Gerundino Fernández
Encyclopedia
Gerundino Miguel Fernández García (1931-2006) was a Spanish
luthier
, considered one of the world's greatest makers of flamenco guitar
s.
, south-eastern Spain. At the age of 19, he began to learn to play the guitar
, and to study music, perhaps influenced by his father and grandfather who were musically inclined. In 1958, he began to build guitars full time, and opened his own workshop in Almería in 1960. Experiments in guitar design, and years of pondering the matrix of elements that produce outstanding guitars, have led him to develop what he considers to be a perfect design. Gerundino was a low-volume maker, producing perhaps 10-12 instruments each year. After his retirement in 1999, his workshop continued to put out a few instruments each year, although his personal input cannot be confirmed for these guitars.
wood for the neck, back and sides, with either German Spruce or Western Red Cedar for the top. Occasionally, although quite rarely, he would make a "flamenco negra" with back and sides of Indian Rosewood, combined with a Spruce top. These instruments begin to take on more of the tonal qualities of a Spanish classical guitar
, although Gerundino's bracing system and construction maintain the essence of the flamenco
sound. Players of his instruments include Paco Peña
, Paco de Lucia
, Tomatito
and Eric Clapton
. Clapton's 1976 Gerundino sold for $16,730 at his 2004 Christie's
auction, believed to be the highest price ever paid for a Gerundino.
Common to almost all flamenco guitars, Gerundinos have clear plastic "tap plates" or golpeadors, above and below the sound hole
, where the guitarist can strike his/her nails and knuckles to create the percussive effects which are essential to and idiosyncratic of flamenco guitar playing. In flamenco playing, the guitarist acts as much as a rhythm instrument as a solo instrument.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
, considered one of the world's greatest makers of flamenco guitar
Flamenco guitar
A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar. Flamenco guitar also refers to toque, the guitar-playing part of the art of Flamenco.-Brief history:...
s.
Biography
Gerundino was born in AlmeríaAlmería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
, south-eastern Spain. At the age of 19, he began to learn to play the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and to study music, perhaps influenced by his father and grandfather who were musically inclined. In 1958, he began to build guitars full time, and opened his own workshop in Almería in 1960. Experiments in guitar design, and years of pondering the matrix of elements that produce outstanding guitars, have led him to develop what he considers to be a perfect design. Gerundino was a low-volume maker, producing perhaps 10-12 instruments each year. After his retirement in 1999, his workshop continued to put out a few instruments each year, although his personal input cannot be confirmed for these guitars.
Guitars
Gerundino instruments are known for their raspy growl and volume, well balanced intonation and "gutsy" percussive sound. His instruments are typically made of lightweight CypressCypress
Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...
wood for the neck, back and sides, with either German Spruce or Western Red Cedar for the top. Occasionally, although quite rarely, he would make a "flamenco negra" with back and sides of Indian Rosewood, combined with a Spruce top. These instruments begin to take on more of the tonal qualities of a Spanish classical guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
, although Gerundino's bracing system and construction maintain the essence of the flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
sound. Players of his instruments include Paco Peña
Paco Peña
Paco Peña is a Spanish flamenco guitarist. He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional Flamenco players.Born in Córdoba, Spain as Francisco Peña Pérez, Paco Peña began learning to play the guitar from his brother at age 6 and made his first professional appearance at 12...
, Paco de Lucia
Paco de Lucía
Paco de Lucía, born Francisco Sánchez Gómez , is a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist and composer. He is considered by many to be one of the finest guitarists in the world and the greatest guitarist of the flamenco genre...
, Tomatito
Tomatito
José Fernández Torres, known as Tomatito , is a Spanish Romani flamenco guitarist. He grew up in a musical family, including two uncles: Niño Miguel, a flamenco guitarist, and Antonio, a professional guitarist....
and Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. Clapton's 1976 Gerundino sold for $16,730 at his 2004 Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction, believed to be the highest price ever paid for a Gerundino.
Common to almost all flamenco guitars, Gerundinos have clear plastic "tap plates" or golpeadors, above and below the sound hole
Sound hole
A sound hole is an opening in the upper sound board of a stringed musical instrument.The sound holes can have different shapes: round in flat-top guitars, F-holes in instruments from the violin or viol families and in arched-top guitars, rosettes in lutes. Bowed Lyras have D-holes and Mandolins may...
, where the guitarist can strike his/her nails and knuckles to create the percussive effects which are essential to and idiosyncratic of flamenco guitar playing. In flamenco playing, the guitarist acts as much as a rhythm instrument as a solo instrument.