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Details
Description
This 1987 José Oribe "Gran Suprema" is a classical guitar with a cedar top and CSA rosewood back and sides, made in Vista, California, and dated January 10, 1987 on its label – and once the guitar of Scott Tennant of the LA Guitar Quartet.
The "Gran Suprema": José Oribe's 25th-Anniversary Model
This model, his "Gran Suprema", was introduced in 1987 to celebrate his 25th anniversary in guitar making – and this actual guitar we have here was built that very year! In the years since, it became his flagship model and has been compared often to the finest Madrid-style instruments (Ramírez, Contreras, Bernabé, etc.) in its tonal and structural characteristics. Oribe was famous for his fine materials, as a quick glance at this instrument will attest. It has a big, deep and rich tone with great volume, making this a particularly strong instrument for live performance.
From the Collection of Scott Tennant
Scott Tennant was recently visiting us and confirmed that this had been his guitar several decades ago, and he remembers that the top had been refinished in French polish to remove some dings (the rest of the body is finished in lacquer). Fortunately there are no cracks or repairs anywhere, and the guitar currently has very little wear and is in concert-ready condition.
Background
José Oribe: Classical Guitar Maker of Vista, California
José Oribe began making guitars in 1962 and, alongside the late Manuel Velázquez, became one of North America's veteran builders and one of the great American classical guitar makers of the past sixty years. Oribe was famous for his fine materials and for a big, deep and rich Madrid-style sound. He came to guitar making from a trade: as a young machinist he discovered the classical guitar, became a fine player, and then turned his precision with tools and tolerances to building instruments. For decades he built in his home workshop in Vista, California, and he shared his knowledge in his book The Fine Guitar.
In Memoriam
José Oribe passed away on August 18, 2026, at the age of 93. Generations of concert artists and teachers sought out his guitars – among them the celebrated pedagogue Aaron Shearer – and his instruments continue to be treasured by players and collectors around the world. Read our tribute.
Feel free to contact us with any questions. It’s what we’re here for!
