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Francisco Simplicio is considered one of the greatest luthiers, and also the creator of the modern guitar. Simplicio was born in 1874 in Barcelona, his art is part of the culture of this city. Initially, he was a cabinetmaker: he worked for the prestigious furniture maker Masriera Vidal, and the sophisticated ornamentation which characterized their luxury furniture would remain his trademark in his new craft as a luthier. In 1919, he left cabinetmaking to enter Enrique Garcia's workshop. This collaboration will last three years until Garcia's death in 1922. Francisco Simplicio considered himself the one and only disciple of Garcia, as he made a point of mentioning on his labels throughout his career. There are 343 numbered guitars, plus 7 with the letter "A" and 11 with a double rosette, that is to say 361 guitars built by Francisco Simplicio between 1923 and 1931 in the same workshop where he was trained at 110 Pasaeo San Juan, which corresponds to an average of 45 guitars per year (!). This guitar built one year before his death in 1932 bears the number 343, it would be the last one in this list of numbered guitars. 

Soundwise, this guitar displays all the qualities of this exceptional luthier’s instruments. The timbre is warm and woody, the basses round and deep, the trebles colored, mellow, singing, a great expressiveness. A magnificent instrument signed by one of the greatest luthiers of the 20th century.