Ignacio Fleta e Hijos　[イグナシオ・フレタ・エ・イーホス] classical　guitar

Product Description

Neck:Cedro
Fingerboard:Ebony
Finish(Top):Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides):Shellac
Tuning Machines:FUSTERO
String Height(1st):3.2mm
String Height(6th):4.1mm

［Profile］
Ignacio Fleta I (1897–1977) founded the renowned Barcelona workshop that later became a family enterprise with his sons Francisco (1925–200?) and Gabriel (1929–2013). The Fleta name remains one of the most celebrated in 20th-century classical guitar making, associated with numerous leading performers including Andrés Segovia, John Williams and Alberto Ponce.

Born in Huesa del Comun, Teruel, Fleta came from a family of woodworkers and began his apprenticeship in Barcelona at around the age of 13. He later studied violin-family instrument making in France before establishing a workshop in Barcelona. Although he had already made Torres-style guitars from around 1930, his career changed dramatically after hearing Segovia perform in 1955. Inspired by the great guitarist, Fleta developed a completely new approach to guitar construction, abandoning conventional Torres-based concepts.

In 1957, he presented his first new guitar to Segovia, who was deeply impressed by its exceptional volume, dynamics and distinctive, almost incomparable sweetness of tone. Segovia's use of the instrument brought Fleta international recognition, and the guitars subsequently became highly sought after by many great players.

Originally produced under the Ignacio Fleta label, the workshop later adopted the Ignacio Fleta e Hijos label in the mid-1960s. After Fleta I's death in 1977, the family tradition continued through his sons and later his grandson Gabriel Fleta, who carries on the name today.

［Instrument Information］
Ignacio Fleta e Hijos, 1969 No.507 — Used

This 1969 No.507 represents the mature period of the Fleta workshop, when Ignacio Fleta and his two sons were working together. It features the combination of a cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides, which became a standard specification for many subsequent Fleta guitars.

The instrument is particularly interesting as it reflects a transitional period in Fleta's sound. Earlier guitars from the 1950s and early 1960s often possess a soft, deep and almost vocal quality, while later instruments developed a more powerful, dry and percussive character. This 1969 guitar beautifully combines both qualities.

The sound has the unmistakable depth of a Fleta, with a sense of spaciousness rather than simply an echo. The tone is firm and highly concentrated, producing a powerful, almost tactile attack followed by a refined and lyrical sound. Notes emerge with remarkable density and definition, creating strong drive and projection while retaining considerable expressive subtlety.

The internal construction is characteristic of the Fleta design, with four harmonic bars, nine substantial fan braces, V-shaped closing bars, and extensive reinforcement plates. The unusually large amount of bracing covering the soundboard is one of the distinctive features of Fleta guitars and contributes to their unique combination of power, projection and tonal density. Resonance is set slightly above G#.

The top has a history of multiple crack repairs, as well as various scratches and dents, particularly around the fingerboard, soundhole, bridge and lower bout. All repairs have been properly addressed and the guitar is currently suitable for continued use. The back and sides remain comparatively clean, with no known crack repairs. There is some touch-up work on the treble side of the neck from nail wear.

The neck has a relatively narrow 48 mm nut width and a slim D-shaped profile, providing a compact and comfortable feel. It has only a slight forward bow, within a normal range. The frets show wear, particularly from the 1st to 8th positions, but remain playable.

String height is 3.2 / 4.1 mm (1st / 6th string, 12th fret), with approximately 0.5–1.0 mm of saddle adjustment remaining. The guitar is fitted with original-style Fustero Fleta tuners, which remain fully functional. Body weight is approximately 1.59 kg.