The Classical Guitar: A Concise History of Its Development

The guitar is one of the most beloved and widely played instruments in the world. It has undergone a remarkable journey of over the course of several centuries, culminating in the standard six-string instrument we know and cherish today. This article will explore the early history of the guitar, and feature one of the first six-string guitars ever built.

It is truly remarkable that some of the most impressive of guitar virtuosity were performed over two hundred years ago. Indeed, the 19th century was a golden age for the guitar, with gifted guitarist-composers producing a vast and outstanding repertoire of music.

The guitar we have the privilege of discussing at the end of the 18th century and is attributed to the Italian luthier, Jeppe Filano. We can say with great respect that this instrument is perhaps the oldest we have had the honor of handling. In fact, it may very well be one of the first six-string guitars ever constructed.

When we refer to this as the "First Guitar," we mean more precisely that it is a first-generation six-string guitar, commonly known as the "Romantic Guitar" or "Early Romantic Guitar." Of course, there were instruments called "Guitars" before this, namely those refer to as the Renaissance Guitars. The guitar and its immediate predecessor, the Baroque Guitar, have a rich history. Although the Baroque Guitar prominent across all of Europe, it seems that the innovations led to the creation of the six-string romantic guitar first took place in Italy, particularly Naples, which was a center for luthiers and instrument builders of all types, including violins, mandolins, and guitars.

Several families' names are closely connected with the pioneering of the six-string romantic guitar, such as Fabricatore, Vacchiano, and Guadagnini. One of the most famous names in violin building, next to Stradivarius, is Guadagnini. Other European countries were quick to follow the trend, particularly France, where we also find some very early guitars.

It is also worth noting that around the same time in Spain, there was an exploration of the double-strung six-string guitar. Not only were innovations taking place in the technical aspects of the instrument's construction, but it is clear that a major shift in musical taste had occurred. The preference moved from instruments a bright, double-strung in octaves with prominent harmonics, to something more akin to the sonorities of a harp or perhaps the emerging piano forte. This shift resulted in a fuller, richer sound with a more pronounced lower-partial content. New developments in string manufacturing also contributed to this evolving sonic landscape.

While the development and eventual dominance of the guitar happened quite rapidly and in a relatively short span of time, there was a period of overlap when both the Romantic and Baroque Guitars were being built simultaneously. Let us now take a closer look at some of the idiosyncrasies, developments, and differences between the earlier guitars and the Romantic Guitar. We see an original baroque guitar from the late 18th century. Firstly, we observe that it is a five-course instrument, a single course consists of two strings, with the top string being referred to as the chanterelle. The romantic guitar often features a single string, which is a distinct development from the double-stringing of earlier guitars. Additionally, the romantic guitar introduces a sixth bass string, further expanding the instrument's capabilities. Another noteworthy change is the use of fixed frets, rather than the previously common gut frets that were tied on. This modification was likely driven by the desire for a new sound, as well as advancements in string manufacturing, particularly the introduction of thicker, wound bass strings, which would have worn out the gut frets more quickly. To address this, the builders turned to more durable materials, such as bone, ivory, or metal, for the frets. Furthermore, the construction of the romantic underwent other significant developments. The sides of the body became noticeably thinner, and the bridge began to move up the soundboard, resulting in a shorter string length compared to the Baroque Guitar. The intricate and beautiful inner rose of the Baroque guitar was also removed, though a lovely rosette was maintained. These advancements in the romantic guitar's design and features demonstrate the continuous evolution and refinement of this beloved musical instrument.

The guitar we've described from Fano features some unique characteristics that were common in the very early stages of guitar development. The standardization we see in later guitars had not yet taken place. For instance, the neck and body meet at the 11th fret, with a range limited to only 14 frets, which is quite different from the extended 22 fret fingerboards that became more prevalent with later advancements, particularly those associated with the Viennese and Stauffer schools. However, this early guitar exhibits some beautiful and intricate details. The fretboard is beautifully inlaid with bone, creating a stunning visual effect that extends along the entire soundboard. Additionally, the seven inlaid bone strips running along the back of the neck add to the overall elegance of the instrument. It's also interesting to note the use of friction tuning pegs, which were common at the time before the introduction of mechanical tuners. Furthermore, the guitar retains the traditional Spanish-style tie-on bridge, which was eventually replaced by the more familiar bridge with individual string anchor points. Another feature of this early Italian guitar is the inclusion of mother of pearl inlay, which was strongly associated with the popular mandolin, an instrument that was widely played in Italy that period.

Overall, this guitar from Fano provides a fascinating glimpse the early stages of guitar, showcasing the unique characteristics and craftsmanship that were prevalent before the standardization of the modern guitar design.

It is interesting to note that some of the early guitar builders were also crafting-dolins. This type of intricate inlay work is particularly characteristic of the mandolin tradition, and the Fano family is highly regarded for producing such exquisite, featherlight instruments that almost seem defiant of the materials from which they are constructed.

Now, we explore some aspects of technique and playing the romantic guitar. While it has become commonplace modern times to perform the great works of the 19th century on contemporary instruments using the prevalent modern technique, it is important to understand that 19th century guitar technique was quite different. Although the use of fingernails is the standard practice today, this was not the case during the 19th century.

During the 19th century, guitars were typically strung with gut, which was a rather co and rough material that did not work well with fingernails in general. It seems that the preferred standard for an ideal sound at the time was a preference for a tone was achieved without the use of fingernails. Although romantic-era guitars varied greatly in their characteristics, there appears to have been a common standard of a 62 cm string length.

It is a delight to explore the remarkable guitarists and composers (Mauro Giuliani, Fernando Sor, Dionio Aguado, Napoleon Cost…) of the past, many of whom have only recently been rediscovered. With each passing year, new musical treasures are being unearthed. The growing popularity of performing on original historical instruments has brought us closer to the ethos and intentions of these composers. Moreover, there are significant technical aspects that allow modern guitarists to better interpret of the period. However, it is no easy task to find an original instrument truly worthy of level performance. Such instruments often require extensive and costly restoration efforts.

The particular guitar has been beautifully restored by the renowned luthier and historian, Eric Pierre Hoffman, one of the leading experts in the construction and restoration of historical instruments. It is a true treasure and a testament to the rich heritage of guitar history. It can now be seen in the Kanto Mano guitar Museum in Berlin alongside hundreds of other unique specie specimens of Guitar History.

Let's go there and admire!