Listing of Torres guitars

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>Lutherie >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

johnguitar

Posts: 208
Joined: Jan. 10 2006

Listing of Torres guitars

This is my latest project. I hope to list all supposed Torres guitars and include photos and information; the most important of which will be expert opinions on the authenticity of the guitars. The response has been great and I now have to upload the photos I have recieved. This list will remain public and will be updated as I get more information.

https://johnguitar.com/listing-of-torres-guitars/

_____________________________

John Ray
https://www.johnguitar.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 9 2022 7:48:55

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

John,

What a wonderful pursuit. living in Spain and being able to check out all of those masters guitars.

I remember a Santos style that You built, that was played on a GSI website, and all I can say is, Man! you nailed it.

_____________________________

Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 9 2022 17:05:30

johnguitar

Posts: 208
Joined: Jan. 10 2006

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

Thanks Tom.

_____________________________

John Ray
https://www.johnguitar.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2022 6:18:13

johnguitar

Posts: 208
Joined: Jan. 10 2006

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

Please note that I have corrected the link on the first message. I will include it again here. This is the page that I wanted you all to see and help with.

https://johnguitar.com/listing-of-torres-guitars/

_____________________________

John Ray
https://www.johnguitar.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2022 6:19:29

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

Perhaps there are not many people with this much collected information to validate Torres guitars. What I would like to read is if you have a particular signature instrument that you prefer building for a regular offer to the public.

I understand that you build very good replicas of old masters but I was just curious if you had a particular model for your regular offer.

I may have asked this before but I can't remember.

_____________________________

Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 21 2022 15:27:39

johnguitar

Posts: 208
Joined: Jan. 10 2006

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Yes Tom, the guitar I make most is my own design although very much based on what my teacher Rolf Eichinger made while he was alive. 5 fan struts with a very low brace under the fans and a Granada-sized body. I think it sounds better than the Hauser body and the seven fan plus V that I used to make. Here is an example.

_____________________________

John Ray
https://www.johnguitar.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 22 2022 7:16:39

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

Not my favorite composition but the instrument demonstrates strong capabilities with its mid to treble range, which to me , is the body of the guitar, and doesn't break down with being too fragile in its delivery.

I like a bold earthy treble and its bass seems to support it well.

Congratulations.

_____________________________

Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 22 2022 13:56:43

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

One of my favorite pieces, beautifully played. The emergence of Dowland's supreme Elizabethan gracefulness from Britten's 20th century angst always moves me.

The guitar has an excellent combination of clarity and warmth. I concur with Tom's congratulations!

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2022 1:23:49

johnguitar

Posts: 208
Joined: Jan. 10 2006

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

Thank you both!

_____________________________

John Ray
https://www.johnguitar.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2022 8:11:22

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

John--

Torres' FE 01 is dated 1854. The ornamental masterpiece FE 08 is dated 1858. Seven guitars in 3 or 4 years seems like too small an output to make a living as a guitarrero.

There are only 29 or 30 numbered instruments in the 14 or 15 year FE period. That's only about 2 per year on average.

Did Torres only number a certain subset of his production?

I would look for an answer in Romanillos' book, but I have hidden my copy from myself somewhere.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2022 23:49:26

kitarist

Posts: 1715
Joined: Dec. 4 2012

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

I thought Torres did not number his guitars from the first epoch, so the numbering is only of the surviving ones from that epoch, done by Romanillos (i.e. a [small] subset of what he actually produced).

However, there is the year 1864 from which 9 guitars survive. Judging from that, he must have aimed to make on the order of ten per year.

The numbers from the second epoch are Torres's and go to 155 over 17 years, so a bit more than 9 per year.

Seems like an average of 9-10 per year is a good guess.

However, I have no idea what they would have sold for as new and whether that times the yearly output was a good/sufficient income.

_____________________________

Konstantin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2022 1:08:54

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to kitarist)

Thanks, Kontantin. Googling I found a few Torres labels from the Calle de Cerrageria in Sevilla with dates, but no numbers.

According to Abel Garcia the label in FE 08 is a smaller rectangle of mother-of-pearl. Abel replicates it in his reproduction, and adds his own in the same size and material, but I can't read them in the video interview I posted.

Now, where did I put Romanillos' book?? I've found his book on guitar making, on the shelves where it ought to be, but the Torres book has gone astray somewhere...

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 29 2022 20:41:56

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

quote:

Now, where did I put Romanillos' book?? I've found his book on guitar making, on the shelves where it ought to be, but the Torres book has gone astray somewhere...

In retrospect I miss Jose for his person, passion and knowledge of his craft, so much.

_____________________________

Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2022 21:18:40

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Listing of Torres guitars (in reply to johnguitar)

FE 17 is in great shape….then I saw all the restoration labels

. They don’t start looking like real guitars until around FE 21 or so.

I have the Ulrik book, and the footnote in your list shows Romanillos but two are in here also with Audio examples and nice photos…FE 24, and SE 129. That might be good to note. My favorite is SE 54, and we get to hear Brune pound out some Caña/Soleá on her!!

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2022 16:54:51