Manuel de Soto y Solares 1872 - Very rare and collectible guitar from Seville, made in 1872.
This guitar is as close to an Antonio de Torres guitar as you can get. It looks exactly like an 1863 Antonio de Torres guitar that was featured in Vintage Guitar Magazine: www.vintageguitar.com/3434/antonio-de-torres-1863/.
Manuel de Soto y Solares (1839-1906) was born in Seville into a family of guitar makers. His father, Manuel de Soto Castañón, and his grandfathers were also experienced guitar makers. Manuel began his career around 1860 and opened his workshop near that of Antonio de Torres in Cerragería Street. According to Romanillos, Soto y Solares and Torres worked together professionally, sharing materials and possibly working as subcontractors for each other.
In the late 1860s, Torres was struggling to make a living with high-priced guitars and probably made more affordable guitars under other labels, including that of Soto y Solares. This opens up the possibility that some guitars with the Soto y Solares label were actually made by Torres. When Torres moved to Almería in 1870 and temporarily retired from guitar making, Manuel de Soto y Solares became the preferred luthier for Torres-like guitars. He attracted important customers such as the flamenco singer Juan Breva. It is obvious from known examples that Manuel de Soto y Solares was a highly skilled craftsman who adopted and developed Torres' innovative style.
This exquisite guitar features a German spruce top and cypress back and sides, in keeping with the materials favored by Torres and other luthiers of the era. The guitar is smaller than modern instruments, with a nut width of 43 mm and a scale length of 580 mm, similar to the romantic guitars of the time. Its construction, including the headstock design and overall construction, is strongly reminiscent of Torres guitars made in Seville in the 1860s.
The sound of this guitar is nothing short of magical. It produces a warm, sweet and intimate tone with a rich harmonic spectrum and outstanding clarity. The trebles are delicate yet resonant, while the basses are deep and articulate, offering exceptional balance across all registers. Despite its smaller size, the guitar delivers remarkable projection and dynamic response, making it equally suited to romantic and classical repertoire.
The guitar has been repaired several times over the years, including crack repairs. Everything is solid and has been checked by our luthier. It has retained its original charm while being ready for modern use. The neck is straight and the action is low (E 2.8 mm and e 2 mm at the 12th fret), making it a pleasure to play and ensuring an effortless response.
For collectors, historians and musicians, this guitar by Manuel de Soto y Solares is a rare and valuable find. It embodies a pivotal moment in the history of guitar making and demonstrates the remarkable skill of a luthier who carried on the legacy of Antonio de Torres. With its exquisite craftsmanship, rich tonal character and historical significance, this guitar is an exceptional opportunity to own a true masterpiece from Seville's golden era of guitar making.
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