1995 Otto Vowinkel "640" SP/IN (ex George Sakellariou)

This 1995 Otto Vowinkel “640” is a concert classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and owned for many years by the concert artist George Sakellariou.

Ex George Sakellariou

This instrument has been owned and played for many years by the great concert artist George Sakellariou, who has since recorded several videos for us on Otto’s more recent guitars.

A Shorter Scale and a Light Build

It is a fantastic early Vowinkel concert guitar. Otto’s instruments have always been among the more lightweight in our inventory – a slightly more compact body and an efficient use of materials – and with its shorter 640mm string length this one is incredibly easy to play, as well as ultra-responsive and very powerful. The compact body and the shorter scale produce substantial volume with little right-hand effort, and a plump and lively quality of tone, very lyrical and beautiful at the same time.

Concentric Rings and French Polish

The design elements are understated yet elegant: a rosette of concentric rings (which he still uses for his 2a models), matched by the purflings in the tie block. The workmanship is to the highest standards, and the traditional French polish of shellac was done with great care, giving a beautiful luster. Although used, the guitar is in excellent condition, with only minor wear in the finish.

Otto Vowinkel: Classical Guitar Maker in Amsterdam

Otto Vowinkel grew up in a family of tailors in the old center of Amsterdam. He came to the guitar as a player, and in 1984 – with no teacher, a few basic tools and Irving Sloane’s book Classical Guitar Construction – he built his first guitar in the attic of his house. He learned by showing each new guitar to every guitarist he could find and building the next one with their comments in mind.

Traditional Spanish Building and French Polish

In 1989 Otto met his future wife, the Dutch guitarist Esther Steenbergen, and the Andalusia-based Dutch maker Alex van der Horst (“Alejandro”, 1959–2009), with whom he worked regularly and shared his ideas about the ideal guitar: a flexible tone, a quick response, and quality of sound as the carrier of volume. Otto builds in the traditional way and is a specialist in French polish, on which he now gives lectures and workshops. His rosettes carry the colors of the flag of Amsterdam.

Concert Guitars and Student Models

Besides his concert classical guitars, Otto makes flamenco guitars, quart guitars and fifth-bass (baritone) guitars. He has also designed student models that are handmade in small workshops in Spain under his supervision. You can read more in our article on Otto Vowinkel.