2004 José Ramírez "1a" No. Y3-131 CD/CSAR

Year	2004
Top	Cedar
Back & Sides	CSA Rosewood
Scale Length	650 mm
Nut width	52 mm
Finish	Lacquer
Country	Spain
Luthier	Amalia Ramírez

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The top and side of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The back and sides at the foot of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

Closeup of the rosette of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The headstock and tuning machines of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The soundboard and rosette of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The front of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The label of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The back of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The rosette of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

The headstock of a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a" classical guitar made of cedar and CSA rosewood

2004 José Ramírez "1a" No. Y3-131 CD/CSAR

Antonio Lauro's "Vals Venezolano No. 3 (Natalia)" performed by Eric Wang on a 2004 Jose Ramirez "1a"

Andrew York's "Sunburst" performed by John César on a 2004 Jose Ramirez “1a”

Kendrick Shen - Gaspar Sanz 'Canarios' (2004 Jose Ramirez)

Description

This 2004 José Ramírez "1a" No. Y3-131 is a classical guitar with a cedar top and CSA rosewood back and sides; Eric Wang, John César and Kendrick Shen play it in the three videos above.

A 2004 Ramírez Concert Guitar

The Ramírez workshop, where this guitar was made, has supplied countless professionals over more than half a century: Andrés Segovia and Sabicas, Christopher Parkening and Chet Atkins, Lee Ritenour and even Sting. The workshop moved to Calle de la Paz 8 in 1995, and five years later Amalia Ramírez took over from her brother José IV; this guitar was made there during her first decade in charge.

The Ramírez "1a" Model

The "1a" designation stands for "primera" – first, or highest, quality – and the model represents the top level of the workshop in workmanship, detail and choice of wood. It follows the classic design of José Ramírez III, but with the standard 650mm string length and an easy neck angle, so it plays more easily than many earlier Ramírez concert guitars. For attention to detail, quality of construction and sound, this is a first-class instrument. This one features a particularly striking and beautiful set of rosewood for the back and sides.

Sound and Condition

It is very easy to play, with a lovely neck and easy action. The tone is thick yet clear, with that essential warm, mysterious and moody quality that made Ramírez famous. Although used, it is in great condition, with only some very modest playing wear. On the label: Amalia Ramírez's star signature, the year 2004 and No. Y3-131.

Three Videos

In the videos above, Eric Wang plays Antonio Lauro's "Vals Venezolano No. 3 (Natalia)", John César plays Andrew York's "Sunburst" and Kendrick Shen plays Gaspar Sanz's "Canarios" – all on this guitar.

For the story of the workshop, read The Ramírez Family: Masters of the Guitar and The José Ramírez Dynasty; for some interesting fact-checking, see José Ramírez: myths and facts.

Background

The José Ramírez Workshop of Madrid

Founded in Madrid in 1882 by José Ramírez I, the Ramírez workshop has produced guitars for more than a century and through five generations of the family. José Ramírez III (1922–1995) took over as maestro in 1957 and developed the Ramírez concert guitar we know today – large in body, with a long string length and a cedar or spruce top, with great power, sustain, sweetness and balance across the entire register. He popularized western red cedar as a soundboard wood, and from the 1960s Andrés Segovia played José Ramírez guitars to the end of his days.

Ramírez Craftsmen and the Next Generations

From the 1960s to the 1990s the workshop trained many of the most talented guitarreros of the day, among them Paulino Bernabé and Manuel Contreras. In 1995 the shop moved from Calle Concepción Jerónima 2 to Calle de la Paz 8, and since the death of José Ramírez IV in June 2000 the business has been directed by his sister, Amalia Ramírez, who inspects every guitar during and after construction.

The Workshop Under Amalia Ramírez

Under Amalia Ramírez the workshop has kept the classic concert guitar at the heart of its range – the "1a" (first class) in the "Tradicional" design, its model code written by hand on the label: C650 for a cedar top with Indian rosewood, "-A" for a spruce (abeto) top, "-P" for CSA rosewood (palosanto) and "-AP" for both, with F656 and F656-A for the cedar and spruce flamencos. Around it she has built a wider family of models: the "Centenario" and "Elite", made with the workshop's most precious woods; the reissued "SP" and "2a"; the "Auditorio", "Antigua" and "Guitarra del Tiempo"; anniversary series such as the "125 Años" and "130 Años"; replicas of historic guitars, from the 1912 Manuel Ramírez played by Segovia to the 1913 "Guitarra de Tablao" of José Ramírez I; and the studio lines NE, R and FL. The concert guitars carry the Calle de la Paz 8 label, signed by Amalia Ramírez with her star signature and numbered with a letter-and-number code (Centenario and Elite have numbers of their own), while the studio guitars have an orange "Guitarras de Estudio" label, "Diseñada, Revisada y Certificada por Ramírez", with the red "Calidad Ramírez" stamp.