Joao Carlos Jeronimo Bras　［ジョアン・カルロス・ブラス］ Double Top　No.12

Product Description

Neck:Mahogany
Fingerboard:Ebony
Finish(Top):Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides):Shellac
Tuning Machines: BARNETT
String Height(1st):2.7mm
String Height(6th):3.8mm

[Maker Information]

Jerónimo Guitars
Joan Carlos Jerónimo Brás

Jerónimo Guitars is the brand of Joan Carlos Jerónimo Brás, an up-and-coming luthier based in the beautiful port city of Aveiro in northern Portugal. His workshop specializes in the construction of classical guitars as well as the Portuguese guitar, one of Portugal’s traditional instruments.

The name “Jerónimo” carries a deeply personal meaning beyond simply serving as a brand name. When Joan Carlos was 11 years old, his cousin Luis Jerónimo introduced him to the guitar, marking the beginning of his journey into music and the classical guitar. In memory of his cousin, who sadly passed away at a young age, and as a lasting tribute to his family roots, he chose to adopt his maternal family name, Jerónimo, as the name of his brand.

As his interest in the construction and acoustics of classical and Portuguese guitars deepened, he began collecting and studying handmade guitars by renowned makers from both the past and present. Through examining these instruments in detail, he independently researched their structural principles, woodworking techniques, and the essence of their tonal characteristics. This eventually led him to make the decision to pursue a career as a luthier himself. Particularly noteworthy is the unique balance underlying his approach to guitar making: it is neither simply a return to classical traditions nor an inclination toward extremely modern guitar design.

Before devoting himself entirely to guitar making, Joan Carlos spent 20 years in senior project management positions at global companies in Germany and Japan, giving him an unusual background for a luthier. He has brought the rigorous standards of precision, performance, and quality control cultivated throughout his industrial career directly into his guitar-making process. His philosophy is to achieve a high-level fusion between the warmth of traditional handmade lutherie and the principles of modern precision engineering.

Jerónimo Guitars currently offers three lines: Classical Guitar: Traditional, featuring traditional Torres-style fan bracing; Classical Guitar: Double Top, employing a Nomex double-top construction; and Portuguese Guitar: Coimbra, based on the Coimbra style. Because he devotes considerable time to every stage of construction and pays meticulous attention to even the finest details of the finish, his production remains extremely limited, with only four instruments made per year.

[Instrument Information]

This is a 2026 new classical guitar, a Double Top model built by Joan Carlos Jerónimo Brás, and its first introduction in Japan.

The Double Top construction consists of two thin wooden plates with an ultra-lightweight Nomex honeycomb core sandwiched between them. This construction allows the instrument to combine a lightweight soundboard with high rigidity, providing the responsive attack, ample volume, and wide dynamic range expected of a Double Top guitar. Additional reinforcement has also been incorporated inside the sides of the body, contributing to a robust and structurally stable construction.

The soundboard is made of American Red Cedar, while the back and sides feature an impressive Central American Rosewood with distinctive sapwood figuring. Although it employs an advanced Double Top construction, the instrument also reflects the maker’s knowledge and experience in building classical and Portuguese guitars. The result is a distinctive voice that combines the character of Portuguese guitar making with subtle South American nuances, offering both a unique tonal character and expressive range.