❌SOLD❌ Thomas Malapanis Classical Guitar, 2004

Thomas Malapanis Classical and Flamenco guitars are built at his home shop in Palmer, Alaska, a bit northeast of Anchorage, and are well known for their exceptional tone and build quality.

Here we are looking at the Thomas Malapanis Classical numbered 26, and dated to 2004.  The top is Red Cedar,  while the sides, back, headplate and bridge are Cocobolo.  The sides are lined with a Cypress or Sycamore facing, not the same as ‘laminate’ woods,  a technique pioneered by Jose Ramirez III to help increase clarity, and still used on some higher end Ramirez models.

The neck is Mahogany, with an Ebony fingerboard. Scale length is 650mm or 25.59 inches, the nut width 52mm or 2.04 inches. Tuning machines are by Gotoh and are very smooth, gold plated with creme Ivoroid buttons. The finish is French Polish, and shows some wear where it has been in contact with the player, for example the bass edge of the top.

This example is in good condition with a well developed, full and rich voice. It is currently set up for concert action.

A hard shell case is included.

Here is what the builder’s website says about Thomas Malapanis Classical and Flamenco guitars:

“Thomas Malapanis is a classical guitar luthier of rare skill and passion. His instruments have found their way into the hands of some of the worlds premier performers, Angel Romero, Eliot Fisk, Peter White, and Mark DelPriora to name a few. For Malapanis, belief suffuses his practice of his craft and his craft is an expression of his belief.

Malapanis classical guitars are hand crafted in his workshop located on the same property as the family home in Palmer, Alaska. When building, precise attention to detail is critical to the construction of each instrument, though Tom’s focus is solely centered on sound. His classical guitar designs are timeless works of art. All woods are carefully chosen to achieve the precise tone, sonority, timbre and balance required to produce a concert quality classical guitar.

Malapanis classical guitars are individually hand crafted in the old world, traditional, Spanish way. “Tom is a maker of extreme and rare quality,” Angel Romero says. “He really is very innovative, and the Instruments he produces – like the one I have – well, there’s not another Instrument that could push it to the side in the concert hall.”