Roberto de Miranda, 2023

This is a Roberto de Miranda Limited Edition built for the 2023 Roma Expo Guitars exhibition ("REG"), the annual gathering that brings together many of the finest luthiers working in Italy and beyond. It is a traditional, Torres-inspired concert guitar with a spruce top over dramatically figured Ziricote back and sides, and it carries all the hallmarks that have made de Miranda's instruments so sought after.

De Miranda is a Torres man to his core, having studied the master's work directly under José Luis Romanillos, but his guitars are not museum pieces. Since the late 1990s he has quietly refined his own construction methods aimed at pushing volume and projection without giving up the warmth, color, and singing timbre that define the great Spanish tradition. The result is a guitar that feels historically grounded and immediately alive under the hands.

This is a traditional voice with modern power. The spruce top gives a clear, focused sound with strong projection and a quick, direct response that makes shaping dynamics effortless, from an intimate whisper to full concert volume. The trebles sing with a round, warm clarity, while Ziricote lends the bass a dense, defined authority and adds shimmer and separation across the whole range.

Players who value the Torres lineage will feel right at home here. The 650mm scale and comfortable 52.5mm nut width give the left hand a natural, familiar footing, and a raised fingerboard opens up clean, unobstructed access to the highest positions. The guitar rewards a committed touch with genuine bloom and carrying power.

Specifications

Model: Limited Edition, Roma Expo Guitars ("REG")

Construction: Traditional, five fan bracing

Strings: D'Addario XTC45FF with normal tension nylon first string
https://ddar.io/guitar-collection

Condition: Top in excellent condition; back has some wear to the French polish

Construction & Design

Built on traditional lines with five fan bracing, the guitar pairs a spruce soundboard with solid Ziricote back and sides, one of the most visually striking tonewoods available, prized for its dramatic figure and spider webbing. A raised fingerboard gives easy reach into the upper register without compromising the instrument's traditional character. It is finished in French polish (shellac) and fitted with a set of Alessi tuning machines that rank among the finest we have seen, beautifully made hardware that turns with flawless, silky precision. This is a clean, elegant, purpose-built concert instrument.

About the Luthier

Roberto de Miranda was born in Milan in 1960 and graduated in 1984 from the School of Lutherie of Vignate. He went on to study in Spain under the renowned maestro José Luis Romanillos across 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1996, specializing in the guitars of Antonio de Torres. From 1998 he began developing construction projects of his own design intended to boost volume and projection while preserving the timbral qualities and tone that define traditional building.

In 2014 he was awarded the golden prize for lutherie at the Alessandria International Guitar Convention. His instruments are played by celebrated concert guitarists including Lorenzo Micheli, Matteo Mela, Frederic Zigante, and Drew Henderson, among many others. De Miranda works in small numbers, and his guitars are typically spoken for well in advance, which makes an available example like this one a rare opportunity.

The guitar is in very good overall condition. The top is in excellent condition. The back shows some wear to the French polish. This is honest cosmetic wear that does not affect the sound or playability of the instrument.