This is a concert guitar of the first tier. It projects a huge volume of sound with a sweet, yet powerful tone in the Spanish tradition. This guitar is featured in composer/guitarist Peter Lewis' upcoming recording of his guitar suites to be released in the Spring of 2002.

The neck action is easier to handle than most guitars in this size class; a lot easier than the action on either of my Ramirez guitars. There are a few light surface scratches on the soundboard as you would expect from a guitar of this vintage. This instrument was purchased in 1972 at the Bernabe shop in Madrid shortly after he had left Ramirez to set out on his own. If you want the big warm Spanish sound, then this is it.

If you are looking for a playable, historically correct, warm sounding salon guitar to perform your Sor and Guiliani, this is it. I purchased this some years ago in Zurich and was told by the collector that it was probably constructed by Kieger in his Viennese violin shop. Items of note include the beautiful inlaid purfling that matches the rosette and the carved wood floral design that branches out from each side of the bridge. A few small sections of the floral design are missing but someone has painted in the gaps with eloquent care. There are no visible cracks anywhere on this instrument. The only noticeable flaw would be a very slight wearing of the neck at the lower frets. The label indicates the date (1820) and the maker (Joseph Kieger) in beautiful calligraphy.

Manuel Contreras wrote on the label of this guitar "to my good friend, Celin Romero." This top-of-the-line-guitar was purchased from the Romeros by a student of theirs in the 1970s. The back is made of beautiful Brazilian Rosewood. The saddle is inlaid to match the rosette. The sound is big and warm and the neck action easier than that of a Ramirez. Unfortunately, the original owner of the guitar was not the best care giver for an instrument of this caliber. Oh yes, there are the usual minor playing scratches from rasgueados and the like that you would expect from a student playing the Romero's reperatory. But the finish on the soundboard is cracking and there is an unopened crack that runs the length of the back. I believe the asking price reflects these imperfections.

This is an excellent example of the work of the legendary luthier, Luis Panormo. Based in London, Panormo was one of the leading makers of guitars during the first half of the nineteenth century. This Panormo was formerly owned by Guy Horn, a legend of sorts in his own right. The back and sides are in excellent condition with a few very minor closed cracks in the Brazilian rosewood. The sound board has three repaired cracks and was refinished some years ago. The bridge has been repaired with slight glue traces at the edges. The tuning keys are the original ivory and are in excellent condition. The guitar is structurally sound and plays quite well. Sor or Giuliani anyone?

This is a beautiful and collectable guitar from the eccentric and legendary San Francisco luthier Warren White, who died tragically in a fire in the mid-90s. White was destitute at the time of his death. I was told that this instrument belonged to another well known San Francisco guitar maker, George Peacock, which may or may not be true. This instrument is in very good condition with a few minor flaws. There is a small unopened crack on the sound board running from the bridge to the bottom of the lower bout. The back has two small unopened cracks which you might expect from a 1967 vintage Brazilian Rosewood guitar. The rosette is classic White with his trademark intricate tile design of roses. There is no Warren White, Jr. and so there is a limited number of these guitars available.

This guitar is the same vintage as the guitar Julian Bream used in his 1965 masterful opus, 20th Century Guitar, which inspired a generation of guitar composers. It was constructed when Rubio was living in New York under the pseudonym Jose Rubio during the 1960s.

The soundboard is made of matched halves of spruce. The backs and sides are constructed of highly figured Brazilian rosewood. The back and sides are in nearly mint condition but there have been three repairs to the soundboard; two repaired cracks on each side of the neck and an additional repaired crack running under and parallel to the D string between the sound hole and the bridge.

This guitar has all of the typical Rubio qualities: a balanced sound with a bell-like quality. The sound and vintage is highly desirable but the price reflects the three repairs.

This guitar is one of the finest sounding Rubios I have ever played. The sound is deeper and darker than your typical Rubio and has tremendous projection. The trebles are bell-like and to die for. The soundboard, as in nearly all Rubios, is made of matched halves of spruce. The backs and sides are constructed of beautifully matched straight-grained Brazilian rosewood. I would rate the condition of the instrument as excellent - free from cracks - with normal playing wear on the soundboard. It was lovingly maintained by its' owner since the 1960s. Rubio himself, was very impressed with the sound of this instrument when he had a chance to hear the instrument years later.

