José Pernas was a Granada maker, who according to Prat (1934:383) taught Antonio de Torres how to make guitars.  Pernas was born in 1804, the son of José Pernas and Ana Perez. Although he was trained as a carpenter, by the time his first son was born in 1842, he is documented as working as a guitar maker, and was recorded as still working as a guitar maker in 1866. His surviving guitars, one of which made in 1851 is in the personal collection of Marcelino Lopez Nieto, (the same year that he was awarded a gold medal by the Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais), attests to his great skill and talent as a maker. Marcelino generously allowed Aaron Garcia Ruiz to make a detailed study of this guitar. When I visited Aaron in July of 2013, he showed me his blueprints. Since Marcelino had also allowed me to play this wonderful guitar once, I immediately asked Aaron to build me a copy. This is a magical instrument, with lyrical intense trebles and a great mid-range that are perfectly matched to its basses. It not only offers great-evenness from note to note, but it has a tone of unsurpassed clarity. The guitarist, Dr. Eduardo Minozzi Costa, when he sat down to record it for me, put it— “this is the best new guitar I have ever played. Its openness and clarity are astounding.”  My wife even suggested I keep it. Unfortunately, I have too many guitars on order to permit that, and know that when it sells I will certainly regret it. 

Body length:  455mm   Upper bout:   235mm    Waist:   196mm   Lower bout:   328mm    Depth neck:    85mm    Depth heel:    90mm