Neck:Cedro
Fingerboard:Ebony
Finish(Top):Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides):Shellac
Tuning Machines:Unknown
String Height(1st):2.9mm
String Height(6th):3.6mm

[Luthier]
José Yacopi (1916–2006) was born in Vitoria, Spain. He entered the workshop of his father, Gamaliel Yacopi, and built his first guitar at the age of eighteen. In 1949 the family moved to San Fernando near Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he established his workshop and continued building guitars throughout his life.

In his early years he followed the traditional Spanish style inspired by Antonio de Torres. Around 1947, however, he and his father developed a distinctive fan-bracing system in which the braces radiate in the opposite direction from the conventional pattern. This structural design became one of the defining features of Yacopi guitars.

Yacopi instruments are known for their unique tonal character, combining deep and warm basses with clear, singing trebles. Their expressive and colorful sound has made them popular not only with classical guitarists but also with performers of South American music and bossa nova. Today the workshop is continued by his son, Fernando Yacopi, while instruments built personally by José remain highly sought after.

〔Instrument〕
This guitar was built in 1974, during one of the most highly regarded periods of José Yacopi’s career. The instrument features the maker’s distinctive carved headstock, original tuners with mother-of-pearl buttons, and striking South American rosewood for the back and sides. Combined with the deep amber finish, the overall appearance is both elegant and characterful, reflecting the confident style of Yacopi’s mature years.

Tonally, the guitar offers a rich and woody bass and lower midrange with a calm yet expressive voice, while the trebles are clear, focused, and full of character. The contrast between these registers produces a uniquely balanced sound with a somewhat chamber-music-like perspective. The response has a natural elasticity that creates a gentle, flowing musical movement often associated with South American instruments.

Internally, the guitar features Yacopi’s characteristic six-fan bracing arranged symmetrically from the foot block, with the braces opening in the reverse direction compared to the conventional fan pattern. A reinforcement patch has been applied along the center seam of the soundboard, likely from the time of construction. The resonance is around G–G#.

There are repaired cracks on the bass side of the soundboard near the fingerboard and on the lower right area of the top. Both have been properly reinforced from the inside and do not affect the instrument’s stability or playability. Aside from minor playing wear, the guitar remains in very good condition for its age. The neck has a comfortable C-round profile that feels slightly more compact than later examples. It shows a very slight forward relief but remains within normal setup range. The current string height is 2.9 mm (1st string) and 3.6 mm (6th string) at the 12th fret, with approximately 1.0–2.0 mm of saddle remaining. The original tuners are still installed and function well.
Weight: 1.63 kg.

〔detail〕