Flamenco guitar Enrique Garcia 1916

This classical guitar was made by the genius luthier Enrique García in 1916. He was born in Madrid in 1868 and died on 31 October 1922 in Barcelona. Despite being a son of a luthier (Juan García), he started in the business by joining Manuel Ramírez´s workshop in 1883, working for him until 1895. After leaving this workshop, he moved to Barcelona, where he would open his own workshop, in 309 Aragon St. In 1899 he moved to 455 Aragon St, and later on, he would finally move again to 110 Paseo San Juan. Enrique García is regarded as the father of Barcelona school, or Catalan school in the world of Spanish guitar. In 1893 he was awarded the First Prize of the “Chicago World Fair”, providing him with worldwide prestige and recognition, particularly in Latin America, where his guitars were highly demanded. His guitars stand out for their very personal and intimate sound, which succeeded in captivating some of the greatest maestros of that time, such as Francisco Tárrega or Domingo Prat. Enrique García died on 31 October 1922.

This classical guitar belonged to the guitar maestro and composer Graciano Tarragó (1892-1973), and was purchased directly from the guitarist´s family. (SEE NEWS)

This classical guitar has two inscriptions under the top, written by master luthier Marcelino López Nieto in 1973. One of them describes the restoration of the guitar, specifying the top and the fingerboard were replaced, preserving the original rosette, bridge and even the pawns! This is no doubt one of the very best restorations we have ever seen. On the second inscription, we can see a dedicatory to the memory of his friend, Graciano Tarragó, who had passed away that year.

The woods selected for this classical guitar are of the best quality possible. The top was specially chosen by Marcelino for his friend, intending to make it truly special and exceptional. The Brazilian rosewood used by Enrique Garcia for the making of this instrument is simply wonderful. In fact, we should bear in mind this instrument is more than 100 years old, which provides it with really special sound qualities.

The sound of this classical guitar is absolutely marvellous. Enrique Garcia´s guitars have a really emotional sound, with unmatched sweetness and warmth. Despite having the top replaced, we do not forget this is a piece of work by one of the very best luthiers ever; the effort and devotion put into this instrument by Marcelino is obvious, owing to his close friendship with the owner, Graciano Tarragó (who had recently passed away). This effort and devotion, along with the utmost respect shown to the instrument itself, result in a true masterpiece, capable of captivating the most demanding guitarist.