Regency Guitar in the Musical Instrument collection

The Musical Instrument collection at Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove, includes over 900 instruments. Amongst this collection is one of the earliest six-stringed guitars.

Although there have been guitars made with the distinctive classical shape for centuries, the guitar in the Musical Instrument collection is one of the first holding six strings and made in England. It was donated to the Museum by W. Guermonprez in 1962.

The instrument is known as a Spanish guitar due to its shape rather than its origin. The guitar is made from maple or sycamore wood. It is decorated with marquetry, which is a pattern of inlaid wood, and has leaf designs across the bridge.