Luthiers to visit in Spain

[ykabban]

Hey guys, I'm going to Spain in june to visit family and find a new guitar.
I'm down-sizing my collection and have made room for a new blanca. I've purchased guitars from Conde hermanos, J. A. Pantoja, Vicente Sanchis, Ricardo Sanchis and Francisco Barba.
I'll be staying in Sevilla and Cadiz for most of the three weeks, however-->
I would like suggestions on other luthiers to visit no matter where their shop is (in the Andalucia region). If anyone can recommend luthiers that would be worth visiting I would greatly appreciate it. :D Thanks fellas!

[Armando]

Hello ykabban

That's good for you to go to Sevilla. I like Andalucia a lot.
Personally i have experienced, that spanish luthiers are usually not so open for walk in visitors. None of them answered me questions that i asked them by e mail, even when written in good spanish. I have made good experiences with american luthiers such as Aaron Green and R.E. Bruné who answered my questions always so far.

If you want to visit luthiers in Spain, it could help if you get in touch with Lisa de Granada. She has a homepage in the internet. You will find it easily. She can arrange a tour to visit different luthiers located in the Granada area. I know that one more time the foreign luthiers who live in Granada, such as Rene Baarslag and Steven Hill are more open to receive visitors.

There is another luthier that i would like to visit in Malaga. It's Pedro Maldonando. His guitars are played by many local flamenco players and the most famous is Moraito Chicco. He builds excellent flamenco guitars.

I went to the factory of Valeriano Bernal which is located in Algodonales in the so called pueblos blancas about one hour by car from Jerez.
I own a guitar from Valerino and was therefore interested to visit his factory. They produce guitars with a very good price-quality relation. They produce their guitars in small series unless the top models who are made individually. Valeriano has some jurneyman (i think familymembers) employed. Himself was not there when i visited the workshop.

It might be possible, that you will make differnent experiences than me. I must say, that i was a little bit disapointed.

regards

Armando

[robithinker]

Hey Armando,

I too live in Zurich and wanted to ask you a few questions relating to cg in Zurich. If you wouldn't mind, please e-mail me at robithinker@yahoo.com.

Thanks,
Robi[/url]

[ykabban]

Thanks for the reply Armando,
I've already made plans to visit Maldonado. It's interesting you should bring up his name, as I plan to purchase a guitar from him if I don't find another "gem" before I reach his shop. Sorry about your bad experiences with spanish luthiers, I myself have found the ones that I have met very pleasant. I will say that they are much nicer once you purchase a guitar from them. I myself know that I've annoyed a couple because I like to play many guitars before I make a purchase. Later.

[Mischa Z]

Hi, I picked up a lovely Sanchez flamenco guitar in Seville last year. Even though it was full retail in a guitar shop ($800), this was still the best deal I saw in Spain, the Eurodollar has ruined the buy/resale market that has helped so many of us players make ends meet through the years.

In Seville, I ate a few times at one of the finest restaurants I've seen anywhere in the world, a very old establishment a block or two away from the right rear corner of the Cathedral. Traditional food to die for, truly classic gourmet cooking, and an endless selection of great Spanish wines! Also, I went to a flamenco event that was so heartfelt it still gives me great joy to think about it. This was at an unmarked nighclub across the river, one that opened up only after 12 P.M. Lots of old grandmothers, a real feeling of family, everyone sharing, improvising lyrics and dance, several guitarists. This lasted until dawn, no tourists but me that night, drinking wine and smoking Cuban cigars (and I've never been a smoker!). Write me offline, perhaps I can locate some details, if you want.

All my best,
Mischa

[ykabban]

Thanks Mischa,
I know the place you're talking about in Triana(across the river), I've been there quite a few times.It's best during La Feria. Did you buy your guitar from Jose Luis Postigo's shop by any chance? It's about 200 yards from la catedral and where you had that great food.
I am very familiar with Sevilla, as half of my family lives there, but if you know of any other luthiers to visit, I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for the response.

[Mischa Z]

Yes, Ykabban, I believe I bought the guitar from the shop you mention. I met a terrific player/teacher who had dropped by the store that night as well. The restaurant I really liked was called "Raimondo," I believe, and the flamenco club was definitely in "Triana."

This Vicente Sanchez flamenco guitar does NOT list where the workshop is, and another guitarist I know brought back a classical guitar or two by this maker as well, with no workshop listed, and I think he picked his guitars up in Madrid. These guitars were well made, and priced lower than I would value them. You might see if you can actually hunt down this workshop, this flamcneo guitar is pretty cool, light as a feather, balanced, beautifully finished, and it plays wonderfully in-tune. a quality that shows the builder takes pride in his work, he values music.

Wow, I wish I had family in Sevilla! As it is, the Eurodollar is destroying my ability to visit much of Europe--or should I more accurately say "The Bush War Dollar" is destroying my ability to visit Europe--not to mention buying a house.

All my best,
Mischa

[ykabban]

Hey Mischa,
check your label, it should say Vicente "Sanchis" rather than "Sanchez". I too have a blanca from him in the $800 range that I use for practice and travel. Playability is excellent. You're right about the Euro, right now I think it's $1.35=1Euro...Ouch! I remember the good ole days of the peseta. Everything was less expensive then. Having family in Sevilla is the reason I can afford to spoil myself with expensive guitars. They never understand why anyone would spend $5000 plus for an instrument. I don't know why I do it either, perhaps I'm addicted to the crackle of their energy.
Later.

[flamingo]

Were you able to carry on the guitar from Spain to home?

[C. Vega]

The Vicente Sanchis workshop/factory is located in the town of Masanasa which is near Valencia, a long way from Sevilla.
They have about two dozen workers and produce several hundred guitars a month which are marketed under their own name as well as some built for other shops. They make some of the Contreras student models.
In addition to guitars they also make bandurrias and laudes.

[ykabban]

Yes flamingo,
I always bring back guitars in my hand. A couple of times I had to put a guitar in the flight attendants' closet because the case would not fit in the overhead compartment. Never check-in a guitar. My teacher had the top of his 2002 Ruck in pieces when he opened the case after checking in his guitar with the rest of his luggage! Ruck replaced the top for free 8) . Later...

[Mischa Z]

Hi, Flamingo:

Yes, I carried the guitar into the US w/o customs charges, etc., etc. However, the airlines change constantly, perhaps even depending upon whether the ticket person is having a good day. As a rule, I always insist that I carry the guitar to the gate, the first hurl in getting it safely on board. However, this did not work in one direction (coming home) on a round trip flight to London about three months ago. Last year, I had one section of an international round-trip flight where I ended up buying a ticket, for I didn't use a rugged flight case on that occasion. The bottom line is that you're always at the mercy of the airlines, which is why I'm negotiating with accord for a flight case right now. Should anyone want to order with me, prices drop quite a bit when you order as a group. One classical flight case is $1040, but will drop to $800 if you order three. Accord cases as gorgeous, and they seem to be the only cases that are both wonderfully light and extremely rugged. Thanks!

All my best,
Mischa

P.S. NEVER tell US Customs that you have Brazilain rosewood on a guitar, even an old guitar made in the USA, you could lose it forever! Remember that when you get receipts, ask for "Indian rosewood."

[flamencoguru]

Never tell customs anything. They're a bunch of idiots!! What do they know about classical/flamenco guitars? They think it's some beeter. I bring back instruments all of the time. I've never said word one to them and the never ask questions. The less you say, the better. I always put down that less than $400 to declare for the guitar. Trust me, they have no clue how much you paid. And if you're that worried about what customs is going to say, have the luthier make a 2 receipts for you. One for you and one for the customs guys.

cheers.