orn in San Clemente, Spain. In the 1890s, he apprenticed with and worked for Manuel Ramirez, another of Manuel's great students. While working for Manuel Ramirez, he worked with Santos Hernandez and Modesto Bourequero. Esteso become a great luthier under the supervision of and in collaboration with great innovative luthiers. It was during this period that the design of the Spanish guitar was set.
After Manuel Ramirez died in 1916, Esteso left the Ramirez shop. He opened his own workshop in 1917, which is still thriving today.
Nearly all of the great concert artists of the past and present have owned Esteso guitars.
In 1937, Domingo Esteso died; his nephews (Faustino Conde, Julian Conde, and Mariano Conde) and widow took over the business. Domingo's widow died in 1960, and from that point on the business has been run as "Conde Hermanos" (Conde brothers).

Sherry-Brener private collection