Hijos de Gonzalez ~1890 – classical guitar by one of the most important turn-of-the-century workshops like Arias, Torres, Ramirez - check video!

Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 Classical Guitar – Historic Madrid guitar-making craftsmanship preserved for a new musical life What happens when a historically significant guitar, after more than a century, is so badly damaged that a purely conservative restoration is no longer sufficient? Do we preserve it as a silent historical artifact—or do we try to bring its original concept back to life? The Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 Classical Guitar tells precisely this fascinating story. Its historical substance stems from one of Madrid’s most important 19th-century guitar-making traditions. At the same time, it was restored and partially reconstructed by luthier Matthias Hartig with great care and attention to detail. The result is not an untouched collector’s guitar, but an extraordinary fusion of original history and new masterful craftsmanship—created so that this instrument can once again be played at the highest level. The story behind the Hijos de González 1890 Classical Guitar traces back to Francisco González, one of Madrid’s most respected 19th-century guitar makers. González worked around the same time as Antonio de Torres, but developed his own style of construction. His work was highly regarded even during his lifetime and was honored with prizes and medals at various exhibitions. Of particular significance to the history of Spanish guitar making is his connection to the Ramírez family: Francisco González is considered the teacher of José Ramírez I and his brother Manuel Ramírez. Thus, a direct line of craftsmanship runs from his workshop to two names that would have a decisive influence on Madrid guitar making in the following generation. This story did not end with the death of Francisco González in 1879. His eldest daughter, María Bárbara Concepción, had learned the craft of guitar making from her father. Later, her husband, Enrique Romans Papell, joined the workshop and was also trained by Francisco González. The daughter and son-in-law subsequently continued the business under the name Hijos de González. The Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 Classical Guitar comes from this very tradition. But her journey to this day has been anything but ordinary. When the guitar was restored, its original structure was already so badly damaged that extensive work was required to turn it back into a stable and truly playable instrument. This restoration was carried out by Matthias Hartig, a luthier with extensive experience working with historical guitars. The most important step involved the top. The Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 classical guitar was fitted with a new spruce top. However, the key priority was to preserve as much of its historical appearance as possible: the beautiful original rosette and the historical edge inlays were preserved and integrated into the new top. The original bridge was also preserved. This ensures that a significant part of the historical instrument's visual identity remains visible. The rosewood back and sides, on the other hand, are largely in their original condition. To permanently stabilize the historic back, it was lined on the inside with an ultra-thin additional layer of rosewood. This reinforcement is virtually imperceptible from the outside, yet it provides the nearly 140-year-old instrument with the stability it needs for continued musical use. In other areas as well, functionality was deliberately prioritized over purely museum-style authenticity. The action, fingerboard, and frets were replaced. As a result, the Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 Classical Guitar is today a fascinating blend of historical substance and meticulous reconstruction. And that is precisely what makes this instrument so appealing. It does not claim to have remained completely untouched since 1890. Rather, its restoration marks a new chapter in its history. The body dates back to the 19th century. The rosette, edge inlays, the bridge, and large parts of the body carry on the legacy of the original Hijos de Gonzalez workshop. At the same time, the new spruce top ensures that this guitar can once again resonate freely and function as a fully-fledged musical instrument. Sonically, this results in a truly fascinating combination. The new spruce top has an immediate and lively response, while the historic rosewood body lends the instrument its own distinct character. As a result, the Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 classical guitar does not sound like an untouched guitar from 1890—and that is precisely what should not be claimed about this instrument. Rather, one experiences a historical instrument that has been given new musical life through expert restoration. With a scale length of just 615 mm, the Hijos de Gonzalez 1890 classical guitar has exceptionally compact dimensions. Combined with a nut width of 50 mm, this results in a very comfortable playing experience that differs significantly from many modern concert guitars with a scale length of 650 or 660 mm. Playability, in particular, is one of the major highlights of…