Otto Vowinkel

Otto Vowinkel builds lightweight classical guitars with exceptional sound, clarity, and balance. Each instrument features traditional French polish, precise craftsmanship, and a unique rosette inspired by Amsterdam’s flag. His range includes concert, flamenco, baritone, and student models handcrafted in Spain, using premium tonewoods like cedar, spruce, rosewood, cocobolo, and Spanish cypress.

You may also be interested in about Otto Vowinkel

Otto Vowinkel – Guitar Maker

Otto Vowinkel is a well-known name in the world of classical guitar; a renowned guitar maker with clients all over the world. He is a guitar builder with a strong attention to detail and a deep preference for traditionally constructed guitars.

Sound, Design, and Models

His instruments are physically light, incredibly easy to play, ultra-responsive, and remarkably powerful. They exhibit outstanding tonal characteristics, consistency in tonal color, and perfect intonation. His concert guitars are completely French polished and finished with shellac. A distinctive rosette design features herringbone purfling surrounding a mosaic motif representing the flag of Amsterdam. The carved headstock resembles the façade of his workshop.

In addition to the traditional classical model, he also builds baritone guitars (quintbass), cutaways, seven-string guitars, and flamenco guitars. His student models are handcrafted under his supervision in Spain.

Materials and Craftsmanship

Vowinkel uses Canadian cedar or European spruce for the soundboard and various types of rosewood for the back and sides. He also employs cocobolo, maple, and Spanish cypress (for flamenco guitars) to great effect.