Spain - Barcelona

1923 (n°11)

65 cm

Spruce

Brazilian rosewood

Ebony - neck width : 50 mm

Body length : 470 mm - Body width :

280/245/360 mm - Body depth : 92/97 mm

1 534 g

2,5/3,5 mm

Very good : an old crack on the top side has been restaured and stabilized (more informations and pictures on demand)

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This guitar has an "Enrique Garcia" label signed by Francisco Simplicio. It is one of the first (number 11) of the fifty or so guitars with the same type of label. Simplicio was García's pupil and disciple. When Garcia died in 1922, his pupil succeeded him in the same workshop at 110 paseo San Juan in Barcelona. Throughout his career he made a point of mentioning on his own labels "only disciple of Enrique Garcia", thus asserting his connection and claiming his attachment to the the great luthier whom Domingo Prat described as "the Stradivarius of the guitar ». This instrument is typical of the style of Enrique Garcia's last guitars, as can be seen in the Sheldon Urlich collection of 1922, with the number 268 (see picture). Aesthetically speaking, this instrument is a real work of art with its wide purfling, the fineness of the rosette, the sculpture and the inlays on the head. It is true to the spirit of Barcelona (see the article in Orfeo Magazine)

Soundwise, it marks a transition between the original 19th century guitar in the style of Torres, and the 20th century modern instrument which was to be developed by Simplicio in the following years. Another notable feature of this exceptional guitar: it was one of the first of Simplicio's guitars to be sent to South America, probably to fulfill orders made at the time when Enrique Garcia was alive.

Sources :

-"A collection of fine spanish guitar from Torres to the present" by Sheldon Urlich (page 59)

- Enrique Garcia and Francisco Simplicio's portraits from the book "Francisco Simplicio, luthier" by Diego Milanese and Umberto Piazza - Enrique Garcia photo : Joan Vilatobà/ Hasslwanter collection - Francisco Simplicio photo : Daniel Friederich collection