Ignacio Fleta – 1958

Description

Ignacio Fleta (1897-1977) is one of the most famous luthiers of the twentieth century. In addition to being a successful guitar maker, he was a recognized bowed and ancient instruments luthier (violins, violas, cellos, vihuelas, and violas de gamba). After his death, his work was continued by his two sons Gabriel and Francisco Fleta and later by his grandson Gabriel Fleta Jr. The current waiting time for a new guitar is about 20 years.

This superb Fléta built in 1958 is an absolutely charming instrument, dating from one of the most interesting periods of Ignacio Fleta’s career. This guitar, numbered 131 has a spruce top and the back and sides are made of Indian rosewood. It comes to us from its second owner, having himself bought it from his teacher. The latter had ordered the guitar from Ignacio Fleta and owned several of them. After a few years he returned the guitar to Ignacio Fleta to repair some cracks due to the change in humidity. He took the opportunity to ask the luthier to modify the bracing, which at that time consisted of 9 braces. Ignacio therefore reinforced the upper part of the bracing with five very thin braces. This guitar is therefore absolutely unique, with a marvellous sustain and a tone of immense clarity. Of the cracks on the top, most of them were repaired in the Fleta workshop. Now all the cracks on this guitar have been perfectly repaired and have been stable since the 1990s.

The sound of the Fleta guitars from this era is always very touching, and this one inspires deep emotion. The basses are round and precise, with an absolutely special and bewitching colour. Singing and crystalline trebles are very easy to play and offer a fantastic palette of timbre. It is therefore a legendary instrument, at its best, which will amaze guitarists and collectors of all kinds.