Manuel Ramirez – 1903-1909

Manuel Ramirez (1864-1916) is one of the most important luthiers of guitar history. In his workshop in Madrid he trained and inspired many now-legendary luthiers such as Santos Hernandez, Enrique Garcia, Domingo Esteso, Modesto Borreguero, Antonio Emilio Pascual Viudes and José Gomez-Ramirez. His legacy can be found in almost all modern guitar-making branches. From South America with his employee Antonio Emilio Pascual Viudes (1883-1959), who migrated to Buenos Aires before the first world war, to the French school of guitar making with Julian Gomez Ramirez (1879-1943), who brought the Spanish guitar to Paris and taught the famous French luthier Robert Bouchet (1898-1986); the Barcelonian aesthetic with Enrique Garcia (1868-1922) or the following of the Madrid sound ideal with Santos Hernandez (1874-1943) and Domingo Esteso (1882–1937). It is also interesting to note that Manuel Ramirez strongly inspired cutting-edge German luthiers Matthias Damman and Gernot Wagner’s headstock shape and, more generally, the German classical

guitar-making philosophy that started with the collaboration of Andrés Segovia (1893-1987) and Hermann Hauser I (1882-1952) in the 1920s, happened around Segovia’s more than famous Manuel Ramirez made in 1912.

Manuel Ramirez’s design is sober yet precise and delicate, with just enough elaboration to make it precious yet enough free space to admire the quality of the wood and set the standard for generations to come. Moreover, he was one of the first luthiers in Madrid to truly understand the legacy of Antonio de Torres (1817-1892), both in terms of aesthetics and sound. From the many Torres guitars that still can be found with Manuel Ramirez’s repair label inside, it is clear that M. Ramirez studied Antonio de Torres’s instruments on many occasions. The real genius was Ramirez’s ability to grasp their essence and express it in his own way. As a result, his instruments are well-proportioned full-size concert guitars with a responsive, deeply tuned soundboard, rich, complex tone, and outstanding craftsmanship.

This beautiful model was made between 1903-1909 and is an essential part of Spanish guitar history. This slightly smaller-bodied instrument has a vibrant Spanish tone character with deep, dark, mysterious basses and clear bell-like smooth trebles. Due to the feather-like weight, this Manuel Ramirez possesses a considerable volume and instant response. The mystical character with its charm has continued to captivate players and listeners of any type. Despite its age, this guitar is in excellent playing condition, with only one well-repaired crack on the side. The well-aged spruce soundboard and cypress back are in remarkable condition, showing only some playing wear. This Manuel Ramirez guitar is a piece of history that will please collectors and players of any sort.

Watch the presentation video of this particular guitar below, where you will find a lot of additional information about its playability and sound.