Instrument Record
1994 Benedetto Il Fiorentino #31494
A single-instrument record assembled from documentation, specifications, measurements, internal construction, and published sources.
This page documents Benedetto Renaissance Series “Il Fiorentino” #31494, built in 1994.
Rather than examining the origins of the Renaissance Series as a whole or its relationship to Il Palissandro, this record focuses specifically on Il Fiorentino. It brings together the owner-registration card, specification sheets, measured dimensions, internal construction, and appearances in published books, along with the images preserved from the original article.
Basic Instrument Information
- Model
- Renaissance Series “Il Fiorentino”
- Serial
- #31494
- Year
- 1994
- Body
- 16-inch / non-cutaway
- Strings
- Nylon
- Nut width
- Approx. 2 inches (measured at approx. 52 mm)
Il Fiorentino is an archtop that combines a 16-inch non-cutaway body with nylon strings. Its slotted headstock, unusually wide neck, asymmetrically shaped fingerboard end, and petal-shaped soundhole in the upper bout distinguish it from conventional Benedetto instruments.
It was the first of the two instruments built as the Renaissance Series. Interpretation of the series is reserved for the separate article; this page records the facts that can be confirmed from the surviving materials.
Warranty & Owner Registration
The following are the Warranty and Owner Registration documents accompanying this instrument.
In Benedetto’s logbook, the destination for #31494 is recorded as “Self.” This suggests that at the time it was built, the instrument was treated as one made for Benedetto himself.
Specifications
The specification sheets record the features that set Il Fiorentino apart from a conventional Benedetto. The original images are reproduced here so that the wording of the documents can be examined directly.
Documented Nut Width
Some sources, including Making an Archtop Guitar, list the nut width as 1 3/4 inches. However, this instrument measures approximately 52 mm, or about 2 inches.
Internal Construction and Bracing
Il Fiorentino is not simply an existing archtop fitted with nylon strings. To respond to their lower tension, its interior uses slender braces unlike Benedetto’s customary X-bracing or parallel bracing.
Another noteworthy feature is the reverse side of the petal-shaped soundhole. A sheet-like reinforcement is applied behind the complex opening, revealing not only the visual design but also the structural treatment needed to make that form possible.
Il Fiorentino in Published Books
Il Fiorentino appears in several guitar books, including Benedetto’s own work. The page images retained from the original article are grouped below by title.
Making an Archtop Guitar
The Acoustic Guitar / The Guitar / The Illustrated Directory of Guitars
Dream Guitars
Il Fiorentino’s significance lies in more than its unusual appearance. Taken together, the instrument, its documents, measured dimensions, and internal photographs show how thoroughly Benedetto rethought the guitar as a whole in order to create a nylon-string archtop.
This page will remain as an instrument record for #31494 and can be expanded when further documentation or confirmed information becomes available.