Francisco Simplicio - 1929 No. 266
Francisco Simplicio - 1929 No. 266
Details
Details
Overview
Overview
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Shipping important note
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Details about GPSR
Details about GPSR
Video overview
More details about the guitar
About the luthier
Francisco Simplicio (1874–1932) began his career as a cabinet maker in the workshop of Masriera & Vidal in Barcelona, where he trained from a young age and remained active for nearly two decades. In 1917, due to political unrest, he was forced to close his own workshop and subsequently joined the workshop of his close friend Enrique Garcia.
After Garcia’s death in 1922, Simplicio took over the workshop and continued building guitars under Garcia’s name for several years before producing instruments under his own label. Between 1922 and 1932, he built a limited number of guitars, each distinguished by refined craftsmanship and a highly individual artistic identity. His work is recognised for its detailed marquetry, sculptural headstock designs, and a stylistic language associated with Catalan modernism. Today, his instruments are regarded among the most significant examples of early twentieth century Spanish guitar making.
About the guitar
This guitar, built in 1929, presents a tonal character that reflects the refined aesthetic associated with Simplicio’s work. Its voice is warm and lyrical, centred around a clear fundamental with a delicate and controlled sustain. The instrument responds immediately to the player’s input, offering a high degree of nuance and a finely graded dynamic range.
The balance across the register is carefully maintained. The trebles emerge with clarity and elegance, carrying a singing quality without sharpness, while the basses are full and rounded, supporting the texture without dominating it. The separation between voices remains distinct, allowing contrapuntal lines to unfold with precision and transparency.
The overall impression is one of intimacy combined with completeness of sound. The instrument projects with restraint rather than force, making it particularly suited to smaller spaces and repertoire that benefits from subtle colouration and expressive detail. Its light construction contributes to both its immediacy of response and its capacity for refined tonal shading.
Condition
The guitar has been professionally restored and is in very good condition for its age. The top shows five repaired cracks. Two major cracks have been reinforced with two cleats each. All cracks have been filled with hide glue and levelled.
The back shows seven repaired cracks, previously treated by another luthier using glue injection and clamping. Additionally, binding gaps in two areas of the back have been addressed, filled, and sealed to match the original contour, with local French polish applied.
The sides show two larger cracks that have been stabilised with a total of eight cleats, five on the primary crack and three on the secondary, ensuring structural integrity.
The bridge and neck joint have been reinforced, while the original headstock has been preserved. The varnish has been carefully retouched in accordance with the original finish.
Regular care extends the life of the instrument
Even with careful use, a classical guitar may gradually change in appearance or respond to unstable storage conditions. Have a close look at your guitar regularly and be attentif to changes. If your instrument is suffering from its environement, it will let you know.
Protect Your Guitar: Handle with Care
Be mindful when touching your instrument with greasy or unwashed hands: any skin contact is a small attack on the varnish. Of course, a guitar is made to be played, but taking a few precautions helps preserve its beauty: wash your hands before playing, wear long sleeves, and avoid unnecessary direct skin contact with the body of the instrument.
Pro tip: Avoid playing with a button-up shirt, heavy jewelry, or a belt, as these can scratch the guitar. Also, make sure your guitar case is free of any objects that could damage the instrument during storage.
String care
A good habit to adopt is wiping down your strings briefly after each playing session. This small action significantly extends their lifespan and helps maintain a consistent, comfortable feel under your fingers.
Most importantly, clean strings are essential for keeping your instrument in tune. Corrosion, sweat, and dust can affect the uniformity of the strings and interfere with accurate tuning across the entire fingerboard.
Pro tip: If you're having trouble getting your guitar in tune, it might be time to change the strings. A useful test is to compare the pitch of the 12th fret harmonic with the fretted note at the 12th fret; if there's an unusually large gap between them, your strings may have lost their integrity and should be replaced.
Keep Your Shellac Finish Shining!
Got a guitar with a shellac (French polish) finish? Here's a simple trick: Take a clean microfiber cloth and gently breathe on the surface to create a light mist. Then, softly rub to remove fingerprints, sweat, and grease. That’s usually all it takes to keep it looking great, no products needed!
Pro tip: Every few years, treat your guitar to a check-up with a luthier to keep it in top shape.
Storing Your Guitar: Climate Matters
Your guitar can safely stay outside its case, as long as the surrounding environment maintains 42–55% humidity and a temperature between 18–25°C.
Keep in mind that humidity levels can still fluctuate inside the case, especially during seasonal changes.
- Too much humidity may cause overtightened strings and a dull tone.
- Too little humidity can lead to a bulging top, string buzz, or even cracks.
Avoid placing your guitar near radiators, air conditioners, or windows with direct sunlight.
Pro tip: Always close your guitar case while playing. This helps preserve a stable microclimate inside the case, so your instrument is protected the moment you put it back in.