Blue Book Publications Inc.

Help

Electric Guitars

Select Manufacturer Letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Instruments previously built in Spain.

Noted luthier Don Antonio de Torres Jurado (1817-1892) has been identified as the leading craftsman of what scholars have termed the "third renaissance" of the guitar, and developed the guitar to its current classical configuration.
Before the early 1800s, the European guitar featured five courses, which could be a single string or a pair of strings. Torres' new design focused on the five individual strings, and also added the low 'E' string for a total of six individual strings. Torres developed a larger bodied guitar design, and fan-bracing to support a thinner, more resonant top. The new design offered a larger tonal range (especially in the bass response), and was widely adopted both in Spain and throughout Europe.
Torres had two workshops during his career. He produced guitars both in Seville (1852-1869), and his place of birth, Almeria (1875-1892). It has been estimated that Torres built about 320 guitars during his two workshop period. Only 66 instruments have been identified as his work (source: Tony Bacon, The Ultimate Guitar Book).