2026 Richard Reynoso SP/IN

This 2026 Richard Reynoso is a new classical guitar with a European spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made by hand in Los Angeles, California – it is the guitar Ming-Jui Liu plays in his performance of “Summer Nights of Formosa” on this page.

A Richard Reynoso Spruce and Rosewood Classical Guitar

Richard builds his guitars in Los Angeles, California. They are fully traditional in construction and largely inspired by the great Spanish makers of the past, yet the voice, personality and look are entirely his own. This particular instrument was built with a European spruce top paired with a gorgeous set of dark and quartersawn Indian rosewood for the back and sides.

Ebony Headplate and a “Sunburst” Neck

It features his signature carved headstock with front plate in ebony. The rest of the head and neck is “ebonized” Honduran mahogany and for this guitar, it also features a very elegant faded “sunburst” look in the section of the neck where the left-hand thumb rests. And although the finish on the top is shellac and the rest of the body is finished in oil, this lighter section of the back of the neck is also done in shellac, which gives a much smoother and natural “feel” for left-hand positions, particularly when shifting.

“Neo-Art Deco” Details

Richard never repeats the exact same combination of design elements from one guitar to the next, but his “neo-art deco” motifs (as we have been calling them) run throughout – in his hard and clean, yet graceful lines and curves, and in his inlay work. (The short video documentary embedded in this page shows more of this.) The back (and foot) center seams, heel block and rosette – works of art in themselves – draw their inspiration from sources ranging from art-deco styled chandeliers to ancient Egyptian jewelry.

Sound

Bold and solid, the sound matches its appearance, with a rich color palette and wide dynamic range. Every note is very dense, its overtones tightly packed into a firm and well-defined fundamental, and the box gives off almost a cathedral-like reverb, so the instrument has a huge presence – both from the playing position and at a distance for the listener. A truly powerful and versatile performing instrument with a rich, robust and very classy sound. GSI is proud to be working with this exceptionally refined maker, and we believe that he is in a class of his own in the build quality, tone and feel of his guitars.

Orfeo Magazine No. 10 - West Coast Luthiers

Richard Reynoso: From Player to Guitar Maker

Richard Reynoso has been involved with the arts since his youth, having a passion for drawing, music and in particular, playing the classical guitar. His first guitar was actually one that had been loaned to him for several years, and when the day came for it to be returned, Richard began the search for a new guitar. During that time he learned there were makers around the world crafting these instruments by hand, and was thus attracted to the idea of pursuing the art of lutherie. Aside from the complexity and beauty of the sound, what attracted Richard most was the combined practice of science, chemistry, art, physics, architecture, design and music.

Training in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles

His formal studies began when he found a violin maker in Santa Barbara who taught him to build violins. This was a way to get his “feet wet”, but the goal was ultimately guitar making. He studied in the violin shop for a couple of years and later found Los Angeles-based luthier Greg Brandt, with whom he studied another two years. When finished, he continued to study the guitar with guidance from other well-known makers and developed friendships along the way. Eugene Clark made a strong impression on him, spending countless hours discussing the geometry and approach to making the guitar, based on the traditional techniques and methods of construction of the Spanish makers of the past.

Inspired by Torres and the Spanish Tradition

Richard draws his inspiration from Antonio de Torres and a number of other great European makers of past and present. Strongly rooted in the Spanish sound and design, his goal is not to duplicate the “greats” but instead to develop a look and sound which is uniquely his own. Working predominantly with hand tools, Richard finds what the guitar is doing scientifically an alluring venture, but it’s his intuition, understanding of the wood, eyes and hands which carry the weight in his practice. In Richard’s own words: “Qualities I aspire to achieve in each of my instruments are a rich beautiful voice with a wide tonal palette of colors throughout the entire fingerboard, clear separation from string to string, a voice that projects from an intimate setting to a large concert hall and a wide dynamic range.” It’s important for him to create an instrument where the soundboard and strings have a liveliness and sensitivity when lightly plucked. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s really important to be able to push and dig into the strings where the quality of the sound has a body which holds up rather than a percussive quality which falls apart.

Art Deco Design from a Los Angeles Workshop

Richard’s work artistically is inspired by geometric shapes, simple lines and natural colors drawing from the art deco era, which is implemented in the purfling, rosette, decorative inlays and machine heads. Through his attention to detail and perfectionist nature, he treats each instrument as if it’s his last. He builds a limited number of instruments per year, which allows him to focus on quality rather than quantity. Although originally from Santa Monica, Richard currently lives and works in a charming old 1920s building in the artistic Los Feliz area of Los Angeles.