Guitar Makers of Granada
roger reynolds
The following is posted at the request of a friend of mine, who felt
that this might be interesting to some of the readers of this group.
I will pass any follow on messages back to him, though he is off-line,
so if you want to talk to him, it would probably be best to call the
number at the end of the article.
Guitar Makers Of Granada
Antonio Ariza - Born 1939. Cabinet maker at first; then studied with
Casa Ferrer. He went solo in the mid 1960's. He has a son who is leanring
to build.
L. Argostegui Granados - Born in Granada in 1932. Now is located in Madrid.
Started as Cabinet maker. He studied with Manuel de la Chica and others.
Settled in Madrid in 1960; and since then has been influenced by the
Madrid school of builders. Builds more classicals than flamencos.
Now he is the treasurer of the Spanish Society for the Guitar.
Juan Miguel Carmona - Born 1960. Cabinet maker at first. Then at 14 years of
age he began working for Manuel Lopez Bellido for about 6 months.
Then for between 5 and 6 years with Antonio Duran. Afterwards for about
1 year with Francisco Manual Diaz. He then set up his own shop in 1982.
He is very interested in the secrets of the master makers.
Manuel de la Chica - Born 1911. Cabinet maker til 1938 or 39 when he
began building Santos Hernandez inspired forms. Built bandurrias,
laudes, bandurrins, laudins, laudons and guitar basses. He taught
Antonio Lopez of Paris and Francisco Manuel Diaz of Granada. Has not built
since 1973 due to poor health. His instruments were played by
Andres Segovia, Celedonio Romero, Luis Sanchez, Manuel Cano and
Sebastian Maroto.
Fancisco Manual Diaz - Born 1943. Studied with Casa Ferrer later with
Manuel de la Chica. Has built guitars with transparent acrylic back and
sides; as well as guitars with 14 strings. He has taught Antonio Arroyo,
Juan Miguel Carmona, Rafael Diaz his brother and on a certain occasion the
great grandson of Antonio de Torres.
Rafael Diaz - Born 1941. He started in the Casa Ferrer making castenets.
Was vocalist and arranger for his music group. Started to learn lutherie
with his brother F.M. Diaz in 1969. He opened his own shop in 1975.
Antonio Duran - Born 1940. Became cabinet maker at age 10. Later he made
castenets in the Casa Ferrer. He lost his right arm in an accident in
1957; but opened his own shop the very next year. At first, he timidly sold
his guitars without a label, to music stores but then took pride in putting
his own label where it belonged. He taught Juan Lopez Aguilarte,
Antonio Velazquez, Rafael Moreno, Juan Miguel Carmona and also physically
disabled people to make castenets.
Manuel Fernandez Fernandez - Born 1930. Cabinet maker at age 9. Studied with
Eduardo Ferrer and has been building since the mid 1950's. He also builds
bandurrias and laudes.
Francisco Fernandez - Born 1930. At age 15 he was a restorer of art works.
Then at 22 he began making guitars. He learned from his brother-in-law
Manuel Robles. About 1960, he left to work for 8 years for the widow of
Santos Hernandez; afterwards he opened his own shop alone, his brother-in-law
having left Madrid.
Benito Ferrer - Born 1905. In 1915 or 1917 he began working in his uncle's
shop. A few years later he thought he might like to become a priest.
He changed his mind and in 1925, when Benito died he took charge of his
uncle's shop. In 1966-68 he spent 3 months each year in Japan, showing Yamaha
workers how to build guitars. He also taught almost every guitar maker in
Granada.
Jose Ferrer - Born 1926. After the Spanish Civil War, he moved to
Barcelona, where he continues to make professional quality castenets as he
had in Granada. Though now in Barcelona he was at the side of the great
Enrique Sanfeliu; student of Enrique Garcia. He stayed in Barcelona
7 years then moved to Palma de Mallorca and stayed there 10 years.
In 1974 he set up shop in Granada.
Isidro Garrido - Born 1922. Was a cabinet maker at 14 years of age.
Started building guitars in 1948; studied with Eduardo Ferrer and
later with Rafael Morales. Antonio Fernandez Ladron studied with him.
Francisco Guardia - Born 1936. He studied with Miguel Robles.
Juan Lopez Aguilarte - Born Seville in 1941. He moved to Granada at
age 2. At 14 he became a cabinet maker. He studied with Antonio Marin,
Manuel Bellido, Eduardo Ferrer, and Antonio Duran.
Jose Lopez Bellido - Born 1943. At 13 he was making castenets. Then made
bandurrias for Casa Ferrer. Afterwards worked in his brother Manuel's shop
til he went on his own. At first he made guitars without a label that
were sold in a Madrid luthier's shop. Many years later Antoinio Raya Pardo
studied with him.
Manuel Lopez Bellido - Born 1939. At 13 he became a cabinet maker.
He began his study in the Casa Ferrer. He maintains a shop in which to
build as well as a shop run by someone to sell guitars and give lessons.
He makes more flamencos than classicals. His sons Roberto and Jesus have
studied with him from time to time.
Miguel Lopes Munoz - Born 1907. At 12 he began as a cabinet maker.
