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Product Description

Neck: Cedro
Fingerboard: Ebony
Finish(Top): Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides): Shellac
Tuning Machines: Fustero
String Height(1st): 3.0mm
String Height(6th): 4.5mm

[Profile]

Hernandez y Aguado was the joint brand of Santiago Manuel Hernandez (1895–1975) and Victoriano Aguado Rodriguez (1897–1972), with Hernandez crafting the bodies and Aguado handling paint, headwork, and supervision. Known simply as "Aguado," it is considered one of the finest classical guitar brands of the late 20th century.

Hernandez was born in Valmojado near Toledo, Spain, and moved to Madrid at age eight. Aguado was Madrid-born. They worked together at the "Corredera" piano workshop in Madrid, becoming close friends. Hernandez began his apprenticeship at 14 and quickly became a key member due to his skill and dedication. After the workshop closed in 1941, they opened a joint piano and furniture repair workshop.

In 1945, they sought advice from the composer and renowned guitarist Rejino Sainz de la Maza on two private guitars. He encouraged them to pursue guitar-making and loaned them his Santos Hernandez guitar for study. Modesto Borreguero (1893–1969) also worked alongside them, providing guidance on the craft. Following this, they focused entirely on guitars.

Aguado's guitars gained great popularity, at one point maintaining a waiting list of over 70 clients. The first shipment was No. 100, continuing consecutively until No. 454 in 1974. Some 1970s guitars were made by Marcelino López Nieto (1931–2018) and Vicente Camacho (1928–2013) to meet demand.

The brand’s hallmarks include graceful body lines, dignified head design, and, most notably, unparalleled tone. Their guitars have a human-voice-like texture—warm, expressive, and at times percussive and powerful. Hernandez’s daughter Emilia married Jesús Velezar García (1920–1986), who became the brand’s legitimate successor, producing masterpieces in line with the founders’ philosophy.

De la Maza, John Williams, Yupanqui, and other masters owned and performed on Hernandez y Aguado guitars, attesting to their enduring appeal.

[Description]

We are pleased to present a Hernandez y Aguado 1965 No. 304. This guitar showcases the extraordinary expressive potential of the brand at its peak. In response to rising orders and Aguado’s ill health in the late 1960s, several makers contributed, but the true collaboration of Hernandez and Aguado remains the standard of excellence.

As Roy Courtnall, author of Making Master Guitars, noted, one charm of Hernandez y Aguado is that they “do not impose a strong personality on the player; the instrument waits for the performer’s skill and interpretation to bring it to life.” Their tone is often described as a “singing voice,” producing delicate, dynamic, and organic musical lines.

The guitar retains much of its original feel, with minimal repainting and no major repairs. The structure is sound, the string length is 660 mm, tension is moderate, and playability is enhanced by an optimal string height. It remains an expressive instrument, offering warmth, nuance, and effortless responsiveness typical of Hernandez y Aguado guitars.