José Reyes’ Sentchordi Hermanos (Gipsy Kings)

According to Manouche tradition, a musician’s instrument must be burned after their death. This guitar is all the more exceptional as it has survived the passage of time to reach us. Built in Valencia around 1884/85, it once belonged to José Reyes.

A guitarist and singer of the gypsy group Los Reyes — which would later become the Gipsy Kings — he believed this very old guitar had a soul. He played it extensively for many years, both in the studio and on stage, until his passing in 1979. This acoustic guitar, made of Brazilian rosewood and spruce by the Sentchordi Hermans Workshop, is a true relic of a major Manouche musician. More than just an instrument, it’s a rare cultural and historical artifact that now belongs to the Matt’s Guitar Shop collection.