2004 Tobias Braun "1912 Ramírez" SP/IN

A 2004 "1912 Ramírez" classical guitar by Tobias Braun, with a German spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides – inspired by the 1912 Manuel Ramírez made famous by Andrés Segovia.

In the videos above, Max Müller plays Villa-Lobos's Prelude No. 2 and Giovanni Piacentini plays his own "Selva Adentro" on this guitar.

Turn-of-the-Century Madrid

The guitar follows the Ramírez style not only in looks but in structure: it is lightly built, with a quick response and a loose, warm, romantic sound – and at the same time very clean and extremely loud, round and thick yet clear. A small tornavoz, about 16 mm deep, adds projection.

Bearclaw Spruce, Tap Plates

The top is gorgeous German spruce covered in bearclaw. Pre-owned, the guitar has no structural damage or repairs, only some wear in the finish; tap plates have been added, so it can also serve as a flamenco negra.

Read more: Orfeo Magazine No. 17 – The Viennese Guitar (with a feature on Tobias Braun)

Tobias Braun: A Romanillos-Trained Maker in the Vienna Woods

Tobias Braun was born in Holzminden, Germany, in 1960 and grew up in Perchtoldsdorf, just outside Vienna. He built his first guitar on his own in 1983, then took four courses with José Luis Romanillos between 1984 and 1992, earned his Master Craftsman's Certificate in Vienna in 1989 and helped translate Romanillos' book on Antonio de Torres into German. Since 1998 he has worked in Gaaden, in the Vienna Woods.

Santos, Ramírez and Rare Woods

His guitars grow out of the old Spanish masters – above all the 1924 Santos Hernández of Luise Walker, which he has studied and lectured on, and a 1912 Manuel Ramírez. Many have a small tornavoz for projection and clarity, and he is one of the few makers since García and Simplicio to work with satinwood. He was featured in Orfeo Magazine No. 17, "The Viennese Guitar".