We’re absolutely delighted to reintroduce Antonio Picado guitars back to the UK. We have a small range of Picado guitars available in our shop, and will be adding more lines in the future.

Quite simply, we love these guitars! They’re immaculately finished, which is indicative of the great care and attention these guitars experience during the building process. The general character of all Antonio Picado guitars is one that is both bold and clear. A huge, full bass voice is complemented by a singing, bell like treble voice.

One of the most impressive qualities is the fullness of each note. I’ve noticed that with certain guitar makers, the sound is loud but somehow empty at the same time. They don’t really sing or offer much by way of musical quality. These Antonio Picado guitars are full sounding and wonderfully musical, and that’s a quite rare thing.

Our entry point into Antonio Picado guitars is the superb Model 53. A full solid wood, handcrafted guitar made with high quality materials by the experienced team of luthiers at the Antonio Picado workshop in Spain. Led by Ángel Genis and Carlos Prat, every Antonio Picado guitar is meticulously crafted by a small team of luthiers with an emphasis on producing guitars of the highest quality.

The Model 53 features a solid spruce or cedar top, coupled with Indian Rosewood back/sides with a Honduran cedar neck and an ebony fingerboard. A glossy nitrocellulose finish gives a deeper level of protection. The pristine character of this finish is a fitting match for the high level of quality given to the fine details of this guitar.

For a guitar just north of £1,000, the tone is seriously impressive. Guitars at this price point often suffer from a muffled sounding G string and feel somewhat under powered or imbalanced, particularly in the trebles. The Model 53 sounds full and clear across all registers and sings like a canary right up to the higher frets.

There is also a great sense of power and projection, especially with the cedar top version. We think this is something guitarists will really enjoy when practicing or performing with the Model 53.

Building on the success of the Model 53, Antonio Picado’s Model 54 is a more refined version with a sharper focus of tone and a shade more projection. This is perfect for the more discerning student who needs to maximise the tonal qualities of their instrument without overspending.

The Model 54 achieves these improvements primarily through the use of higher quality tonewoods and a deeper level of tuning during the construction phase. This extra attention is enough to produce a guitar that is noticeably more refined than the entry level Model 53.

At £1,400, this guitar represents astounding value. There are a number of manufacturers who produce guitars around this price, however for us, the Antonio Picado guitars stand head and shoulders above the competition.

Towards the higher end of Antonio Picado’s range are the Model 60 and 60DT. Rather than a rehash of the Model 54, the Model 60 sounds like a completely different instrument in many respects.

Although the overall Antonio Picado character is evident, there is a chasmic difference in tonal quality between the Model 60 and Model 54. Given how good the Model 54 is, this is quite staggering.

Whilst there is a gorgeous purity and song like tone to the treble strings of the spruce version, it is accompanied by a host of sympathetic resonance not heard on the lower models. This quality alone elevates the Model 60 into new tonal territory and opens up new avenues of expressive capabilities.

I found the sustain on the Model 60 to be rather impressive. The extra resonance helps to prop up melodies and sustain beautifully. I had great fun striking single notes and letting them sing, listening to the various choirs of notes whose voices echo in harmony somewhere in the background.

Separation of voice, one of Antonio Picado’s hallmarks, is another defining feature. Beyond that however, is an extended dynamic range which when pushed, acts as a catalyst to dial in more sympathetic resonance. The result is a guitar that gets more excitable the harder you play, which feels rather natural when it comes to phrasing. Whether this is a deliberate intention by design or a happy accident, it is a most welcome tonal feature.

The standard Model 60 has a slightly darker and more breath like tone than it’s ‘doblo tapa’ (DT) sibling. ‘Openness’ is another word the springs to mind when comparing the two side by side. Highly resonant with gorgeous depth of tone in all registers.

What’s perhaps most impressive of all is the price. We’re always on the lookout for the best classical guitars money can buy. We’ve stocked various guitars here in the past but so far the Antonio Picado guitars are our choice as the best pound for pound classical guitars in the studio range (there is more competition for this title in the concert range).

The attention to detail in the craftsmanship coupled with the superb tone and projection make these a serious contender to anybody looking for a guitar around the £1,000-£2,000 mark. If you ask us, it’s much better to have a guitar that is handcrafted in Spain by a small team of luthiers than one that is mass produced in a factory for a similar price.