Bernd Martin (1954–2018) was a German-born classical and flamenco guitar maker in Granada, Spain – the first non-Spaniard to set up as a guitar maker in the city, in 1976. Trained in the workshops of Antonio Durán and José López Bellido with Eduardo Ferrer, he won first prize in the 1999 National Luthiery Competition organized by José Luis Romanillos, and from 2006 he worked with his son Lucas Martin in the Sacromonte.
Bernd Martin at a Glance
- Born: 1954, Stuttgart, Germany
- Died: 2018
- In Granada: from 1976 – the first foreign guitar maker to settle there
- Trained: in the workshops of Antonio Durán and José López Bellido, with Eduardo Ferrer
- First workshop: Albayzín district, Granada
- Later workshop: the Sacromonte, Granada, with his son Lucas (from 2006)
- Prize: First Prize, Concurso Nacional de Luthería (1999), organized by José Luis Romanillos
- Guitars made: over 400
- Limited edition: "40th Anniversary" series of 8 guitars (2016)
From Stuttgart to Granada
Born in Stuttgart in 1954, Bernd Martin learned to play both the piano and the guitar at a very young age. He continued his guitar studies in Stuttgart and in Munich, where he went to university.
In 1976 his passion for Spain, as well as the guitar, led him to move to Granada and to begin making his own guitars in the workshops of Antonio Durán and José López Bellido, under the tutelage of Eduardo Ferrer. Bernd Martin was the first non-Spaniard to establish himself as a guitar maker in the city of the Alhambra, with a workshop in the Albayzín district. In 1999 he won first prize in the "Concurso Nacional de Luthería" (National Luthiery Competition) organized by José Luis Romanillos.
Guitars That Renew the Legacy of the Old Masters
Bernd had a profound knowledge of the instruments of the great master luthiers – Antonio de Torres, Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández and others – and through his collaboration with top guitarists and his many years of investigation he built tremendous guitars with a deep, rich and lyrical sound: guitars in which precise adjustments make perfection the standard, and which offer maximum comfort to the guitarist. He made over 400 guitars using traditional techniques – instruments that renew the legacy of the old masters and bridge the gap between the expressive lyricism of Spanish guitars and the polyphonic equilibrium of the European school.
To celebrate 40 years of lutherie (1976–2016) he built a limited "40th Anniversary" series of just 8 guitars, fusing into one model all the improvements he had developed over his career.
Bernd and Lucas Martin in the Sacromonte
From 2006 Bernd worked with his son, Lucas, in a new shop magnificently situated at the very top of Granada's Sacromonte. Flamenco was close to his heart – his wife, Mati, is a flamenco singer and dancer – and his guitars, classical and flamenco, went to clients all over the world. Lucas carries on in the same workshop; read more on the Lucas Martin page.
In Memoriam
Bernd passed away in the late summer of 2018. "Martin – everyone in Granada just called him Martin – arrived in Granada in 1976 and was the first expat to establish himself as a luthier here," wrote David Collett of GSI, who knew him from around 1992. Read the full In Memoriam – Bernd Martin post.
Bernd Martin Guitars at GSI
During Bernd's lifetime GSI was the exclusive US dealer for Bernd and his son Lucas, and many Bernd Martin guitars have passed through our doors over the years. You'll find guitars currently in stock by clicking the "Guitars In Stock" button in the header of this page as well as earlier examples in our Museum by clicking the "Guitars In Museum" button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bernd Martin?
A German-born guitar maker (1954–2018) who in 1976 became the first non-Spaniard to establish himself as a guitar maker in Granada, Spain.
Who taught Bernd Martin?
He trained in the workshops of Antonio Durán and José López Bellido, under the tutelage of Eduardo Ferrer.
What prize did Bernd Martin win?
First prize in the 1999 Concurso Nacional de Luthería (National Luthiery Competition), organized by José Luis Romanillos.
Does the Martin workshop still build guitars?
Yes – his son, Lucas Martin, still builds in the Sacromonte workshop they shared from 2006.
