2025 Mario Aracama SP/TM

This 2025 Mario Aracama classical guitar has a European spruce top and back and sides of Indonesian tamarind – the first guitar we've ever seen in this wood – handmade in the Alpujarra mountains near Granada, Spain.

Indonesian Tamarind: A First at GSI

The back and sides (and head veneer) are an exotic set of Indonesian tamarind – a stunningly beautiful wood. It almost appears as if the grain lines are "drawn" onto the wood, and the interplay of lighter and darker hues is intoxicating to the eye. It's also a lightweight and flexible wood that gives the guitar a springy boost to its already fast attack. We hope to see more guitars made of this material in the future for all these reasons!

Construction and Design

Mario again doubled the sides with cypress (1.2 mm for this guitar) on the inside for rigidity, which adds power and focus to every note, yet the guitar remains extremely light – a real help for responsiveness and for the right hand. Ebony fingerboard, cedar neck. The purflings around the top, rosette and tie-block feature asymmetrically spaced block patterns, designed, like every Aracama, to suit the woods of this particular guitar.

Sound

Friendly and responsive, with an immediate but gentle attack and a velvety, full sound. The palette of colors shifts with the slightest change of right-hand position. Deep basses, thick and rich trebles, great clarity between voices, and impressive volume that fills any hall. Comfortable for both hands – a charming, traditional guitar full of Spanish character.

Photos taken just after final construction

Mario Aracama: From London to Granada

Mario Aracama became captivated with the guitar at an early age and, while living in England, decided to become a luthier, attending Guildhall University in London. There he graduated in Musical Instrument Technology, specializing in traditional classical and flamenco guitars under the tutelage of David Whiteman. In 2003 he relocated to Granada, Spain, where he learned further from Antonio Marín Montero.

The Granada School and the Torres Tradition

In the following years Mario enjoyed a fruitful exchange of ideas with his friends Michael Ritchie and Jose Vigil, which has also influenced his style. True to the Granada aesthetic, Mario builds a light and vibrant instrument with lightly braced tops, based in the great Spanish tradition in the line of Torres. Every guitar built by Mario features a different, original – but very traditional and tasteful – design.

A Workshop in the Alpujarra Mountains

Today Mario lives and builds in the beautiful Alpujarra mountains near Granada. GSI is proud to be Mario's exclusive dealer in the USA.