One of the most renowned guitar makers of the 20th century, José Luis Romanillos became a cabinetmaker in his early teens. One day, he decided he wanted to play flamenco guitar, but couldn’t afford to buy one. This led him to build his own, marking the first step in his career as a classical guitar maker. Consequently, he had no formal teacher. Instead, he studied guitars made by previous makers and developed his own unique construction methods. Convinced that all guitars stem from Torres’s legacy, he dedicated himself not only to guitar making but also to intensive research on classical guitars. He is particularly recognized as a leading authority on Torres studies.

Románilhos names each guitar individually. The guitar used by Masahiro Masuda is named “La Pluma” (The Feather), inspired by a quill pen his wife gifted him for his birthday around the time this guitar was completed.

Since 2008, it has served as his main guitar, used in most recitals and CD recordings.

1986 Top: Spruce, Back and Sides: Rosewood, Scale Length: 650mm