2026 Fructuoso Zalapa "Romanillos" SP/KW

This 2026 Fructuoso Zalapa "Romanillos" is a new classical guitar with a spruce top and Mexican kingwood back and sides, lined inside with cypress, built in Morelia, in the Mexican state of Michoacán.

Fructuoso Zalapa's Tribute to José Romanillos

Fructuoso built this model as a tribute to one of his former teachers, José Romanillos. Bracing, doming, thicknessing, the shape of the plantilla and other structural elements are as "exact" (in Fructuoso's words) as he can make them to a Romanillos guitar he was able to study during his time with Romanillos. The aesthetic details – most notably the head shape and the inlay work in the purfling and rosette – are in the Romanillos style but not an exact copy: they are Fructuoso's own take on Romanillos. But still close and certainly inspired.

Mexican Kingwood, Lined with Cypress

Materials are striking, including a very dramatic set of Mexican kingwood with a flash of contrasting sapwood at the bottom of the back and a stripe along the sides. Fructuoso has layered it internally with cypress on both back and sides, much like the makers of the Madrid school. This gives the guitar added power and a focused quality of sound, making it suitable for any sized concert hall.

Sound and Playability

Like his other Romanillos tributes, it has a stylish, firm quality of sound – across all registers each note stands clearly apart from the next, and the voices stay clear even when all 6 strings are ringing together. Setup and playability are easy on the hands, and players looking for a slightly smaller build will find this guitar especially comfortable. A great guitar by any standard – and we are proud to be Fructuoso's exclusive US dealer.

Orfeo Magazine No. 20: Paracho, with a feature on Fructuoso Zalapa

Fructuoso Zalapa: From a Paracho Guitar-Making Family

Considered by many to be one of the finest guitar luthiers working in the Americas, Fructuoso Zalapa Luna was born in 1961 in the town of Paracho, in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, into a family of skilled guitar makers, and began his apprenticeship at age 10. In his late teens he left for Spain, where he spent several years studying with many renowned luthiers, including Félix Manzanero and Manuel Cáceres. His studies continued in the late 1980s in Mexico City at the National Music Conservatory. Today he builds in Morelia, the capital of Michoacán.

Prize-Winning Mexican Guitar Maker

Several awards for his instruments followed, including First Prize for Construction of Concert Guitars in the National Competition for Guitar-Makers (in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 2002), a famous Mexican event of national scope held each year in Paracho. In 1993 Fructuoso was awarded First Prize for his guitar-making in the National Competition for Handcrafts held by FONART, the Mexican government agency for the development of arts and handcrafts – the most prestigious award for handcrafts in Mexico. That same year he also received First Prize for Excellence in Handcrafts from the State of Michoacán, in a competition held in the city of Uruapan, and in 1995 he won another First Prize for Excellence in Handcrafts, this time from the State of Veracruz.

Studies with Romanillos, Humphrey and Raya Pardo

International recognition attracted the attention of none other than José Luis Romanillos, and Fructuoso's studies under Romanillos in 1995 led to Romanillos himself adding his own signature to the label of the guitar Fructuoso made under his supervision, because of its excellence and compliance with the exacting Romanillos standards. Despite all these accomplishments, Fructuoso continued to seek out the advice of other master builders: in 1996 he completed a course given by the renowned American luthier Thomas Humphrey in Paracho, and in 1997 he traveled once again to Spain to study under the legendary Granada maker Antonio Raya Pardo. Truly a remarkably accomplished and experienced veteran of his craft – we are proud to be working with this very fine maker as his exclusive US dealer.