2001 John Weissenrieder "Garcia" SP/CSAR

A 2001 "Garcia" classical guitar by John Weissenrieder, with a spruce top and CSA rosewood back and sides – built in Andrea Tacchi's workshop in Florence after a 1916 Enrique García that Tacchi measured in Paris.

In the videos above, Elite Guitarist presents "Malagueña", L I N Ü play Philip Glass's "Opening" on this guitar and John's 2006 "Simplicio", and Jaxon Williams plays Bryan Johanson's Prelude No. 9; the last video shows John at work.

After a 1916 Enrique García

John built this guitar in the workshop of Andrea Tacchi, before he set up on his own in Florence. The model is based on an original García of 1916, which Tacchi was able to inspect and measure on a trip to Paris. The attention to detail and elegant aesthetics make it a gorgeous guitar.

An Old-World Voice with Concert Power

In the spirit of an authentic García, it has a deep, charming old-world voice, with rich basses and round, lyrical trebles, and precise focus on the fundamental of every note. Although an old-fashioned charmer in tone, it has plenty of power and projection for any concert, and the graceful neck and easy action make it very playable.

John Weissenrieder: From Champion Cyclist to Florentine Guitar Maker

John Weissenrieder (1964–2017) was an American guitar maker who built his guitars in Florence, Italy. Born in Pennsylvania and later based in Boulder, Colorado, he grew up around woodworking – his father was a gifted amateur woodworker and his grandfather, who had emigrated from Switzerland, a machinist and furniture maker. He took up road cycling at 14, rode for the US Junior National Team, and became a professional mountain-bike racer, retiring in 1996 at 32. He also studied architecture for two years, and built a bouzouki with George Diamesis on the Greek island of Poros.

Apprenticeship with Andrea Tacchi and His Homages to Garcia, Simplicio and Bouchet

In September 1998 he arrived in Florence and began working with Andrea Tacchi, who became his teacher and friend. Together they studied the great makers of the past – a 1999 visit to the Barcelona music museum with Stefano Grondona, Simplicio copies, wood-buying trips in the Alps – and after a few more years in Tacchi's workshop John opened his own in Florence. He became best known for his guitars in homage to Enrique García, Francisco Simplicio and, above all, Robert Bouchet: faithful in spirit to their models, yet with a sound and look of his own. He died in 2017; read Andrea Tacchi's memories of John on our blog.