Richard Howell 1980 - Classical Guitar for highest demands with exceptional Fleta like sound quality + Check Video!

Richard Howell 1980 Classical Guitar – the soul of a fleta and the rich, deep tone of a cello There are guitars whose sound you can recognize after just a few notes. Instruments that impress not only with their spectacular volume, but also with their exceptional depth, warmth, and musical expressiveness. For us, the Richard Howell 1980 Classical Guitar is one of these instruments. An exceptional Australian master guitar that draws its inspiration from one of the greatest Spanish guitar makers of the 20th century: Ignacio Fleta. We consider Richard Howell to be one of Australia’s most remarkable traditional guitar makers. His instruments reflect a deep connection to the classical Spanish guitar-making tradition, particularly the legendary guitars of Ignacio Fleta. At the same time, over the years, Howell has developed his own unique vision of how a classical concert guitar should sound. And it is precisely this connection that makes the Richard Howell 1980 Classical Guitar so fascinating. Richard Howell was born in Surrey, England, and grew up in a musically rich environment. His father was a music director in London, so Howell was exposed to classical music and the sound of large orchestras from an early age. He built his first guitar as early as 1966. After moving to Australia in 1972, he increasingly devoted himself to professional guitar making. His intensive study of the instruments of great masters such as Hermann Hauser, Hernández y Aguado, and above all Ignacio Fleta had a particularly profound influence on him. Over the course of several years, Howell studied the construction and tonal characteristics of Fleta guitars. However, his goal was never simply to copy famous instruments as closely as possible. Rather, he wanted to understand why these guitars sound so extraordinary—and how these qualities could be further developed. The Richard Howell 1980 Classical Guitar dates from a particularly interesting phase of his work, during which his intense engagement with the Spanish tradition was already clearly evident. Even the choice of woods fits this concept perfectly. The guitar features a high-quality cedar top paired with rosewood for the back and sides. With a scale length of 650 mm and a nut width of 52 mm, it offers classic, pleasantly familiar dimensions. But its true uniqueness only becomes apparent when you play it. Anyone familiar with the sound of old Ignacio Fleta guitars will immediately recognize a certain kinship in this 1980 Richard Howell classical guitar. There’s that impressive richness, the powerful and resonant response, and above all that dark, warm tone—qualities you’ll search for in vain in many modern concert guitars. At the same time, the guitar has a voice all its own. While many Fleta guitars are known for their rich, orchestral sound, the tone of this 1980 Richard Howell classical guitar is particularly dark and resonant. With their warmth and long sustain, the lower registers are almost reminiscent of a cello. The bass notes possess substance and depth without becoming ponderous, while the treble strings sing beautifully and blend into the overall sound with remarkable smoothness. A fascinating musical atmosphere unfolds, especially during slow, expressive passages. Individual notes are allowed to develop freely, melodic lines linger in the air, and even subtle changes in touch reveal new timbres. It is precisely this quality that never fails to impress us about Richard Howell's guitars. Over the years, we have played and compared numerous original Fleta guitars. It has become clear that, while Howell was strongly inspired by this great Spanish master, his instruments are by no means mere replicas. They have a personality all their own, often with an even darker, almost string-like tone. Especially when it comes to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, we could hardly ask for a more fitting sound. The Cello Suites, for example, take on a wonderful depth and warmth on a guitar like this. The Richard Howell 1980 Classical Guitar possesses precisely those sonorous timbres that can so impressively bring out the best in polyphonic music and lyrical melodies. From a craftsmanship perspective as well, we consider Howell to be one of the most exceptional guitar makers. He worked primarily with traditional hand tools and placed the utmost importance on the meticulous craftsmanship of his instruments. In particular, the warm, deep-gloss finishes and the precise craftsmanship of his guitars demonstrate just how much time and dedication go into every single instrument. Yet the 1980 Richard Howell Classical Guitar is by no means of interest only to the discerning collector. On the contrary: it is an instrument that wants to be played. The guitar has good string action and is very comfortable to play. The response is immediate, the tone is wonderfully malleable, and the instrument offers a relaxed, natural playing experience. It is precisely this combination of rich,…