The Legendary La Leona — Reimagined in Pau Ferro Rosewood
Few instruments occupy such a fascinating place in classical-guitar history as Antonio de Torres’s 1856 “La Leona.”The Wolfgang Jellinghaus FE-04 La Leona pays tribute to this celebrated design while presenting it here through a distinctive alternative to the traditional Cypress construction: Pau Ferro Rosewood back and sides.
Built around a traditional 650mm scale and 52mm nut, this interpretation combines a German “Moon Cut” Spruce soundboard with Pau Ferro Rosewood, a Cedar neck and elegant Kingwood appointments.
Its beautifully executed hand-rubbed French polish with an aged relic appearance gives the instrument much of its visual personality. Rather than looking like a newly manufactured historical reproduction, it evokes the atmosphere and character of an instrument that has already lived a long musical life.
For the guitarist fascinated by La Leona but attracted to the beauty and character of a rosewood-bodied instrument, this version offers a particularly interesting interpretation of one of the most celebrated designs in the history of the classical guitar.
A Must Try!
Description
Specifications
- Maker: Wolfgang Jellinghaus
- Model: Antonio de Torres Replica FE-04 “La Leona”
- Scale Length: 650mm
- Nut Width: 52mm
- Top: German Spruce (Moon Cut)
- Back & Sides: Pau Ferro Rosewood
- Neck: Cedar
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Rosette: Wood rosette
- Bridge: Kingwood
- Headstock Veneer: Kingwood
- Nut: Bone
- Machine Heads: Der Jung 1:18 ratio tuning machines
- Finish: Hand rubbed French polish finishing with relic look
- Case: Made to size Suede/Velvet hard shell case included
- Upper Bout: 26 cm
- Lower Bout: 34 cm
- Body Depth: 9 cm
- Special Order Options: Also available in 630mm, 635mm or 640mm scale lengths and with Cypress back & sides
The Guitar — A Rosewood Interpretation of La Leona
The original FE-04 “La Leona” was built by Antonio de Torres in 1856 and remains one of the most celebrated instruments associated with his work.
The historical La Leona was built with Cypress back and sides and a 650mm scale, and Torres is understood to have retained the guitar for his own use. It belongs to an enormously important period in his career, when many of the ideas that would influence the future development of the Spanish guitar were taking shape.
This Jellinghaus version approaches that historical concept from a slightly different direction.
Rather than reproducing the original Cypress construction exactly, it uses Pau Ferro Rosewood for the back and sides, while retaining the 650mm scale, German Spruce soundboard and traditional visual character associated with the model.
That distinction is important: this is best understood not as an attempt to replace or alter the historical La Leona, but as an opportunity to experience its inspiration through a different tonewood interpretation.
The aged French polish further reinforces the connection with the past. Its carefully executed relic treatment gives the guitar a convincing historical presence while allowing it to remain an instrument intended to be played today.
For those seeking a configuration closer to the original concept, Cypress back and sides are also available, while shorter 630mm, 635mm and 640mm scale lengths may be special ordered.
Antonio de Torres & The Legacy of La Leona
Antonio de Torres Jurado (1817–1892) occupies a foundational place in the history of the modern classical guitar. His experiments with body proportions, soundboard construction and structural efficiency profoundly influenced the Spanish guitar and generations of builders who followed.
Among the instruments associated with his career, La Leona of 1856 holds a particularly important place.
The instrument dates from Torres’s first epoch and has frequently been discussed by guitar historians in connection with the emergence of the modern Spanish guitar. Its remarkable survival also allows La Leona to remain more than a historical name—it continues to provide an extraordinary physical connection to Torres’s early mature work.
For that reason, recreating La Leona is not simply about reproducing the appearance of an old guitar. It is an opportunity to explore one of the instruments associated with a pivotal moment in the evolution of the classical guitar.
Wolfgang Jellinghaus & The Milestone Luthier Centre
The Milestone Luthier Centre was founded in 2013 by Wolfgang Jellinghaus and Michael Zhang with the goal of revisiting approximately 230 years of classical guitar-making history through instruments inspired by influential master builders whose work established important new standards in construction and sound.
The project focuses on the work of six master builders, exploring historically significant instruments and ideas while making their concepts accessible to contemporary guitarists.
Research and development takes place in Dortmund, Germany, while the guitar-making workshop is located in Guangzhou, China.
The FE-04 La Leona represents one of the most historically compelling instruments within this project, drawing inspiration from a guitar built during a formative period in Torres’s career while allowing today’s guitarist to experience that heritage in a playable contemporary instrument.
Proud Canadian Dealer & Worldwide Availability
We are proud to be the Canadian dealer for Wolfgang Jellinghaus guitars and to offer these distinctive historical interpretations to guitarists and collectors.
This version of the FE-04 La Leona combines the traditional 650mm scale with Pau Ferro Rosewood back and sides, offering a distinctive alternative to the Cypress construction of the historical original.
The model may also be special ordered with Cypress back and sides, as well as in 630mm, 635mm or 640mm scale lengths for players seeking shorter dimensions.
For current availability or special orders, please contact Grand Guitar Salon.
Worldwide shipping is available.
Photography
Please Note: The photographs shown are representative images of the Wolfgang Jellinghaus FE-04 “La Leona” — Pau Ferro Rosewood model. The exact guitar pictured is no longer available.
As each guitar is individually produced using carefully selected natural tonewoods and receives its own hand-applied aged French-polish treatment, every instrument possesses its own unique grain patterns, colour variations and subtle characteristics in the relic finish.
The guitar you receive may therefore differ slightly from the one pictured while being built to the same specifications and standards of craftsmanship that define the model.
Additional information
| Weight | 9 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 114 × 51 × 21 cm |
