After hearing Andre Segovia playing in 1955, Fleta was inspired with the determination to make good guitars, and he produced a guitar for Segovia, which was played by the master all over the world.

Fleta's violin-making background can be seen in his method of making the guitar - he preferred to complete the soundbox, or body of the instrument first, and then joined the neck on afterwards, in the same way that violins are assembled. The plan offered here shows Fleta's method, but it is equally possible to follow his design in all respects except for the neck joint, which can be done in the traditional Spanish way.

Of special interest in Fleta's design is his strutting pattern, which employs nine fan struts and  a sloping harmonic   bar, which helps to increase the volume and clarity of the treble notes.

 

 

  Ignacio Fleta had two brothers who also became luthiers: Bienvenido (1882-1971) and Francisco Manuel (1890-1981). The family was from Huesca in the province of Teruel. Although Ignacio picked up his love of woodworking from his father who was a cabinet maker, he was drawn to music and began playing guitar at the tender age of eight. However, it was his brother, Francisco Manuel, who was the first to apprentice as a luthier. In 1907, his father sent Francisco Manuel to Barcelona to apprentice with Benito Jaume (1860-1934), a violin maker. Francisco Manuel worked with Benito Jaume for three years. Subsequently, he studied with Etienne Marie (1867-1935), a Spanish born member of the famous French family of luthiers in Mirecourt who lived in Barcelona. From Etienne, Ignacio learned the real art of making fine stringed instrument. When Ignacio was thirteen, his father sent him to Barcelona to learn the art of instrument making from his brother, Francisco Manuel. In 1915, Ignacio and Francisco opened a workshop in Barcelona on the calle Valldoncella. Bienvenido soon moved to Barcelona, and joined the firm, also apprenticing with his brother, Francisco Manuel.  Ignacio learned not only the basics of guitar construction from Francisco Manuel, but how to make other stringed instruments as well. Drawn to music, Ignacio studied cello, showing great aptitude for the instrument.  His love for the cello lead him to go to France to seek further training in the workshop of Philippe Le Duc.  In 1927, he returned to Barcelona and opened his own workshop  on the calle de los Angeles. As he made other stringed instruments, building cellos as well as bass-viols, he did a lot of work for Pablo Casals. In 1932, he moved his shop to its present location on calle de los Angeles. Between 1939-1945, the musical society "Ars Musica" commissioned him to reproduce a collection of old instruments including-- violin, gothic harp, vihuela, lute, and a modern guitar. This collection helped establish Fleta reputation as a great luthier. In 1955, Ignacio heard Andrés Segovia for the first time, and was so moved that he decided to solely devote himself to building guitars  from then on.  In 1957, Ignacio built the first of three guitars for Segovia--and with these rapidly moved to corridors of world fame. Because Ignacio only made some 16 guitars a year, soon his waiting lists had become so long that it was virtually impossible to obtain a guitar from him directly.  Among many, the list of guitarists who owned Fleta's includes Alexandre Lagoya, Eduardo Falu, Alberto Ponce, and  John Williams. Ignacio died in 1977, but not without successors-- having worked for many years with his two sons Francisco born in 1925, and Gabriel born in 1929.  The Fleta brothers took over their father's workshop, and continue to make the same high quality instruments. Now in their seventies, the brothers no longer accept new orders.

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