2009 Antonio Marín Montero SP/SW

This 2009 Antonio Marín Montero is a flamenco guitar with a spruce top and a striking set of satinwood for the back and sides, made in Granada, Spain.

Satinwood: Bite Like a Negra, Feel of a Blanca

This guitar was built with an absolutely striking set of satinwood for the back and sides. This is a very dense wood, very hard and reflective, so it produces a tone with added bite, much like a negra. However, at the thickness this was made, it also behaves and vibrates much like a blanca, so it makes for a very interesting and satisfying flamenco all around.

Sound and Playability

Typical of Marín's guitars, it has a nice quick, bouncy responsiveness, a characteristic found in the best of the southern Spanish instruments. Setup is comfortable and low, making playability a breeze. A monster flamenco built by one of the great Spanish legends.

Read more: Orfeo Magazine No. 8 – The Granada School

Antonio Marín Montero: Founder of the Modern Granada School

Antonio Marín Montero (b. 1933) is considered to be the foundational builder of the contemporary Granada school – many builders from around the world have come to Granada to work with and learn from this great maker. Born in Granada, he began as a woodworker in local cabinetmaking and marquetry workshops, among them those of Francisco Moya and Recaredo Veredas; in 1957 he joined the workshop of maestro Pérez, and in 1959, on his father's advice, he went to Eduardo Ferrer on the Cuesta de Gomérez, next to the Alhambra. With Manuel López Bellido he then ran the "Montero-Bellido" workshop, where a whole generation of Granada makers trained.

The Marín "Bouchet" and a Life of Iconic Guitars

His association with Robert Bouchet is legendary: the two became close friends after Antonio visited the Paris master in 1977, and their collaboration produced what became known as Marín's "Bouchet" model, with structural and design elements – including the famous transverse brace passing below the bridge – that clearly show Bouchet's influence. Over the decades he built some of the most iconic classical and flamenco guitars of the Granada school, working alongside his nephew José Marín Plazuelo and José González López, until he retired in 2024 and closed his workshop. The Antonio Marín Montero Guitar Building Competition, held in Granada since 2017, bears his name.