Moonseok Choi is a Korean classical guitar maker based in Stirling, Scotland. Trained in Seoul and at the Westsächsische Hochschule in Zwickau, Germany, he builds traditional guitars inspired by Robert Bouchet and Daniel Friederich and the old Spanish masters.
At a Glance
- Workshop: Stirling, Scotland (earlier in Zwickau, Malmö and Westervoort)
- Training: Om Taechang in Seoul (2002–2005); Master’s degree in Musical Instrument Making, Zwickau, Germany
- Influences: Robert Bouchet, Daniel Friederich, Torres, Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández
- Also: restorations of guitars by Manuel Ramírez, Miguel Rodríguez, Domingo Esteso and José Romanillos
Moonseok Choi: A Korean Guitar Maker in Scotland
Currently based in Stirling, Scotland, Moonseok Choi is a veteran guitar maker who has been building guitars for nearly two decades. He studied with guitar maker Om Taechang in Seoul, Korea, from 2002 to 2005, and completed a Master’s degree in Musical Instrument Making at the Westsächsische Hochschule in Zwickau, Germany, where he lived from 2006 to 2010. It was there that he met and befriended Dominik Wurth, another fine maker whom we represent.
Inspired by Bouchet and Friederich
Moonseok builds mainly traditional instruments and prefers these to most modern designs, although he does build guitars with double backs as well – the result of his thesis in Zwickau, where he studied the efficiency of the energy transmission of the sound as it projects from the stage to the audience. As his most influential luthiers, he cites Robert Bouchet and Daniel Friederich, and he pursues his “production approach based on their acoustic approach”. He also feels a special connection to Bouchet, since his childhood dream was to become a painter (his mother loved art).
Restoring the Spanish Masters
In addition to building, Moonseok has done several significant repair and restoration jobs, including instruments by Manuel Ramírez, Miguel Rodríguez, Domingo Esteso and José Romanillos, to name just a few.
A Maker on the Move
After Germany, Moonseok lived and worked in Malmö, Sweden, and Westervoort, Holland, before settling in Stirling, Scotland. Each place has left its mark on his guitars – Malmö’s coast, for example, inspired the “fish” motifs in his rosettes – and one of his guitars for GSI was fittingly named “Nomad”.
Moonseok Choi Guitars at GSI
We are pleased to be representing this fine maker exclusively in the USA. 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
Where does Moonseok Choi build his guitars?
In Stirling, Scotland.
Where did Moonseok Choi train?
With Om Taechang in Seoul, Korea, and at the Westsächsische Hochschule in Zwickau, Germany, where he earned a Master’s degree in Musical Instrument Making.
Which makers inspire him?
Above all Robert Bouchet and Daniel Friederich, along with the old Spanish masters such as Torres, Manuel Ramírez and Santos Hernández.
