Elias Bonet Builds a New Cedar Guitar for GSI In His New Workshop.

We’ve received an email from a talented Spanish luthier, Elias Bonet, with some sneak peek photos of his new (now sixth) GSI guitar. Elias is building this instrument in his new workshop located in a gorgeous 300-year-old house in Mallorca (see the photos below, isn’t this an ideal place to build classical guitars?)

Elias’s guitar-making is based on traditional methods which he learned from one of his teachers, Don Juan Antonio Reyes. Basically, this process is based on a Spanish system of ‘closes the sound box from behind’ which Elias draws greatly from two points of reference: Antonio de Torres and Alex van der Horst (aka “Alejandro”). He also uses a five-piece fan bracing built from solid, well-aged woods using the guidelines provided to Elias by Juan A. Reyes. For this new guitar, Elias used cedar for the soundboard and Honduran rosewood for back and sides. The geometrical patterns in the rosette are inspired by seventh-century Persian carvings. 

Check out the sneak peek photos below. Elias’s previous instruments that we played at GSI were characterized by a beautiful wide range of tonal colors and an ample volume. We look forward to seeing this new guitar in our showroom soon!