Who built this guitar played by Segovia

[ITMX925]

I have always wondered who built the instrument shown on pages 32, 35, 36 and
37 published in The Segovia Technique by Vladimir Bobri, 1972, New York.

There are four distinct design elements to the instrument. Its strong carved
headstock; the wider than usual channels in the headstock; the bone or ivory
cap on the tie block as well as the individual string bone insets in the
bridge.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

For any beginning students who feel their hands or too large for the
instrument, you might review this book just for the pictures on pages 38 and
55. I understand these photos are 1:1 ratio to the old boy's mitts.

Best regards,

'JohnDowland'

[Kurt]

Hmmm.... Segovia had a few different guitars along the way. A
Santos-Hernandez is one of his less well-known ones. I'm guessing here
since I don't have the book you refer to. There is the apocryphal story
of his being denied the possession of a very nice Santos-Hernandez later
on because he had taken his first and only one to Hauser in Germany for
a design analysis. Hernandez let everyone in Barcelona play that guitar
except Segovia. His most well known guitars were his Ramirez and Hauser
ones, the Hauser now residing in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC, and the
last time I saw the Ramirez was when Chris Parkening had it out for a
100th Anniversay tour (it traveled in its own seat on the plane). So,
with a little more research, I may know more, but it sounds like the
Santos-Hernandez (they typically have very full lower bout and gentle
waist), but there is the possibility of an Ernesto Simplicio there as well.

Kurt Gutzmann

[Kurt]

Well, a little more reading in Roy Courtnall's "Making Master Guitars"
shows that the Santos Hernandez that Segovia had was a borrowed guitar
that he later bought. This was 1916, the guitar was built by Hernandez
while he was a journeyman in the Ramirez shop, so the guitar had a
Ramirez label. This guitar deeply impressed Segovia. This guitar and a
Torres were shown by Segovia to Hauser, who built several guitars for
Segovia. Hernandez later opened his own shop, and built the "Donna
Bella" or some such guitar, which he never permitted Segovia to play, as
his punishment for showing his earlier instrument to Hauser.

If you can photo/scan the pages in question, it would help a lot in
solving this puzzle.

Kurt

p.s. there is a Hauser guitar that Segovia had that was obviously cut
down from an 8-string to a 6-string, with obvious dowel/plugs in the
headstock.

[ITMX925]

Dear Kurt -

Thank you for the information. I do not have a copy of Courtnall's book, but if
what you quote comes from this title, there are a few bits of information that
are misleading.

Segovia received the 1912 Ramirez, built by Santos Hernandez as a gift from
Manuel Ramirez. It was this instrument he traveled and recorded with until the
1930s.
Further, this instrument was in fact a seven stringed instrument and had been
built to the specifications of a noted blind Madrid guitarist.

I am aware Segovia showed Herman Hauser I the Ramirez/Hernandez but was unaware
he also showed a Torres. One would think Hauser would be aware and by that time
had already repaired or restored instruments from Torres' epochs.

The instrument Santos Hernandez built but never allowed Segovia to play was
titled "La Inedita". A specific date of construction has not been determined.
At last report it is owned by a Doctor in Mexico City.

I find this history all rather interesting.

Again, thanks for your reply.

Best regards,

'JohnDowland'

[David Schramm]

> p.s. there is a Hauser guitar that Segovia had that was obviously cut
> down from an 8-string to a 6-string, with obvious dowel/plugs in the
> headstock.

Nope. You are thinking of his well known 1912 Manuel Ramirez/Santos
Hernandez. It was most likely an 11 string not an 8 due to the influence of
Jose Martinez Toboso, Jose Rojo Cid, Juan Parga, and Antonio Gimenez Manjon
at that time. All the structural evidence gives us clues that this was most
likely an 11 string prior to it's top replacement and modification prior to
Segovia acquiring the instrument. FYI Manuel died on Feb. 25, 1916.

>>>Hernandez later opened his own shop, and built the "Donna
Bella" or some such guitar, which he never permitted Segovia to play, as
his punishment for showing his earlier instrument to Hauser.<<<

That was "La Inedita".

Regards,

--
David Schramm
Clovis, CA
http://schrammguitars.com