1999 Enrico Bottelli SP/CSAR

A 1999 classical guitar by Enrico Bottelli, with a spruce top and CSA rosewood back and sides – built in Milan, where his label of that time places his workshop.

In the video above, Sedona Farber plays Rodrigo's "Tiento Antiguo" on this guitar.

An Early Bottelli

It comes from just a few years after Enrico's studies with José Luis Romanillos in 1994 and 1995, and it already shows his hallmarks: a lightweight, very responsive build, a wide range of tone colors, and a balanced blend of deep bass, warm middle and clear, well-defined singing treble, with power enough for solo or ensemble work.

Condition

Rare woods, precise craftsmanship and an elegant rosette and purfling make it a beautiful guitar to look at. It is pre-owned, with no damage or repairs, only some surface wear in the finish.

Read more: Orfeo Magazine No. 13 – Italia Special (with a feature on Enrico Bottelli)

Enrico Bottelli: Classical Guitar Maker of Voghera

Enrico Bottelli was born in Milan, Italy, in 1961. His first experience in lutherie came in 1981 under master luthier Carlo Raspagni; in 1982 he took Ervin Somogyi's steel-string course in Berkeley, California, and in 1988 he studied the Kasha system with Richard Schneider – the year he began to build classical guitars exclusively. Today he works in Voghera, south of Milan.

Learning from Romanillos and the Spanish Masters

The turning point came in 1994 and 1995, when he studied the traditional Spanish approach with José Luis Romanillos. That led him to the guitars of Antonio de Torres, Enrique García, Manuel Ramírez, Hermann Hauser I and David Rubio, which he has examined extensively. His work has been shown at exhibitions in Italy, Europe and the USA, and he was featured in Orfeo Magazine No. 13.