2005 Otto Vowinkel "2a" SP/IN

This 2005 Otto Vowinkel “2a” is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, built in Barcelona by Antonio Picado to Otto Vowinkel’s design, in great, playable shape.

Otto Vowinkel and Antonio Picado

Otto Vowinkel of Amsterdam and Antonio Picado of Barcelona developed this model together. It has a rosette of concentric rings and a unique headstock shape.

Spruce Sound and Condition

Light in weight and easy to play, it is very penetrating, with great volume, a sharp attack and excellent penetration – a fine spruce-top guitar for the serious student or beginning performer. Although used, it is in great, playable shape, with only some minor wear in the top.

Otto Vowinkel: Classical Guitar Maker in Amsterdam

Otto Vowinkel grew up in a family of tailors in the old center of Amsterdam. He came to the guitar as a player, and in 1984 – with no teacher, a few basic tools and Irving Sloane’s book Classical Guitar Construction – he built his first guitar in the attic of his house. He learned by showing each new guitar to every guitarist he could find and building the next one with their comments in mind.

Traditional Spanish Building and French Polish

In 1989 Otto met his future wife, the Dutch guitarist Esther Steenbergen, and the Andalusia-based Dutch maker Alex van der Horst (“Alejandro”, 1959–2009), with whom he worked regularly and shared his ideas about the ideal guitar: a flexible tone, a quick response, and quality of sound as the carrier of volume. Otto builds in the traditional way and is a specialist in French polish, on which he now gives lectures and workshops. His rosettes carry the colors of the flag of Amsterdam.

Concert Guitars and Student Models

Besides his concert classical guitars, Otto makes flamenco guitars, quart guitars and fifth-bass (baritone) guitars. He has also designed student models that are handmade in small workshops in Spain under his supervision. You can read more in our article on Otto Vowinkel.