Neck：Cedro
Fingerboard：Ebony
Finish：Shellac
Tuning Machine：GOTOH
String height：1string　3.5mm／6string　4.3mm

[Profile]
Paulino Bernabe I (1932-2007) is a maker in Madrid, Spain. It is well known that he himself played well and learned to play the guitar from Tarrega's disciple Daniel Fortea. As a guitar maker, with the deep trust of José Ramirez III, he has long been the chief craftsman at his workshop, supporting the golden age of this giant brand. After that, he became independent in 1969 and continued to make unique guitars by his own method while inheriting the traditional method, and won the gold medal at the International Craft Expo in Munich in 1974. And he made the ten-string guitar that Narciso Yepes loves. He died in 2007, but now his son has taken over the workshop and is highly regarded as one of the leading brands in Madrid, Spain.

[Description]
This is the 'Imperial' model, a late model of Bernabe I, with maple back and sides. Since around 2000, Bernabe has produced more than four different models (currently five types: Concerto, Especial, Torres, Imperial, and Royal), each of which is ranked according to the grade of wood used, etc., with 'Imperial' being the high-end model. These models, made with the highest grade of wood, were considered the finest of the Madrid School after Ramirez III.
The standard specification is a rosewood back and sides from Central and South America, but here, the stunning flame maple is used (the sides are double-layered with Cypress on the inside), and the beautiful grain of the wood is a sight to behold. The unique power of the Bernabe and the elegant tone of the maple are combined to create a distinctive sound.
The character of the Bernabe guitar is its bold and dense sound, but perhaps because of the maple, this guitar has a deeper tone that is more appealing than the gorgeousness of the wood. However, the volume and power of the sound are still excellent, and it stands out even among the Madrid School guitars. This is one of the most outstanding guitars of Bernabe I.
There are some minor scratches around the sound hole on the surface board. There are no cracks or other major repairs.


Performance video