Ed:

Once you reminded me, I went back and listened to the 1888 Torres.  It is truly
a superb instrument.  It was one of the ones I heard played at Russ' lodge that
day.  Of course, as the seller notes, the instrument is superb, but it is an
accepted fact that a well-made instrument, kept in tune ad played regularly,
gets better with age.  Nobody seems to be quite sure why; perhaps the vibrations
work on the wood over time in sympathetic ways.

I have included the link in case anybody else is interested in what we are
talking about:

https://www.guitarsalon.com/store/p5101-1888-antonio-de-torres-ex-
matilde-cuervas-emilio-pujol-
spmh.html">https://www.guitarsalon.com/store/p5101-1888-antonio-de-torres-ex-
matilde-cuervas-emilio-pujol-spmh.html

And here is a link to Segovia's Ramirez that I heard Parkening play that
evening:

  https://www.guitarsalon.com/store/p4903-1969-jose-ramirez-1a-
quotamquot-cdcsar-ex-andres-
segovia.html">https://www.guitarsalon.com/store/p4903-1969-jose-ramirez-1a-
quotamquot-cdcsar-ex-andres-segovia.html

Talk about an instrument with presence.  Segovia thought that the cedar gave a
timbre well suited to the Spanish Romantic.  However, he was never happy with
certain tones on any guitar and had a long debate with Jose Ramirez by mail and
in person.  Here is a quote: "[T]here are two notes on the first string [of my
guitar] that do not have the same intensity as the others. I would like you to
repair it for me."

Ramirez correctly tried to explain to the  maestro that the issue had to do with
the sympathetic vibrations from the harmonic resonances of the six strings,
which is not fully balanced to the 12-note chromatic scale.  Segovia never
listened, just demanded.  Then when Narcisso Yepes had Ramirez solve the problem
by making a ten-string guitar that allowed full resonance for all strings and
notes, Segovia made fun of both of them and what he saw as a big, fat, ungainly
guitar.  Here is another quote:  "The only thing that this 10-string monstrosity
accomplishes is to transform the guitar from a voluptuous femme into a matronly
hausfrau."

Here is Yepes on the ten-string:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy9O7mfQU60

To be honest, while Yepes is a great master, I am not especially fond of his
style.  But even in a weak recording like this you can see and listen to the
guitar.

There is your next challenge, Ed:  A nylon ten-string with a tuned body.


Joseph Sullivan