Italian handmade lutherie · Rome, July 2013 · Italiano · Deutsch

Classical guitar
Romano Gambacorta
"Studio N. 2 Noce"

Built entirely by hand, all solid woods. Spruce top, walnut back and sides, Spanish heel. A one-of-a-kind instrument from the bench of a Roman master luthier with almost fifty years of work behind him.

TopSolid spruce
Back and sidesSolid walnut
Scale length650 mm
YearJuly 2013
ConditionExcellent, ready to play
IncludedGator hard case

€2,200 Insured DHL shipping, €55 within Italy
Free pickup and play-testing in person

I want to try it

Romano Gambacorta Studio N. 2 Noce classical guitar, front view

Listen to it

The best way to judge a guitar is to hear it

No inflated descriptions. This is the real sound of the instrument, recorded with no tricks.

The sound

A very sweet, warm voice, well balanced between basses and trebles. But push it and it delivers a real punch and true projection.

This is a guitar made for the classical repertoire. It doesn't shout and it doesn't have the aggressive tone of some stage instruments: it sings. The walnut back and sides give it a warmth rosewood doesn't have, and the solid spruce top, after twelve years of settling, is open and responsive the way it should be.

Construction

Everything you see is solid wood

No laminates, no industrial shortcuts. Solid timber, traditional joinery, clear nitro finish. Made by hand, once.

Internal label Studio N. 2 Noce, Romano Gambacorta, Roma, 2013 — **Internal label** Hand-signed by the luthier: "Studio N. 2 Noce, Romano Gambacorta, Roma", dated 07-2013. Bought directly from him.

Bridge detail with mother-of-pearl inlays — **Bridge and mother-of-pearl** Decorative mother-of-pearl inlays on the bridge, light-coloured saddle. Hand-worked, not moulded.

Solid walnut back of the guitar — **Solid walnut back** Two-piece walnut with symmetrical grain. This is the wood that gives the guitar its warm character.

Headstock, front view — **Headstock** Classic carved profile, rosewood fingerboard. Nut width 52 mm, string spacing 42 mm.

Classical tuners with engraved plates and pearloid buttons — **Tuners** Classical open-gear tuners, engraved plates and pearloid buttons. Smooth and precise.

Spanish heel, traditional neck joint — **Spanish heel** Traditional neck joint, built into the body during construction. The Spanish luthiers' method, not a bolt.

Measurements

All the numbers, no surprises

Scale length650 mm

Nut width52 mm

Width at 12th fret60 mm

String spacing at nut42 mm

String spacing at bridge60 mm

Neck thickness (1st and 12th)23 mm

Upper bout27 cm

Waist23.5 cm

Lower bout36 cm

Body depth10 cm

StringsNylon

FinishNatural nitrocellulose

PickupNone, purely acoustic

Who built it

Romano Gambacorta, master luthier, Rome

Not a brand. A person, with a workbench in Rome and almost fifty years spent building classical guitars one at a time. One of his guitars was played in the Sala della Lupa at Montecitorio, the very hall where the Italian Constitution was signed. And when twenty Italian luthiers joined forces to build "L'Italica" for Roma Expo Guitars, he was one of the twenty.

This one was bought directly from him in 2013. Serial number, label and signature are all original, visible in the photo of the interior.

~50years working as a luthier

114instruments built by hand

1single owner since 2013

Why I'm selling it

I now study flamenco and play cypress guitars built for that repertoire. This is a classical guitar, and it wants someone who truly plays classical.

Condition

What you get, said straight

Actual condition

Excellent condition. Only a few light surface marks on the clear finish from normal playing.
No cracks and no structural issues.
No replaced parts. Everything original, from the tuners to the bridge.
No repairs needed. Perfectly playable as it is, today.

In the box

The guitar Studio N. 2 Noce, July 2013, with original label and signature.
Gator hard case in moulded ABS with metal latches and plush interior.
Professional packaging and DHL shipping insured for the full value.

Gator hard case, closed — **Gator case, closed**Moulded ABS shell, metal latches.

Gator hard case, open, plush interior — **Gator case, open**Plush interior, shaped to the instrument.

Full gallery

Fifteen photos, natural light, no flash

Shot with a Fujifilm X-H2S. Click any image to see it at full resolution. If you want a detail that isn't here, just ask and I'll photograph it.

Shipping

An instrument like this doesn't travel by regular post

I ship exclusively by DHL express courier, with professional packaging and insurance for the full value of the instrument. I don't use the regular postal service: for a luthier guitar I don't consider it reliable, and I'd rather spend more than risk it arriving broken.

Shipping within Italy, insured DHL€55

Pickup and play-testing in personFree

Whether you're a student, an enthusiast or a concert player, you know the best way to approach an instrument is to play it. Take your time, the coffee's on me!

For shipping outside Italy, write to me: I'll give you an exact quote, always DHL and always insured.

Only one, and then it's gone

Not a catalogue model: it's this guitar, built once, in 2013

Write to me to arrange a try-out, to agree on shipping, or just to ask for an extra photo or detail. I answer everyone.

Classical guitarRomano Gambacorta"Studio N. 2 Noce"