I wanted to make this video more of a recital-performance, hence the creative use of lighting and a more concert-acoustic sound. Each recording is a first take.
The guitar is an original instrument from the company J G Staufer (sometimes spelt Stauffer but its Staufer on the label inside this one) who operated in Vienna in the early 19th century. It is a Luigi Legnani model, and in common with other Staufer guitars is not dated, however it was probably made in the late 1820s or early 1830s. The fingerboard and neck have been modified at some stage, the upper fingerboard being separated and glued onto the top of the guitar.
The instrument is roughly the dimensions of a modern 3/4 size guitar, including the fingerboard and scale length. It is quite hard to play cleanly because the strings are that much closer together - that's my excuse!
In this performance I am not attempting to replicate the kind of technique that Carcassi would have employed, for instance I am using the 'a' finger all the time in the modern way. However this instrument was made and played during Carcassi's lifetime and guitar technique varied greatly throughout Europe at this time.
The strings are not gut (I tried a set once - yuk!) but the trebles are Nylgut, nylon strings formulated to imitate the sound and feel of gut. I tried Nylgut basses but they were not very good, and didn't sound very different to normal ones.
C F Martin was an apprentice and/or employee of Staufer until his emigration to the US in 1833.