[2][3] The earliest attestation of a five-stringed guitar comes from the mid-sixteenth-century Spanish book Declaracion de Instrumentos Musicales by Juan Bermudo, published in 1555.

[5][6] The baroque guitar in contemporary ensembles took on the role of a basso continuo instrument and players would be expected to improvise a chordal accompaniment.

Several scholars have assumed that the guitar was used together with another basso continuo instrument playing the bass line.

French luthier with three guitars bearing his signature (from a total of 26 attributed to the Voboam Family).

[18][19] The guitars of Alexandre were held in high esteem during his lifetime and a century later were still considered desirable instruments.