The Ramirez family has an illustrious history of crafting superior quality guitars since 1882. Their exceptional instruments have been cherished and played by renowned guitarists like Julian Bream, Andres Segovia, Laurindo Almeida, Oscar Ghiglia, Jose Luis Gonzales, and many others. Notably, Jose Ramirez I (1858-1923) imparted his expertise to numerous guitar builders in his workshop during the late 19th and early 20th century. Additionally, José Ramirez III (1922-1995) was a trailblazer in utilizing cedarwood as the main material for guitar tops, and even crafted guitars for the legendary Andres Segovia.
José Ramirez III (1922-1995) was a pioneer in the use of cedar tops for guitars, gaining international recognition in the 1960s through his instruments' endorsement by Andrés Segovia and his students. In 1965, he began developing a new instrument featuring a Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) top and double sides of rosewood and cypress. This innovative approach to building guitars, along with the use of this unique type of wood, quickly gained widespread popularity in the guitar world. Notably, Andrés Segovia himself played several J. Ramirez III guitars as his primary concert instrument, using four different ones (spruce in 1962, and cedar in 1965, 1967, and 1969) over an extended period of time.
José Ramirez III's guitars are renowned for their groundbreaking use of cedar tops, which began in 1965.
