1981 José Romanillos "La España" SP/IN

This 1981 José Romanillos "La España" is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Semley, Wiltshire, England – guitar No. 594, from the same "5" series as Julian Bream's Romanillos guitars.

All the Qualities of an Exceptional Romanillos

This instrument has all the qualities of an exceptional Romanillos – in short, a sweet and lyrical tone with excellent separation. The volume is excellent and yet it's almost "noiseless" – string noise and nail noise are absorbed and not amplified, allowing the notes themselves to sound unhindered. All in all, this is a remarkable musical instrument.

Moorish Arches: the Classic Romanillos Look

The guitar has the classic Romanillos aesthetic – the Moorish arches in the headshape and in the mosaic of the rosette. The instrument is a bit on the smaller side.

No. 594 and the "5" Series, Based on a 1930 Hauser I

Notably, it is numbered 594, meaning it's the 94th guitar built in the "5" series – guitars Romanillos built that were structurally based on Sérgio Abreu's 1930 Hauser I. The first 3 Romanillos guitars in this series, from 1973, went famously first to Julian Bream (#501), Sérgio Abreu (#502) and his brother Eduardo Abreu (#503). Bream would also later own another Romanillos built in 1981, just 2 guitars before this one (#592 "La Lechuza")! This instrument therefore represents (in great style and amazing sound) that for which Romanillos is most famous. This is a top example from this maker – there may be equals but nothing finer.

One Owner, Cared for by Jeffrey Elliott

It has had only one owner to date, who used this instrument for recording and concertizing – including a CD of Bach, Giuliani and Ponce that is included with this guitar (notably, in the 1973 masterclasses in Madrid, Andrés Segovia awarded this player a full scholarship to study at the conservatory in Santiago de Compostela, and in the years following he received multiple degrees and accolades over the course of his performing career). While under his stewardship, he had Jeffrey Elliott handle the guitar's maintenance over the years, which included minor gluing work, fret and setup adjustments, finish touch-up (all original finish is still on the guitar) and the repair of a crack on the upper bout (bass side) with a patch underneath – an area that has no impact on the sound.

Overall this is highly desirable for either performer or collector – this is a masterpiece from one of the top luthiers of the 20th century.

Orfeo article on José Romanillos

José Luis Romanillos: From Madrid to Semley

José Luis Romanillos Vega (1932–2022) was born in Madrid and at thirteen years of age was apprenticed to a Madrid cabinetmaking firm. In 1956 he moved to England to work in a hospital in Epsom and a few months later in a hospital in London. Five years later he made his first Spanish guitar in London. In 1970 he set up a workshop as a guitar maker in the village of Semley, Wiltshire, encouraged by the English guitarist Julian Bream, and it was here that he built the legendary 1973 guitar that Bream would concertize and record on for many years.

"The Stradivari of the Guitar"

Romanillos guitars have received recognition from guitarists at an international level, including Carlos Bonell, Gilbert Biberian and Antigoni Goni, among many others. The British "Daily Mail" called him "the Stradivari of the guitar" and the Italian magazine "Sei Corde" "the most important living stringed instrument maker".

Author and Teacher

In 1995 he retired from full-time guitar building and moved to Guijosa, Spain – a rural district annexed to Sigüenza, in the northern part of the province of Guadalajara. He published several important books, including his biography and study of Antonio de Torres and a dictionary of stringed musical instrument makers and guitar makers of Spain titled "The Vihuela de Mano and the Spanish Guitar". He also famously and tirelessly gave courses and lectures on Spanish guitar making in numerous countries. José Luis Romanillos died in Sigüenza on February 12, 2022.