NMM 10910.  Guitar by Lorenzo, Rick, and Robert Pimentel, Pimentel & Sons,
Principal Builder Lorenzo Pimentel, Albuquerque, June 1999. 
Grand Concert Gold (classical).  Grand Concert B.R. 9 NSM.
Paul Szmanda Collection, 2005.

This classical guitar was made from Brazilian rosewood, now a rare wood prized by guitar makers for its fine tonal properties. The instrument has a custom rosette with an S motif. Note:  Click on any image on this page to see an enlargement.

Front, Side, and Back Views

Inscriptions:  Printed in brown ink on paper label, the text superimposed over faint image of vihuela and lute, with single line border, the given names, model, serial number, and dates written in blue ballpoint pen:  Robert, Lorenzo, Rick / PIMENTEL / OF ALBUQUERQUE / Model Grand Concert Gold / Serial No. Brazilian RW 9 NSM [sic] / Date June 1999

Signed in silver ink on back of peghead, under finish: Pimentel & [ampersand in form of an E with vertical line] Sons / New Mexico / U.S.A. 99 / 1951 [decorative device] 1999

Ebony veneer label to treble side of signature label with cut corners, written in silver ink, with single line silver border, partially over signature label: Paul W. Szmanda

Inscription Images

Label (above) with Owner's Name

Front and Back Views of the Body

Body:  Soundboard:  two-piece German spruce, fine grain. Back:  two-piece book-matched Brazilian rosewood. Ribs:  two-piece, book-matched Brazilian rosewood. Head:  slotted, mahogany peghead veneered with triple-layer rosewood over holly over rosewood. Neck:  Honduran mahogany; flared heel.

Fretboard, Peghead, Neck, and Bridge

Trim:  Heel cap:  rosewood. Fingerboard:  African ebony; 19 nickel-silver frets under E-, B-, A-, E-strings; 18 nickel-silver frets under G- and D-strings. Nut:  bone. Bridge:  Brazilian rosewood; bone saddle; rectangular abalone inlay on string anchor surrounded by 14k gold wire and blue-dyed holly strips, and bone edging. Tuners:  two sets of Waverly gold-plated steel worm-gear machine heads with white plastic rollers, ebony heads with turquoise cabochons set in ends, the plates stamped with floral design, the upper end of plates terminating in lyres. Endpin:  none. Finish:  clear.

Neck Heel, Soundhole, End Graft

Inlay:  Binding:  rosewood with five-ply, holly and ebony purfling strip trim on top, three-ply holly and ebony purfling strip trim on ribs and back. Rosette:  light hardwood, orange-dyed hardwood, green-dyed hardwood, ebony, and 14k gold custom mosaic with S motif, surrounded on each side by strips of ebony, blued-dyed holly, 14k gold, and thin mosaic comprised of alternating, angled strips of holly and ebony. Back stripe:  rosewood strip surrounded on each side with two strips of holly and one strip of ebony purfling. Head inlay:  inlaid purfling (ebony-holly-ebony) along sides. End graft:  rosewood strip surrounded on each side with two strips of holly and one strip of ebony purfling.

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Interior:  Linings:  kerfed Spanish cedar. Neck block:  Spanish cedar; extended foot on back side. End block:  maple. Top bracing:  spruce X-brace; two braces in lower bouts parallel to center joint, with one cross brace near bottom; soundhole reinforced with brown paper. Back braces:  three Spanish cedar back braces. Back graft:  Spanish cedar.

Measurements:  Total guitar length:  1017 mm (40″)
Back length:  506 mm (19-29/32″)
Upper bout width:  296 mm (11-21/32″)
Waist width:  248 mm (9-3/4″)
Lower bout width:  379 mm (14-15/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel:  102 mm (4″)
Rib height, at waist:  103 mm (4-1/32″)
Rib height, at end block:  102 mm (4″)
Head length:  184 mm (7-1/4″)
Head width, top:  81 mm (2-3/16″)
Head width, bottom:  65 mm (2-9/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs):  329 mm (12-15/16″)
Neck width, nut:  52 mm (2-1/32″)
Neck width, heel:  62 mm (2-7/16″)
Soundhole diameter:  86 mm (3-3/8″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge):  high E:  659 mm (25-15/16″); low E:  659 mm (25-15/16″)

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Most recent update: January 10, 2011

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