Born on July 31st, 1963 Vicente Carrillo has lived all his life among the guitar environment, being the fourth generation luthier in the Carrillo family. Ever since his Great-Grandfather, Blas Carrillo Alarcon (1836 – 1919) started working as an apprentice in Juan de Mata Alarcon Briones’ shop, the Carrillo family has been making string instruments.

Blas Carrillo Alarcon (1836 – 1919), also known as “Abuelo Moreno” (the dark haired grandfather), was the first guitar maker in Casasimarro whose popularity transcended the limits of the city. Blas Carrillo Alarcon initiated another important saga: the Carrillo family, whose second link was Vicente Carrillo Lopez (1881 – 1962), He was able to improve upon his predecessor’s techniques and added a distinctive quality to his guitars.

His son, Vicente Carrillo Cantos (1926 – 1970), made his name as the great guitar maker from 
Cuenca, obtaining for his home-town, Casasimarro, the name of “El Pueblo de las Guitarras” (The Town of the Guitars). After his death, his wife Gabriella Casa Fornier, managed to maintain the Carrillo prestige until her son, Vicente Carrillo Casas, took the lead in the family’s business.

Today, Vicente Carrillo Casas produces Classical and Flamenco guitars with the purest artisan traditions handed down through his family. Vicente Carrillo’s work has also been influenced by luthiers from Madrid, and with many whom he maintains both a personal and professional 
relationship, where ideas and opinions are shared and discussed and later put into practice in their instruments.

I met Vincente Carrillo some years ago at a GFA Convention. I was immediately impressed with the quality of his guitars and felt they offered a lot of tone and quality in a reasonable price range. We also dealt the Paco de Lucia guitars made in Vincente's shop for several years. Carrillo guitars are made by a team of luthiers under Vincente's guidance and they are wonderful.