Neck: Sipo
Fingerboard: Ebony
Finish(Top): Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides): Shellac
Tuning Machines: Schaller
String Height(1st): 3.2 mm
String Height(6th): 4.0 mm

[Luthier Information]
Gerhard J. Oldiges was born in Germany in 1955. After graduating from university, he trained in several workshops specializing in guitars and lutes. In 1985, he passed the national Meister examination and obtained the Geselle certification. In 1986, he began working in the repair department of Lakewood Guitars at its inception. In 1988, he attended a guitar-making seminar in Belgium led by José Luis Romanillos (1932–2022), the renowned master who deeply influenced the direction of Oldiges’ subsequent work. In 1989, he passed the national Meister exam again and obtained the Meister title, establishing his own workshop.

Oldiges maintained a close relationship with Romanillos as both a disciple and a good friend. He served as an assistant alongside Tobias Brown at workshops held in Sigüenza, Spain (attended by Kaoru Ono, Masahiro Tanabe, Jun Nakano, among others). He also actively contributed to spreading guitar culture by publishing the German translation of Romanillos’ seminal work Antonio de Torres: His Life and Work. Oldiges himself is devoted to the Spanish traditional guitar lineage starting with Torres, especially influenced by the making aesthetics of Hauser I. He continues to craft instruments with refined appearance and tone, inspired by these maestros. Despite producing a very limited number of guitars, he has earned high praise from professional guitarists, including Julian Bream, and is regarded as one of the leading contemporary German luthiers.

[Instrument Information]
The 2025 new ‘Homenaje’ model by Gerhard Oldiges has arrived. This instrument is a direct homage to the legendary José Luis Romanillos’ 1973 guitar (Serial No. 1930-1-73), famously played by Julian Bream, who passed away in 2022. (The original serial number '1930' refers to the year of the Hermann Hauser I top plate template Romanillos used; '1' means the first guitar made with that template; '73' refers to the year 1973.)

Romanillos was a key figure in the traditional classical guitar making of the late 20th century. Having absorbed Romanillos’ philosophy firsthand, Oldiges created this guitar as a dense and beautiful embodiment of the pure essence of classical guitar.

While based on the 1973 original, Oldiges incorporated his own creative improvements and refinements—some derived from direct discussions with Romanillos about this very model—resulting in an insightful instrument. Romanillos is known foremost for his iconic design, and Oldiges’ craftsmanship reaches a world-class level in this respect: the carefully selected European spruce top contrasts vividly with Brazilian rosewood back and sides; the famous rosette, inspired by the arches of Córdoba’s mosque; the exquisite inlay of the body purfling and tailblock; and the artistically designed headstock that harmonizes all these elements into a cohesive and elegant work of art. While Romanillos’ originals show the lively handiwork of the maker’s hand—sometimes rough but expressive—Oldiges’ work balances rustic authenticity with a painterly design finesse.

The sound is superb. Capturing the Romanillos tonal and projection characteristics, Oldiges adds his signature clarity and refined restraint. The result is less homage and more a highest-level “collaboration.” The guitar features a jumping, chamber-music-like acoustic perspective. Of special note is the delicate vibrato in single notes, almost voice-like—an often overlooked Romanillos trait making his guitars among Spain’s most “singing” instruments. The organic transformation of string movement to sound yields a vivid density. This responsiveness extends to articulation—fast notes, sustained endings, crisp staccato and slurs—all reacting perfectly to musical demands. The tone is pleasantly rounded, subtly woody, neither too bright nor dull, with gentle power and charm.

The bracing pattern includes three harmonic bars—two above the soundhole (neck side) and one below (bridge side)—each with openings on treble and bass sides. A unique patch plate shaped somewhat like an eye mask is placed between the upper bar and the neck block; concentric reinforcing rings surround the soundhole. Seven symmetrical fan braces radiate from the waist, with two closing bars arranged in an inverted V at the bottom. The bridge plate is reinforced by a triangular patch with its base at the tie block. Peones (kerfing strips) of two types are used at the top edge of the body: triangular cross-section above the waist, chair-shaped below. The central three fan braces are 6.5 mm wide by 5 mm high; the outer four are 3.5 mm wide by 2.5 mm high—a design idea that came from discussions between Oldiges and Romanillos about the 1973 model, which Romanillos later adopted himself. The harmonic bar braces passing through the openings are reduced from four to two in this model and set slightly diagonally rather than perfectly parallel to the grain. The patch plate under the bridge is also different from the original, modeled after one later added by Julian Bream himself. The sides are laminated with Brazilian rosewood on the outside and pear wood inside (about 2 mm thick in total). The guitar’s resonance is set slightly below G.

The neck shape is a thin, rounded D, almost a C shape, giving a compact grip. String heights are 3.2 mm (1st string) and 4.0 mm (6th string) at the 12th fret, with 2.5 to 3.0 mm saddle adjustment left for lowering if desired. The string tension is medium to slightly light, allowing stress-free left-hand play even at current heights. The neck and headplate use a V-joint method. Brazilian rosewood is used for the bridge plate and head veneer. The tuning machines are premium German Scheller with black mother-of-pearl buttons.

José Romanillos’ broad and deep influence is still recognized worldwide, inspiring many luthiers—especially a new generation—to create tributes. This guitar by Gerhard Oldiges is probably the finest and most fitting of such tributes today, a true masterpiece.