A Closer Look

Santos Hernández Rodríguez

Born in Madrid in 1874, Santos Hernández Rodríguez is considered one of the most revered luthiers in Spanish guitar-making history. His instruments became emblematic of the Spanish guitar’s golden age. Their distinctive visual and acoustic characteristics — finely executed rosettes, balanced proportions, and expertly calibrated bracing — formed the blueprint for the modern classical guitar as we know it.

Over the course of his career, he produced an average of 20 guitars a year — primarily cypress flamenco guitars, alongside a smaller number of rosewood concert instruments. As Jérôme Casanova — an expert of guitars — aptly notes, “His influence on Spanish guitar making is such that one cannot speak of this music without speaking of Santos Hernández.”

The Story of La Inédita

Among these masterpieces, La Inédita — meaning "the Unpublished" or "the Unseen" — holds a particularly special significance. This guitar was made specifically for the renowned guitarist Andrés Segovia in 1935, but has never reached his hands.

Through a fascinating twist of fate, Segovia requested that the guitar be delivered directly to his hotel instead of personally visiting Hernández’s workshop as tradition and respect would dictate. Deeply offended by this perceived slight, the master luthier withheld his masterpiece, refusing to sell or display it. Thus, La Inédita remained untouched and hidden from public view, silently preserving a story of pride, passion, and mystery.

After nearly 90 years shrouded in secrecy and speculation, La Inédita now resurfaces, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a lost gem from the golden age of guitar-making. More than an extraordinary instrument, it embodies a unique chapter of cultural history and artistic pride.