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Museum

2010 Federico Sheppard "1934 Esteso - ex Barrios" SP/CSAR

Year 2010
Top Spruce
Back & Sides CSA Rosewood
Scale Length 650 mm
Nut width 52 mm
Finish French Polish
Country USA
Luthier Federico Sheppard

This guitar is no longer available in our inventory. If it interests you, click the ”notify me when available” button to be notified in the event that we re-acquire this guitar for re-sale.

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Description

The instrument we are offering for sale here is a replica of the 1934 Esteso (reportedly Barrios' favorite of his guitars) which Barrios purchased directly from the Gravina #7 workshop in late December 1935 or early January 1936 after having been given 6 months living expenses by his patron Tomas Salamoni. The rosette and purfling are of very fine quality, incorporating the flags of both Spain and Argentina. No doubt this guitar was intended for export to Buenos Aires, where many of the finest quality instruments from the Esteso shop were regularly sent. Barrios kept it until the end of his days, and after his death, it was eventually sold to a wealthy coffee plantation owner for his wife. It then passed through several hands. The history of the original guitar is complex and only a handful of privileged people have had the opportunity to see the instrument since 1990. The original has unfortunately been determined to be too far damaged for restoration due to wounds it incurred during the El Salvadoran Civil War when a machine gun was placed on the guitar case to enable shooting out of a back window of the residence of the then owner.

All construction details are taken from the original, including special hand-made tuners replicated by Nicolo Alessi. This model was originally shown at an exhibition at the Royal Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, Belgium for the concerts and festival marking the 75th anniversary of the only formal concert Barrios gave in Europe during his lifetime on November 7, 1934. This is truly a remarkable and unique instrument, that comes with a large story. And as an instrument itself, it is a fantastic playing and sounding guitar. It even has what players call "pulsation" - an effect of vibration transmitted to the players body (which is normally found only in older guitars), so not only has Sheppard captured the aesthetic detail of the original, but also aspects of the sound and playability. Excellent guitar in every regard. We look forward to more of the "Barrios" instruments from this very fine and interesting guitar maker and are simply thrilled to have this one.

Guitars by Federico Sheppard