René Baarslag - 2025 Doubletop
René Baarslag - 2025 Doubletop
Details
Details
Overview
Overview
Shipping important note
Shipping important note
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Details about GPSR
Details about GPSR
More details about the guitar
About the luthier
René Baarslag, born in Heerlen, Holland in 1948, is a distinguished guitar maker who blends mechanical precision with the lyrical traditions of Spanish lutherie. After relocating to Granada, Spain, he studied under the legendary Antonio Marín and began a lifelong dedication to the classical and flamenco guitar. His deep technical foundation informs his pursuit of acoustic power and expressive depth, always grounded in the warmth and balance central to the Spanish sound. Throughout his career, René has been not only a builder but also an educator, sharing his insights and advancing the craft through courses and international seminars. His instruments are celebrated for their refinement, projection, and nuanced character.
About the guitar
This new 2025 double-top concert guitar by René Baarslag merges the elegance of traditional Granada construction with the performance capabilities of modern design. Featuring a cedar top and Madagascar rosewood back and sides, this instrument benefits from the warmth and color of traditional tonewoods while offering the enhanced projection and responsiveness of double-top architecture. French polish on both body and soundboard preserves the natural vibration of the wood and adds visual refinement.
Tonally, the guitar responds with immediacy and subtle control. The first string stands out for its liveliness and openness, encouraging a direct connection between touch and tone. The cedar soundboard imparts a natural warmth and roundness to the timbre, with soft overtones that support a full, enveloping sound. Separation remains clean and natural, while the resonance between F-sharp and G gives the instrument a grounded yet responsive body. Despite its projection, the sound retains an organic vocal quality — never forced, always expressive.
With a 650 mm scale, 51 mm nut, and a body weight of 1.790 g, this guitar offers physical stability and a balanced tactile experience. The setup responds well to both nuanced articulation and bold phrasing, making it a versatile choice for professional guitarists. René’s expertise and sensitivity as a builder are fully evident in this modern instrument, which honors the Granada school while advancing its sonic possibilities.
Regular care extends the life of the instrument
Even with careful use, a classical guitar may gradually change in appearance or respond to unstable storage conditions. Have a close look at your guitar regularly and be attentif to changes. If your instrument is suffering from its environement, it will let you know.
Protect Your Guitar: Handle with Care
Be mindful when touching your instrument with greasy or unwashed hands: any skin contact is a small attack on the varnish. Of course, a guitar is made to be played, but taking a few precautions helps preserve its beauty: wash your hands before playing, wear long sleeves, and avoid unnecessary direct skin contact with the body of the instrument.
Pro tip: Avoid playing with a button-up shirt, heavy jewelry, or a belt, as these can scratch the guitar. Also, make sure your guitar case is free of any objects that could damage the instrument during storage.
String care
A good habit to adopt is wiping down your strings briefly after each playing session. This small action significantly extends their lifespan and helps maintain a consistent, comfortable feel under your fingers.
Most importantly, clean strings are essential for keeping your instrument in tune. Corrosion, sweat, and dust can affect the uniformity of the strings and interfere with accurate tuning across the entire fingerboard.
Pro tip: If you're having trouble getting your guitar in tune, it might be time to change the strings. A useful test is to compare the pitch of the 12th fret harmonic with the fretted note at the 12th fret; if there's an unusually large gap between them, your strings may have lost their integrity and should be replaced.
Keep Your Shellac Finish Shining!
Got a guitar with a shellac (French polish) finish? Here's a simple trick: Take a clean microfiber cloth and gently breathe on the surface to create a light mist. Then, softly rub to remove fingerprints, sweat, and grease. That’s usually all it takes to keep it looking great, no products needed!
Pro tip: Every few years, treat your guitar to a check-up with a luthier to keep it in top shape.
Storing Your Guitar: Climate Matters
Your guitar can safely stay outside its case, as long as the surrounding environment maintains 42–55% humidity and a temperature between 18–25°C.
Keep in mind that humidity levels can still fluctuate inside the case, especially during seasonal changes.
- Too much humidity may cause overtightened strings and a dull tone.
- Too little humidity can lead to a bulging top, string buzz, or even cracks.
Avoid placing your guitar near radiators, air conditioners, or windows with direct sunlight.
Pro tip: Always close your guitar case while playing. This helps preserve a stable microclimate inside the case, so your instrument is protected the moment you put it back in.