2010 Otto Vowinkel CD/CSAR

This 2010 Otto Vowinkel is a concert classical guitar with a cedar top and CSA rosewood back and sides, made by hand in his workshop in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in near-mint condition; Samuel Hines plays Torroba on it in the video above.

Otto Vowinkel’s Concert Model

As is typical of Otto’s work, this guitar is physically light – one of the lightest we have seen, the result, most likely, of a slightly more compact body and efficient use of materials. It is incredibly easy to play, ultra-responsive and very powerful.

Dramatic, Aged CSA Rosewood

The extremely dramatic, aged rosewood used on this guitar is a wonderful complement to the great workmanship.

Details from Amsterdam

His instantly recognizable rosette has herringbone in the purfling around the mosaic – the motif of the flag of Amsterdam. Otto carves the headstock in the style of his workshop’s building in Amsterdam, with a MOP dot at the top for the “winch” of the canal houses: a hook-and-pulley system that hoists furniture and goods through the large windows, as the stairs inside are narrow and steep (see photo). Although purely aesthetic, these are charming, “extra” details that give the instrument a place of origin.

Condition and Sound

Otto French polishes his guitars in shellac by the traditional method, with great care, and the finish gives this one a beautiful luster. Tuners are Alessi. Huge volume with little right-hand effort – thanks to the slightly more compact body – and a plump and lively tone, very lyrical and beautiful at the same time. This was his best-sounding guitar to date in our opinion – the sound is plump and very lively. Although second-hand, this instrument is in near-mint condition, with barely any signs of use.

Played by Concert Artists and Competition Winners

Several concert and recording artists who have played Vowinkel guitars include Denis Azabagic, Esther Steenbergen and the Amsterdam Guitar Trio. Competition winners have chosen them too: Tariq Harb, 1st prize winner of both the 2011 Barrios World Wide Web Competition and the 2011 Montreal International Classical Guitar Competition; the Taiwanese guitarist Chia-Wei Lin, 1st prize at the Singapore International Guitar Competition; and the young Bosnian guitarist Sanel Redzic, who won the Vienna and Oberhausen competitions on a cedar Vowinkel.

In the Video Above

Samuel Hines plays Federico Moreno Torroba’s “Romance de los Pinos” on this guitar.

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.