2006 John Weissenrieder "Simplicio" SP/CSAR

A 2006 "Simplicio" classical guitar by John Weissenrieder, with a spruce top and CSA rosewood back and sides, made in Florence – his homage to the great Barcelona maker Francisco Simplicio.

In the videos above, L I N Ü play Philip Glass's "Opening" on this guitar and John's 2001 "Garcia", and Federica Canta plays Luigi Legnani's Capriccio No. 2; there is also a short film of John at work.

A Work of Art after Simplicio

John's Simplicio model is truly a work of art, from the elegantly carved headstock to the perfectly executed inlay work. This one has a beautiful set of CSA rosewood and Alessi tuners.

Sound and Playability

True to the Simplicio style, it has a huge, deep bottom end and round, lyrical trebles, with precise focus and clarity on every note. An old-fashioned charmer in tone, it still has the 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.