Miguel Angel Gutiérrez (born 1979) is a Spanish classical guitar maker based in Genoa, Italy, a former architect and apprentice of Mario Garrone, and winner of second prize at the 2022 Antonio Marín Montero International Guitar Making Competition in Granada, Spain.
At a Glance
- Born: Toledo, Spain, 1979
- Workshop: Genoa, Italy
- First career: architecture, studied in Spain and Italy
- Teachers: Paco Chorobo (his first true teacher) and Mario Garrone, author of The Design of the Classical Guitar; an online course with Carlos Juan Busquiel
- Construction: light lattice bracing with open harmonic bars, entirely French polished
- Signature details: Nasrid-star mosaic rosettes and a mother-of-pearl leaf inlay in the headstock
- Award: Second Prize, fifth Antonio Marín Montero Guitar Making Competition (2022)
From Architecture to Guitar Making
Born in Toledo, Spain, in 1979, Miguel Angel Gutiérrez studied architecture at universities in both Spain and Italy, and afterwards worked for several years in an architecture studio in Genoa while managing a climbing gym. It was at this time that his curiosity led him to build a guitar for himself, for the purpose of playing his own music. But lightning struck with this first experience, and his passion for instrument making was instantly born. For him, taking various pieces of wood and assembling them in such a way as to make them vibrant and full of life with the magical alchemy of music was a calling that immediately took hold of him.
Teachers: Paco Chorobo and Mario Garrone
Following this first guitar, he immersed himself in researching the art of guitar making, seeking out all the information he could find in books and on the internet, and befriending and taking the advice of several luthiers who made themselves available to him. He followed this up with an online course held by luthier Carlos Juan Busquiel, and later traveled to Andalusia to take a flamenco guitar construction course with luthier Paco Chorobo, who became his first true teacher and a great friend. Further studies followed after he discovered the book The Design of the Classical Guitar by Mario Garrone, which led him to contact the author and eventually become his apprentice. Miguel Angel has learned to combine the scientific methods he learned from Mario Garrone with the traditional techniques of his previous training to produce his current models.
Nasrid Stars and the Leaf
Miguel Angel's guitars are instantly recognizable for their inlay work in the head veneer, rosette and tie-block, blending natural browns, yellows and blacks with dyed blues and greens in herringbone, interlocking diamonds and repeated mosaics of Nasrid stars, a motif seen in the architecture and tilework of southern Spain. The mother-of-pearl leaf in the headstock recalls the leaf of the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, who covered themselves once they became aware of their "nakedness". Miguel Angel feels that music is a very intimate and personal experience – especially for musicians who perform for live audiences, which can leave them feeling "naked" – and that a luthier can feel the same way when his guitars enter the hands of the public. For him, the leaf is a good-luck token for everyone in the music-making enterprise to fearlessly carry on!
Prize Winner in Granada
After several years of working at his craft, Miguel Angel was awarded second prize at the prestigious fifth Antonio Marín Montero Guitar Making Competition, held in Granada, Spain, in September 2022. That is where GSI first met him, and we have followed his work closely ever since.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Miguel Angel Gutiérrez build his guitars? In his workshop in Genoa, Italy, where he moved after studying architecture in Spain and Italy.
Who did Miguel Angel Gutiérrez learn from? His first true teacher was Paco Chorobo in Andalusia, and he later became the apprentice of Mario Garrone, author of The Design of the Classical Guitar.
What awards has Miguel Angel Gutiérrez won? Second prize at the fifth Antonio Marín Montero International Guitar Making Competition in Granada, Spain, in 2022.
What is special about Miguel Angel Gutiérrez guitars? Light lattice bracing with open harmonic bars for extra volume with a traditional sound, a full French polish, and striking Nasrid-star mosaic rosettes and leaf inlays.
