2023 Alexis Parducci SP/AR

We met Argentine guitar builder Alexis Parducci at the 5th International "Antonio Marin Montero" Guitar Building Competition in Granada, Spain in 2022, where he took first prize. And this guitar which he has built for us here has everything and more that we heard in the award-winning instrument. Built to the same specs as the guitar in Granada, it's made with spruce top and African rosewood back and sides. The top has a lightly braced 5 fan system with a thin bar brace under the bridge. Of interest, he has sculpted, triangular shaped spruce braces all along the interior of the sides for added structural stability and to allow the thinner sides to move a bit like a diaphram with increased flexibility. Although Alexis was born (and is currently based) in Argentina, he moved to southern Spain at only 18 years of age where he lived for 10 years. While there, he apprenticed with José Ángel Chacón in Malaga. He also spent time in Granada and feels a deep kinship with the deep roots and spirit of guitar making there. His guitars therefore have a very traditional feel and responsiveness to them, much like the lightweight, mid-century southern Spanish style that has captivated players and listeners for over half a century.

For tonal quality, Alexis pursues a lightly built, flexible top that has great dynamic range, deep basses, wide tone-color palette and clear, lyrical trebles. To this end he has pursued a quest to understand how all elements (and materials) of the guitar must cooperate with each other so that every part of the guitar is making a contribution and assisting in the movement of all the other parts. Aesthetically, Alexis likes an austere and well-executed amount of small, but fine ornamentation. His inlay work in the rosette and purflings is done using the very labor-intensive "long grain" technique, which he believes adds both a beautiful sparkle to the wood but also leads to longer-term stability, as the end-grains are not exposed to the open environment. Structurally, sonically and aesthetically, Alexis works out of deep respect and love for the great builders of the past yet also feels the need to find a place in his work for his own personal touches. This guitar is a extremely well-built instrument that contains all of this. We are very happy to be working with this fine maker and this guitar is an absolute delight to play and listen to.

Photos of this guitar taken during construction.