This flamenco guitar is probably the biggest surprise we have seen lately. We had known Geoff for long, due to our business relationship, as we were interested in his old guitars. We knew about his passion, his vocation for guitar making. However, we could never imagine the incredibly high level his guitars had. Jordi himself travelled to the USA in order to purchase the guitar Marcelo Barbero 1955 through Geoff. After he had the chance to try one of his guitars, he called me and said:

– Carlos, I don´t want you to get overexcited, but you are not going to believe this: this is the closest guitar I have ever tried to a Marcelo Barbero.

Obviously, I thought he was exaggerating.

Jordi landed in Spain after his trip and brought the guitars with him. Of course, I couldn´t wait to try Geoff´s guitar.

When I did, as soon as I strummed it all over the fingerboard, Jordi´s words instantly made sense. Such a similar flamenco timbre to Marcelo Barbero´s, which is usually acquired after many years, and after the crystallization of the wood. Instead, we were hearing almost the same sound from a brand-new guitar.

The sound of this guitar beats any expectations by far. Personally, I would say the strummings are the best you can hear in a new guitar.. Such a beautiful timbre with this “hollow” effect, and this “rebound” on the bass strings. The trebles are thick and enveloping, which results in a unique work of art. SEE GUITAR

On Solera Flamenca we always bet on quality, so we are more than convinced that Geoff Rashe will be part of “the great makers” in a near future. Also, we are sure he will be the new ambassador of the flamenco guitar in the USA, along with Lester Devoe.

Geoff Rashe understood the fusion of art and science since he was really young. First, as an Applied Maths student, at California University (San Diego).Then, he moved to the design and making of surfboards, while he was studying to get his Literature degree. Surf and his study of Spanish language led him to moving to Spain in 1990, starting an everlasting relationship with Spanish art and music, and very particularly, with the flamenco guitar. When he made his first guitar, he felt he had found his true vocation.

As it was impossible to find master luthiers to teach him in California, he started an obsessive search for guitars made by the very best luthiers in history. Eventually, he collected some of the best instruments made by Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández, Domingo Esteso, Hermanos Conde, Gerundino Fernández, Manuel Reyes and Marcelo Barbero. He studied these instruments down to the tiniest detail. In fact, he considered these luthier his own mentors. Currently, Geoff Rashe lives in his hometown: Santa Cruz, California.