He set up his furniture shop; and when his sons were old enough to run it
he began making guitars. Basically self taught but he is known to have
consulted with Benito Ferrer. By the 1980's he had been building over 40
years. His guitars seem to be inspired by Marcelo Barbero.
Antonio Marin Montero - Born 1933. From 14 til about 20 years of age he
built cabinets. Then he started his apprenticeship with Eduardo Ferrer.
Years later after becoming reknowned his two nephews Jose Marin and
Francisco Santiago Marin now study with him.
Manuel Marinez de Milan - Born 1923. When he made a great guitar his
canary Frasquito would sing; and when mediocre not a peep uttered.
Rafael Moreno Rodriguez - Born 1954. At 13 he began to study with
Manuel Bellido and Antonio Marin when they shared a shop. Rafael spent
5 years there. Afterwards he studied with Eduardo Ferrer and Antonio Duran.
He went solo in 1976; though he had an agreement to share a shop with
Antonio Reinosa.
Jose Ortega - Born 1836. He worked at the side of his father til about
1875. It is obvious that he was influenced by Torres for an example
from 1880 in the collection of F.M. Diaz.
Nicholas Ortega Ruiz - Born 1861. He worked with his father and brother
and later with Benito Ferrer.
German Perez Barranco - Born 1940. At 16 he began as a cabinet maker. In his
20's he studied with Eduardo Ferrer then with Manuel de la Chica.
Built more flamencos than classicals; is rather well known in Japan.
By 1983 his shop was closed and he became a manager of apartments.
Antonio Raya Pardo - Born 1950. Moved to Granada in 1966. He began to
study with Jose Lopez Bellido in 1973. By the early 1980's he was a sought
after builder. He makes more classicals than flamencos.
Antonio Reinosa Velazquez - Born 1954. At 13 he began to study with
Eduardo Ferrer and later with Antonio Duran. He went solo in 1976.
He shared a shop with Rafael Moreno; but later the each went their own way.
Both Moreno and Reinosa are considered the last students of Eduardo Ferrer.
Miguel Robles - Born 1902. In 1920 or 22 he began his studies with
Benito Ferrer. Later in 1932 with Ramirez in Madrid. After a falling out
in 1938 or 39 he returned to Granada. Ramirez having much to lose went to
Granada to get Robles to come back to Madrid. That was in 1940. In the
mid 1940's he returned to Granada; and again to Madrid in 1954 to be
assocaiated with Manuel Martinez de Milan and Francisco Fernandez.
In 1960 he was in Granada again where he died in 1970. Manuel Cano and
Trie Los Panchos played his guitars. It is also well known that jealous
Madrid luthiers put their own labels on his guitars to bask in his glory.
Juan Ramon Padilla - Born 1928. Fascinated at 9 years with lutherie.
But it was not until the 1960's that he studied with German Perez Barranco.
He experimented a lot, til other luuthiers began seeking his advice.
Also he has invented a new varnish. He calls it "petrified".
Seems it fills all the pores but leaves the guitar exuding more sound.
Francisco Santiago Marin - Born 1946. At 11 or 12 years he began as a cabinet
maker. He studied with his uncle Antonio Marin. At first he sold all his
guitars to other artisans. At one point Yamaha paid him to come to Japan.
Before leaving they made an agreement to buy his total production.
Therefore he is more well known in the Orient than his own town.
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This information was translated from Spanish without exagerration or
guessing February 10 and 11 1995. We thank Eusebio Rioja for his insightful
book "Inventario de Guitarreros Granadinos 1875-1983". It was first
published in 1976. My copy is a 3rd edition. Included are living guitar
makers; excluded are 19th century makers - not out of prejudice, but to
make available information on luthiers we are more than likely to come
across.
Yours Guitaristicaly,
Randy Osborn - Owner
Fine Fretted String Instruments
1645 S. Bascom Ave. 1-B
Campbell, CA. 95008
(408) 879-9930
Bill Young
: Guitar Makers Of Granada
: Antonio Marin Montero - Born 1933. From 14 til about 20 years of age he
: built cabinets. Then he started his apprenticeship with Eduardo Ferrer.
: Years later after becoming reknowned his two nephews Jose Marin and
: Francisco Santiago Marin now study with him.
Antonio Marin is considered to be "the driving force behind the Granada
School of guitar making much akin to the Cremona School of violin ... he
is the master mind behind the renaissance of guitar making." ("!Guitarra
Granada Ole! Guitar Makers of Granada" by Lisa Hurlong, GFA Soundboard,
Summer 1990.)
After studying with the great master Bouchet, Marin changed his design and
started building guitars and influenced other Granada makers to adopt the
Bouchet bracing, French polish, etc. around 1984.
Other famous Granada makers are: Jose Marin Plazuelo (Antonio's nephew),
Rene Baarslag, Jose Lopez Bellido, Jonathan Hinves, Berd Martin. These
guitars are in the $5,000 - $6,000 range in stores and dealers like
Guitar Solo (415-386-7660), Guitar Salon (310-399-2181), Dan Zeff Guitars
(818-883-7494), Lisa Hurlong (702-359-6370) in the U.S.
Bill Young
byo...@cup.hp.com
