Impressive concert guitar by Santos Bayon, built after a Santos Hernandez from 1921 with a shorter scale length!
The Spanish guitar maker Santos Bayón Ruiz was born in Madrid in 1951 in the workshop of his great-uncle Santos Hernández (1873-1943). He was one of the best luthiers for classical and flamenco guitars in Spain. Santos Hernández was a secretive man who never shared his knowledge of building flamenco and classical guitars with his apprentices. However, he passed on much of his knowledge to his wife Matilde Ruiz Lopez, who, although not a guitar maker, learned much of the theory from her husband. Initially, she employed Marcelo Barbero for a short time to finish guitars that her husband had left incomplete. Eventually she hired her nephew Felicano Bayon (1922-1997) to work for her and continued to make guitars under the name Vda de Santos Hernandez. After Matilde's death in 1955, Feliciano Bayón (1922-1997) inherited his uncle's workshop.
Apart from the theory taught by Matilde, Feliciano Bayón was a self-taught guitar maker. The intelligent man became a great luthier not only by studying the classical and flamenco guitars that his uncle had left him, but also by carefully and methodically observing the many fine instruments that were brought to him for repair - guitars by such famous luthiers as Antonio de Torres, Enrique Garcia and Hermann Hauser. Santos Bayón Ruiz grew up surrounded by guitars and learned the basics of guitar making by watching his father at work. But it wasn't until he graduated at the age of 18 that he really began to work with his father. His own development into a renowned guitar maker, he says, was a natural process. „I truly believe that since I live in this atmosphere day in and day out and am surrounded by my great-uncle's guitars (which I studied over and over again), I have acquired at least some of their knowledge, art and experience.“ Santos builds very authentic Santos Hernandez models, using his great-uncle's workbench, molds and tools. He only builds about sixteen guitars a year, so we are fortunate to represent this fine luthier.
This guitar by Santos Bayon was built after a model by his great-uncle Santos Hernandez from 1921, with a shorter scale (636 mm). It has a cedar top and rosewood back and sides. The nut width is 51 mm.
The guitar is characterized by a sweet, warm sound. Especially in the trebles, this warmth supports the wonderful cantability of melody notes. The basses are round and precise, with a very special and enchanting quality. The sound offers a fantastic range of timbres.
It is very easy to play and simply fantastic through and through.
It is also in very good condition with only slight signs of wear.
The guitar is supplied in its original case.
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