2012 juan l. cayuela model 36-spurce & rosewood

The Cayuela guitar workshop is one of the enduring family institutions of Spanish lutherie — four generations deep, rooted in the Andalusian guitar-making tradition, and operating from the same address on Calle Zaragoza in the center of Seville for over 43 years. The story begins with Juan Luis Cayuela Callejas, born in 1901 in Andújar, Jaén, who passed his love of the guitar to his son Javier (born 1927). Javier, unable to afford an instrument as a young man, was encouraged to build one — which he did in 1949, learning his craft from teachers that included Miguel Rodríguez, Manuel Reyes, and José Ramírez. The workshop he established grew into one of Seville's most respected guitar-making operations, and in 2012 the city of Andújar honored him with a street bearing his name in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to the craft.

The current generation of the workshop is led by Juan Luis Cayuela Bachiller — the "Juan L. Cayuela" of the label — who began helping his father in the workshop at age thirteen while simultaneously studying at the Professional Music Conservatory of Córdoba and later at the Superior Conservatory of Music Manuel Castillo in Seville. A guitarist as well as a luthier, Juan Luis brings a performer's understanding to his building — an ability, as he describes it, to see the guitar not only as a constructor but from the sensations it transmits to the player. The result is instruments of exceptional comfort, high sonority, and authentic Spanish character.

This 2012 Model 36 is a handsome and well-made traditional Spanish classical guitar with a solid spruce top and rosewood back and sides, finished in high-gloss and fitted with an ebony fingerboard, decorative rosette and back center strip, and ornate gold classical tuning machines with black buttons. The spruce top has taken on an attractive golden color over thirteen years — a beautiful sign of a well-seasoned instrument that has opened up and found its voice. The tone is warm and balanced with good projection and clarity — genuine Spanish character at a fraction of the price of a concert-level instrument.

At 3.2mm of saddle height remaining, there is plenty of room to adjust the action downward should the player prefer a lower setup.

Condition: Mint. Exceptionally clean for its age — presents beautifully throughout.

This is an ideal instrument for the serious student, advancing classical guitarist, or any player who wants a genuine handmade Spanish guitar without stepping into concert-level pricing.