Simplicio/Garcia, 1920

This is one of the most extraordinary guitars we 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 Antonio de Torres, this guitar was almost certainly built by Francisco Simplicio or Enrique Garcia, 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.

This particular instrument stands out as possibly the most ornate and best-preserved example known. It is modeled after the legendary FE 08 “La guitarra cumbre” (The Supreme Guitar), 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.

The 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.

This is the first time this guitar has been publicly shown. It remained in private hands for decades.

Specifications

Luthier: Attributed to Francisco Simplicio or Enrique Garcia (labeled Antonio de Torres)
Year: c. 1918 to 1922
Top: Spruce
Back & Sides: Cuban Mahogany with meander and wheat-pattern marquetry
Back Construction: Four-piece, inspired by Torres’s FE 08
Construction: Traditional, with deep brass tornavoz
Scale Length: 650 mm
Neck: Mostly C-shaped with a flatter center
Action: Very low and exceptionally comfortable
Tuners: Period tuners, functioning smoothly
Strings: D’Addario XTC45FF with normal tension nylon first string
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Condition: One expertly repaired crack on the back; top free of cracks and repairs

Sound

This 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.

The 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.

Playability

The 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.

For 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.

Construction & Design

The spruce top shows no cracks or repairs, and the back and sides are Cuban mahogany, now an extinct tonewood, decorated with elaborate meander and wheat-pattern marquetry. The back is a four-piece design inspired by Torres’s FE 08. Internally, a deep brass tornavoz significantly lowers the main air resonance, giving the guitar its remarkable depth. The instrument retains very old period tuners that still function smoothly.

Historical Context

This 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 FE 08 Torres.

The 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.

With 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.

One expertly repaired crack on the back, otherwise structurally outstanding for an instrument of this age. The spruce top is free of cracks and repairs.