1981 Jose Romanillos "La Toronto" SP/IN
Year | 1981 |
Top | Spruce |
Back & Sides | Indian Rosewood |
Scale Length | 650 mm |
Nut width | 51 mm |
Finish | French Polish |
Country | England |
Condition | Excellent |
Exchange | ExchangePlus |
Luthier | Jose Luis Romanillos |
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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. 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, and notably it is numbered 593, meaning it's the 93rd guitar built in the "5" series, guitars Romanillos built that were structurally based on Sergio Abreu's 1930 Hauser I. The first 3 Romanillos guitars in this series from 1973 went famously first to Julian Bream (#501), Sergio Abreu (#502) and his brother Eduardo Abreu (#503). Bream would also later own another Romanillos also built in 1981, just 1 guitar 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. Condition is amazing, having only had some light finish touch-up and fret/setup work done over the course of its life. Highly desirable for either performer or collector - this is a masterpiece from one of the top luthiers of the 20th century.
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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. 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, and notably it is numbered 593, meaning it's the 93rd guitar built in the "5" series, guitars Romanillos built that were structurally based on Sergio Abreu's 1930 Hauser I. The first 3 Romanillos guitars in this series from 1973 went famously first to Julian Bream (#501), Sergio Abreu (#502) and his brother Eduardo Abreu (#503). Bream would also later own another Romanillos also built in 1981, just 1 guitar 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. Condition is amazing, having only had some light finish touch-up and fret/setup work done over the course of its life. Highly desirable for either performer or collector - this is a masterpiece from one of the top luthiers of the 20th century.
José Luis Romanillos Vega was born in Madrid in 1932 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 to 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 Julian Bream would concertize and record on for many years. 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' has called him "the Stradivari of the guitar" and the Italian magazine 'Sei Corde' "the most important living stringed instrument maker". 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 has published several important books, including the biography and study of Antonio de Torres as well as a Dictionary of stringed musical instrument makers and guitar makers of Spain titled "The Vihuela de Mano and the Spanish Guitar". He has also famously and tirelessly given courses and lectures on Spanish guitar making in numerous countries.
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