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Guitars owned by Andrés Segovia

Benito Ferre - Granada, Spain (early 1900's?)

  • Benito Ferre was a guitar maker from Granada.
  • His guitars were built in the Torres style.
  • An early Ferrer studio model guitar was given to Segovia by famed Granada sculptor, Miguel Cerón in 1904.
  • The early studio model (early 1900s) was used by Segovia from 1904 until he switched to the 1912 Manuel Ramírez guitar (Santos Hernandez).



Manuel Ramírez - Madrid, Spain (1912)

  • Made by Santos Hernández in the Ramírez shop in 1912.
  • The guitar was originally commissioned by Antonio Giménez Manjon, a famous and blind 11-string Spanish guitarist.
  • When Manjon refused to pay for the cost of building the guitar, Santos Hernández rebuilt it into a 6-string classical guitar.
  • The soundboard and the bridge were replaced and the tuning pegs were changed to mechanical tuning machines.
  • Medium: Spruce, rosewood, cedar, ebony, ivory or bone
  • Dimensions: Height (Total): 38 in. (96.5 cm), Width (At lower bouts): 10 9/16 in. (26.9 cm)
  • Segovia came to the Ramírez shop expecting to rent a guitar. Once Ramírez heard him play he knew that Segovia would one day be famous.
  • The guitar was gifted to Andrés Segovia by Manuel Ramírez in 1913. Manuel Ramírez told him “Pay me without money”.
  • In 1922 the guitar was taken to the Santos Hernández shop, it was in need of significant repairs. An additional label was placed at that time.
  • Segovia primarily played this guitar until 1937.
  • Credit Line: Gift of Emilita Segovia, Marquessa of Salobreña, 1986, to The Metropolitan Museum after Andrés Segovia's passing.
    The guitar is currently at The Metropolitan Museum in New York City.
  • Ref:
  • Richard Bruné, TheMet website (The Metropolitan Museum) 2022. Link to museum webpage.


Manuel Ramírez - Madrid, Spain (1914)

  • The guitar was commissioned by Segovia in 1914.
  • It was originally signed by Miguel Ramírez, but the signature was erased during a restoration by José Ramírez in 1995.
  • This guitar was sold at auction likely in early January 2020. It was publicized in December 2019 and was estimated to be worth 50,000 euros.


Hermann Hauser I (Sr.) - Munich, Germany (1928)

  • Hermann Hauser gifted one of his personal guitars to Segovia in 1928 to be used on his tour of the United States.
  • Segovia played it throughout many tours. The earliest found mention of a Hauser guitar on a Segovia programme was in 1929.
  • Segovia used this guitar until 1933(?)
  • Segovia gifted the guitar to Sophocles Papas. This guitar was later then passed on to a student, Charlie Byrd (who later became a jazz guitarist).
  • Charlie Byrd used this guitar on several LP recordings.



Hermann Hauser I (Sr.) - Munich, Germany (1937)

  • Hauser had been sending Segovia two guitars every year for 13 years which he thought were faithful copies of his M. Ramirez but without soul.
  • The guitar was likely a collaboration between Hauser father (I) and son (II) as all guitars were signed Hauser I until October 1952.
  • Commissioned by Segovia and it was likely started in 1936 and finished in 1937.
  • Hauser signed, dated and dedicated the instrument to Segovia on the soundboard on February 4, 1937, likely just before constructing the box.
  • Herman Hauser gifted the guitar to Segovia.
  • Segovia did not receive this guitar until early 1938.
  • Hauser sent it rail delivery and it kept arriving in different places Segovia had been after he had already left.
  • Medium: The two-piece back and sides are of Brazilian rosewood and the two-piece top is of spruce. mahogany, bone or ivory, ebony.
  • Dimensions: 38 × 14 3/8 × 4 in. (96.5 × 36.5 × 10.2 cm)
  • Segovia called this guitar the greatest guitar in the world. "The greatest guitar of our epoch"
  • Segovia played it exclusively from 1938 to 1962. The Hauser website states that Segovia used it through 1970.
  • Segovia's recital at the Civic Center of Chicago on March 13, 1938, may be the first or one of the first times he performed with this guitar.
  • The guitar sustained some damage in the recording studio in 1962 and Segovia felt that it changed the way it sounded.
  • Credit Line: Gift of Emilita Segovia, Marquessa of Salobreña, 1986, to The Metropolitan Museum after Andrés Segovia's passing.
  • The guitar is currently at The Metropolitan Museum in New York City with strict instructions never to be played again.
  • The guitar was sent to the museum in "less than ideal" condition. Evidence of poor handling, poor repair jobs and dried sweat stain on the varnish.
  • Museum Accession Number: 1986.353.1  Link to Museum page.
  • Ref:
  • Richard Bruné, TheMet website (The Metropolitan Museum) 2022. Link to museum webpage.
  • Richard Bruné. Andre(s) Segovia's Hauser - Built in 1937, Vintage Guitar magazine. Link to web magazine.


Diego Gracia - Argentina (1940)

  • Back and sides are Brazillian rosewood and the top is made of spruce.


Hermann Hauser II (Jr.) - Munich, Germany (1956)



Ignacio Fleta - Spain (1957)



José Ramírez III - Madrid, Spain (1961)

  • The guitar was made by compiling all the experiments in guitar making that had given good results.
  • Segovia played the guitar and asked if he could play it for a season. He took it on his tour of Australia in 1961.
  • Made by Paulino Bernabé in the Ramirez shop?
  • Segovia played this guitar from 196_ to 1989


José Ramírez III- Madrid, Spain (1963)


José Ramírez III - Madrid, Spain (1969)

  • Commisioned by Andres Segovia.
  • Built at the Ramírez shop by Antonio Martínez
  • Segovia played this guitar from 1969 to 1980



Richard Brune - USA (1984)


José Ramírez IV - Madrid, Spain (1979)

In 1979, José Ramirez sent Segovia a new batch of guitars to try.  Segovia selected this guitar Ramirez IV, made by José Enrique.

This was apparently his favourite guitar from 1979 until he passed away in 1986.