{"product_id":"garcia-simplicio-torres-c-1918-1922","title":"Garcia\/Simplicio “Torres” (c.1918–1922)","description":"\u003ch2 data-start=\"494\" data-end=\"511\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"497\" data-end=\"509\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"512\" data-end=\"1035\"\u003eThis is one of the most extraordinary guitars I have ever featured on GuitarCollection.com and one of the rarest historic Spanish instruments a collector is likely to encounter. Although the internal label reads \u003cstrong data-start=\"724\" data-end=\"745\"\u003eAntonio de Torres\u003c\/strong\u003e, this guitar was almost certainly built by \u003cstrong data-start=\"789\" data-end=\"812\"\u003eFrancisco Simplicio\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong data-start=\"816\" data-end=\"834\"\u003eEnrique Garcia\u003c\/strong\u003e, two of the most celebrated Barcelona makers in history. Only a very small number of these Torres copies were produced, likely around ten, and the few surviving examples rarely appear on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1037\" data-end=\"1487\"\u003eThis particular instrument stands out as possibly the most ornate and best-preserved example known. It is modeled after the legendary \u003cstrong data-start=\"1171\" data-end=\"1211\"\u003eFE 08\"La guitarra cumbre\" (The Supreme Guitar)\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of Torres’s most important guitars, and mirrors that design with exceptional faithfulness. These guitars were created as tributes to Torres’s genius, faithful recreations of his form and spirit, yet unmistakably infused with the Catalan artistry of Garcia and Simplicio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1489\" data-end=\"1794\"\u003eThe craftsmanship is breathtaking. The rosette features mother of pearl inlays and intricate wheat motifs, the purflings are hand-executed with astonishing precision, and the entire instrument reflects the refinement and creativity that made Garcia and Simplicio two of the greatest luthiers of their era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1796\" data-end=\"1957\"\u003eThis is the first time this guitar has been publicly shown. It remained in private hands for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1959\" data-end=\"1962\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-start=\"1964\" data-end=\"1983\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1967\" data-end=\"1983\"\u003eKey Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1984\" data-end=\"2674\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1984\" data-end=\"1992\"\u003eTop:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spruce, no cracks or repairs\u003cbr data-start=\"2021\" data-end=\"2024\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2024\" data-end=\"2043\"\u003eBack and Sides:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cuban Mahogany (now an extinct tonewood) with elaborate meander and wheat-pattern marquetry\u003cbr data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2138\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2138\" data-end=\"2160\"\u003eBack Construction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four-piece back, inspired by Torres’s FE 08\u003cbr data-start=\"2204\" data-end=\"2207\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2207\" data-end=\"2224\"\u003eScale Length:\u003c\/strong\u003e 650 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"2288\" data-end=\"2291\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2291\" data-end=\"2300\"\u003eNeck:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mostly C-shaped with a flatter center\u003cbr data-start=\"2338\" data-end=\"2341\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2341\" data-end=\"2352\"\u003eAction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very low and exceptionally comfortable\u003cbr data-start=\"2391\" data-end=\"2394\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2394\" data-end=\"2405\"\u003eTuners:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very old period tuners that function smoothly\u003cbr data-start=\"2451\" data-end=\"2454\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2454\" data-end=\"2480\"\u003eInternal Construction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep brass tornavoz that significantly lowers the main air resonance\u003cbr data-start=\"2549\" data-end=\"2552\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2552\" data-end=\"2566\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e One expertly repaired crack on the back, otherwise structurally outstanding for an instrument of this age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2676\" data-end=\"2679\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-start=\"2681\" data-end=\"2710\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2684\" data-end=\"2708\"\u003eTone and Playability\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2711\" data-end=\"3097\"\u003eThis guitar has an unmistakable old-world voice with an incredibly deep resonance created by the long tornavoz. The basses have enormous presence and bloom, yet the trebles remain clear, bright, and surprisingly powerful. It delivers the kind of throbbing low-end response often associated with Torres, while avoiding the imbalance sometimes found in early 20th-century Catalan guitars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3099\" data-end=\"3362\"\u003eThe sustain is striking, especially in the upper register. Certain notes hang in the air far longer than expected, giving the guitar an expressive and vocal quality. The second and third strings are particularly special, producing an almost luminous singing tone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3364\" data-end=\"3655\"\u003eThe guitar feels alive under the fingers. Every note vibrates through the neck and body, and the responsiveness is immediate. The low action and narrow nut width make it very easy to play, and the overall balance across the strings is remarkable for an instrument over one hundred years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3657\" data-end=\"3912\"\u003eFor those who have played historic Torres, Garcia, or Simplicio guitars, the lineage is unmistakable. For those who have not, this guitar delivers a rare opportunity to experience the sound world that shaped the foundations of the modern classical guitar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"3914\" data-end=\"3917\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-start=\"3919\" data-end=\"3951\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3922\" data-end=\"3949\"\u003eHistorical Significance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3952\" data-end=\"4211\"\u003eThis instrument is a significant part of Spanish guitar history. The FE 08 model it is patterned after was one of Torres’s most celebrated creations, named \"La guitarra cumbre\" by Domingo Prat, a direct student of Llobet who himself played the FE08 Torres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4213\" data-end=\"4551\"\u003eThe craftsmanship clearly places it within the Garcia and Simplicio lineage, both of whom were instrumental in carrying the Torres tradition into the 20th century. The combination of a Torres plantilla, Catalan aesthetic signatures, and the extinct Cuban mahogany makes this an exceptional example of turn-of-the-century Spanish lutherie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4553\" data-end=\"4847\"\u003eWith perhaps only ten of these Torres copies ever built, and only a few known to survive, this guitar represents a nearly impossible opportunity for collectors. Its preservation, originality, and level of detail place it among the most significant Catalan instruments to appear in recent years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"4849\" data-end=\"4852\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4854\" data-end=\"4941\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4854\" data-end=\"4941\"\u003eIf you're interested in purchasing, please write to me at \u003ca data-start=\"4914\" data-end=\"4939\" class=\"decorated-link cursor-pointer\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eevan@guitarcollection.com\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ms-0.5 inline-block align-middle leading-none\"\u003e\u003csvg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-rtl-flip=\"\" class=\"block h-[0.75em] w-[0.75em] stroke-current stroke-[0.75]\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"M14.3349 13.3301V6.60645L5.47065 15.4707C5.21095 15.7304 4.78895 15.7304 4.52925 15.4707C4.26955 15.211 4.26955 14.789 4.52925 14.5293L13.3935 5.66504H6.66011C6.29284 5.66504 5.99507 5.36727 5.99507 5C5.99507 4.63273 6.29284 4.33496 6.66011 4.33496H14.9999L15.1337 4.34863C15.4369 4.41057 15.665 4.67857 15.665 5V13.3301C15.6649 13.6973 15.3672 13.9951 14.9999 13.9951C14.6327 13.9951 14.335 13.6973 14.3349 13.3301Z\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4943\" data-end=\"5067\"\u003ePlease note: Free UPS 2nd day air shipping is included if paid via a feeless method. Please contact for payment information.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guitar Collection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51282984042788,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/1543\/9652\/files\/TorresSimplicioGarcia-2.jpg?v=1762528662","url":"https:\/\/guitarcollection.myshopify.com\/products\/garcia-simplicio-torres-c-1918-1922","provider":"Guitar Collection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}