❌SOLD❌ Otto Vowinkel Picado Model 2a Classical Guitar, 2017

Today we are looking at another fine classical guitar, Modelo 2a, designed by renowned luthier Otto Vowinkel and built for him by Antonio Picado’s workshop in Barcelona, Spain.

Otto Vowinkel is very well known in the classical guitar world and his instruments are used by top players worldwide. In 1984, like many other current builders, he was inspired by Irving Sloan’s book ‘Classical Guitar Construction’ to begin building guitars. Since then he has devoted his time to building quality instruments.

In order to reach a wider number of players, Otto Vowinkel works with Antonio Picado and selected models are built in his workshop in Barcelona, Spain.

Built during 2027 in Barcelona, this is a Vowinkel Modelo 2a, built with a Cedar top, Indian Rosewood for the back, sides, headplate and bridge. The neck is mahogany with an 640mm scale length ebony fingerboard, with a 52mm wide nut. The guitar is constructed in the Spanish style with a slipper heel. The tuners are by Schaller and are quite smooth and precise.

This fine guitar plays very well and has a full, rich tone and is highly responsive. A white molded case is included.

It’s worth noting that the Ebony on the fingerboard is not jet black, as found on many older instruments (of any type). Instead, there are natural brown streaks. This is not an indication of the tonal or structural quality of the Ebony but of an improvement in harvesting practices and a dramatic reduction in forest waste.

This improvement is due in large part to Bob Taylor, founder of Taylor Guitars. On visits to Ebony mills in Cameroon, Africa, he realized that much of what was harvested was simply abandoned if it did not meet an aesthetic standard for uniform blackness. This wasteful practice was driving prices up and reducing the amount of wood available. Taylor and partners bought the mill and altered the practice. The result is that many new guitars, from this Vowinkel Picado Modelo 2a to Taylors, use far more colourful ebony. It works, sounds and feels just as good as uniformly black ebony, and to our eyes is more visually interesting.