This instrument was constructed during Rubio's New York period when he used the pseudonym Jose Rubio. Some experts claim that the New York Rubios are the only Rubio guitars that one can be sure were made by Rubio himself. When Rubio returned to England in the late 1960s, he used apprentice luthiers to assist him including the highly acclaimed Paul Fisher.

Maurice Summerfield places Rubio on the mainline of the greatest luthiers of the 20th century. Indeed, perhaps the greatest guitar album ever recorded was Julian Bream's 1965 groundbreaking opus, 20th Century Guitar. I believe Rubios are the greatest guitars ever made; their balanced bell-like clarity coupled with projection and sustain are unparalleled.

Rubio passed away in late 2000 after a long illness. In spite of his untimely death, his guitars have guaranteed him immortality in the annuls of guitar history.

This guitar appears on page 130 of Sheldon Urlik's tome, A Collection of Fine Spanish Guitars, from Torres to the Present, Sunny Knoll Publishing Co. 1997. (For a thorough description of the guitar's dimensions, please see Urlik's book.) Because the guitar was chosen as a paradigm example of a Rubio, it is highly collectible.

The sound board, as in nearly all Rubios, is made of matched halves of spruce. The backs and sides are constructed of beautifully matched straight-grained Brazilian rosewood with double purfling. The tuning machines are by Rogers.

Maurice Summerfield places Rubio on the mainline of the greatest luthiers of the 20th century. Indeed, perhaps the greatest guitar album ever recorded was Julian Bream's 1965 groundbreaking opus, 20th Century Guitar. I believe Rubios are the greatest guitars ever made; their balanced bell-like clarity coupled with projection and sustain and unparalleled.

Rubio passed away in late 2000 after a long illness. In spite of his untimely death, his guitars have guaranteed him immortality in the annuls of guitar history.

This guitar is nearly identical to the 1987 Smallman shown on page 143 in Sheldon Urlik's, A Collection of Fine Spanish Guitars, from the chocolate colored straight-grained Spruce top, the woven patterned rosette, to the carved Brazilian rosewood back and sides. The only blemish is a small repair performed by Smallman himself on the lower right-side of the soundboard. Other than that, this guitar is very near mint.

Many renowned players, from John Williams to Paul McCartney, have recorded and concertized with Smallmans. The sound is very loud, well balanced with dark coloring. The neck is thin and easy to navigate.

Smallman guitars arguably represent the most radical departure in guitar design since Torres. His place in guitar history is assured. There aren't many around primarily due to his extremely low output. (Humphrey makes more guitars in a month than Smallman makes in five years.)

A stunning instrument! This French parlor guitar was used in Important Films Ltd.'s production of The Importance of Being Ernest. The back and sides are made of Brazilian rosewood with ivory purfling. The tuning machines are original and in fabulous condition. The spruce top is inlaid with a striking mother-of-pearl florid design. The workmanship is simply priceless. They don't make them like this anymore.

The neck is straight and true and the guitar is quite playable. I don't want to part with this guitar but for $9,000, it's yours.

This is an outstanding looking and sounding guitar from one of America's very best luthiers, Richard Prenkert. The scale is 640mm so the playability is exceptional. I have not played a guitar with a better balance across all strings. Additionally, this guitar booms, competing in volume and sustain with the loudest Spanish guitars.

The back and sides are made of drop-dead gorgeous Brazilian and the rosette is a weave of roses. My first impression of this instrument was the ease of producing a solid and pleasant tone without fighting the instrument. Contrapuntal pieces ring loud and clear without the darkened mush that occurs on many of the Spanish instruments.

Finally, Prenkert guitars are loud AND made to last. You won't see rippling after a few years as you do on many of today's concert guitars due to thin sound boards. On my CD, A Virtuoso Christmas (available on this website), I use a Prenkert in the Variations on Lo, How a Ros' E'er Blooming. Hear it for yourself.