Gerundino Fernández

Gerundino Miguel Fernández García (1931-2006) was a Spanish luthier, considered one of the world's greatest makers of flamenco guitars.Fact|date=October 2008

Biography

Gerundino was born in Almería, 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.

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 Cypress 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, [cite web |url=http://www.whereseric.com/ecfaq/guitars-amps/2004-christies-guitar-auction-eric-clapton-blackie-cherry-red-gibson-335-cream-guitar.html |title=2004 Guitar Auction: Sale Details |date=26 August 2005 |work=Where's Eric |accessdate=2008-10-02] believed to be the highest price ever paid for a Gerundino.Fact|date=October 2008

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.

References

*F. Urrutia Fernandez, "Gerundino Fernandez, Biografia de un guitarrero", Universidad Almeria, 2007 (ISBN 978-84-8240-823-1).