2013 José Ramírez "1a Antigua" No. X2-031 SP/IN

This 2013 José Ramírez "1a Antigua" No. X2-031 is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, with a French-polished top; Xuanxuan Sun plays Simone Iannarelli's "American Coffee" on it in the video above.

From the José Ramírez Workshop, Directed by Amalia Ramírez

It comes from the famous José Ramírez workshop – today directed by Amalia Ramírez – whose instruments have been played by countless professionals over more than half a century, from Segovia and Sabicas to Sting, Chet Atkins, Lee Ritenour and Christopher Parkening. It was made at Calle de la Paz 8 under Amalia Ramírez, who has directed the family business since the death of her brother José IV in 2000.

The "1a Antigua"

Amalia Ramírez tells us that the "Antigua" – "antique" – is the result of requests for a guitar more like the Ramírez guitars of the early 20th century. It has a slightly smaller plantilla and a loose, old-world feel, with modern power and projection. It is a great addition to the classic Ramírez lineup.

Playability, Sound and Condition

It is absolutely charming to play, very lyrical and responsive, with a clean aesthetic. The top is French polished, and although used, the guitar is in excellent condition, with almost no signs of prior use. The label (Calle de la Paz 8) is signed by Amalia Ramírez, dated 2013 and numbered X2-031 – with the model code "Antigua" written beside it.

Two Videos

Xuanxuan Sun plays "American Coffee" on this guitar in the first video above; in the second, Amalia Ramírez talks about the Ramírez legacy.

To learn more about the family and its workshop, read The Ramírez Family: Masters of the Guitar, our history of the family from Amalia Ramírez back to José I, and myths and facts about this legendary workshop.

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.