1955 Marcelo Barbero

Top: Spruce
Back & Sides: Spanish Cypress
Scale: 655mm • Origin: Spain
Price: SOLD

I have had the pleasure of offering several outstanding Barbero’s, but this one is truly exceptional. It is in unbelievably good condition, and although it has likely had some finish work done years ago, the amazing thing is that it is in absolutely superb condition, no cracks and no repairs that I can detect. Nearly always a vintage Barbero will have some crack and/or repair somewhere, but this guitar is as sound as the day it was built. Finish quality is excellent with very few marks, a really beautiful Barbero. The pegs are well seated and smooth to operate, yet lock in easily when desired. The neck is straight and the action is so easy and comfortable, I sometimes wonder why more of the modern guitars don’t play like this. Plays like ‘butter’. The tone is Barbero through and through, at once a bit raucous and still open, woody, and with a beautiful vintage flamenco tone that exemplifies why these are often considered the ‘Stradivarius of Flamenco guitars’. Comes with a nice Calton case as well.

It is widely felt that the best Barbero guitars were built during the period from about 1950 to 1956, and this guitar is a prime example of that belief. Thus, if he built the standard one guitar a month let’s say, and of those some were no doubt classical guitars, then perhaps as few as 50 Flamenco guitars were built during his ‘best’ period. Of those, some have been lost or damaged, others are already ensconced in collections or with players who will not part with them for any price, and so this accounts for the rarity of these guitars from this period that are also in fine condition. Perhaps there may be as few as 10-20 Barbero’s from this period that have the sound and excellent condition that this guitar has. No wonder they show up for sale so infrequently.

A rare opportunity to own a stunning Barbero, from his best period, in excellent condition, and above all, with that killer Barbero sound that really puts it in a class all by itself.