2020 Mario Aracama CD/CSAR

This 2020 Mario Aracama classical guitar pairs a Western red cedar top with CSA rosewood back and sides – Mario's sixth guitar for GSI, built during Spain's 2020 lockdown and documented on video.

Built During the 2020 Lockdown

This guitar was built during the most severe Spanish lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mario had the opportunity to document the building process on video: it was shot over two months by a friend of Mario's, a British cyclist who was stranded in the area during the quarantine (see videos).

Cedar and CSA Rosewood

Mario combined Western red cedar for the soundboard with a beautiful set of CSA rosewood for the back and sides – our first from him with this classic wood combination. As he has done in the past, he doubled the sides with 1.3 mm of cypress on the interior for added rigidity, adding power and focus to every note. Ebony fingerboard, cedar neck.

Sound

Friendly and responsive, with an immediate but gentle attack and a velvety, full sound, plus a lovely palette of colors with the slightest change in right-hand position. Basses are deep, trebles thick and rich, with great clarity between voices. Very comfortable for both hands. A charming, traditional guitar full of Spanish character.

Photos taken during 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.