern Spanish makers – a smaller body without double sides, mostly spruce tops and a French polish finish. Alongside his classical and flamenco guitars he also built historical instruments, from vihuelas, lutes and Baroque and Romantic guitars to violins, many of them after originals in his own large collection.