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Model: Jose Lopez Beltran classical guitar
Top:
German Spruce
Back
and Sides: Spanish Cypress
Scale:
635mm
Nut:
50mm
Finish: French polish
Tuners:
Brass
Country: Spain
Year:
1894
Condition:
Excellent
This guitar is probably the
rarest guitar in our guitar collection, only two others are known. José
López Beltrán was born in the parish of San Sebastian, Almeria in 1846 and died
sometime after 1906. He seems to have assisted the great Spanish luthier Antonio
de Torres (1817-1892) during the last few years of his life. This guitar's
label reads "José López Beltrán/Unico Discipulo/de/Don Antonio Torres/Teatro
Apolo/Almeria Anno 18[94]" (penned in). We know that by 1887 Torres' heath was
deteriorating, and his hands shook so badly that he had difficulties signing his
name, and needed help to do assembly work. He was widowed, and had two
young daughters Matilde (b. 1872-73) and Ana (b.1876) to support, and so
was building full-time. While Juan Martinez Sirvent, a local priest, assisted
Torres form time to time, Torres probably needed more help than the priest could
provide. We also know Torres struggled in his last years, and died so deep in
debt that even the sale of all his properties wasn't enough to pay off his
creditors completely. Reading between the lines, here is where I suspect José
López Beltrán entered the picture. More worried about finding help than training
a competitor, Torres stuck a deal with José López Beltrán that he would teach
him to make guitars in return for his help. We know that in 1894 Torres' family
asked José López Beltrán to make a fitted case to send Torres' famous 1856
"La Leona" to its buyer in Argentina. The fact that José López Beltrán was
advertising himself as Torres' disciple on his label at the time suggests that
the family had no difficulty with his claim. However, perhaps the strongest
argument that José López Beltrán had some instruction from Torres is this
instrument's characteristically Torres sound. Although this guitar is built with
Spanish cypress and has pegs, its sound is purely classical, and it is evident
from the condition of the top that it has never been used as a flamenco guitar.
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