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4th annual Guitar making competition
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RobF
Posts: 1611
Joined: Aug. 24 2017
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 RE: 4th annual Guitar making competition (in reply to johnguitar)
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Thanks for the notice, John.
Some thoughts about this event....
First off, full disclosure. I participated in the competition last year. The classical guitar I entered was representative of the work I typically do and, although it was not constructed with the competition in mind, as all of my guitars are 100% handcrafted by me and this one was traditionally fan braced, it met the entry criteria. It placed pretty well exactly where I expected it would, which was it made it past the first round, where half the guitars were eliminated, placed in the second, and was not presented amongst the third (final) round of five instruments. Based on what I saw when I was there, I felt it was judged fairly.
For the benefit of anyone who is considering entering, here are a few observations from last year that may help in the preparation for the competition:
- The quality of entrants was high, and the workmanship consistently so. If I could offer one word of advice, above all, it’s to ensure the setup of the guitar is beyond reproach. During the presentations, the demonstrator will focus on any weaknesses in this regard and I think a lot of the instruments that didn’t make it past the first round were eliminated, at least in part, due to issues with their setups. So, be mindful of the potential effects of changes in climate if you’re travelling across continents, as a poor setup can prove to be toxic.
- The competition venue was moved to another area of town on short notice. Not good for those who had booked lodging near the original location. The take-away here is to make sure to book accommodations that have a forgiving cancellation policy, as it may be prudent to do a last minute switch. Granada is very much a “walking city”, and the temperature will be hovering just below 40C, so having accommodations close to the event is not a bad idea.
- The entrants are responsible for their instruments at all times. While this may seem reasonable, it is typically 38C outside at lunchtime and hauling an instrument from an air conditioned environment into the heat and then back again into the cold was not so much fun for newcomers to the city, most of whom had no idea where to go for lunch. Best advice I can give about that is, if you can’t secure accommodation near the venue where you can store your instrument during lunch, then do a restaurant prowl in the days before the competition so you have an idea of places you can quickly go to and hang out inside (or out of the sun) for a couple of hours.
- The 15 minute pre-trial interviews were extremely short and hurried. For many, this was to be the only contact they were to ever have with the organizers of the event. It comes across like a job interview, so be prepared.
- Finally, and this may seem obvious, but build a competition instrument. While the rules state that GSI will buy instruments at fixed prices from the winners, there is no obligation to sell them the instrument that was entered. So, pull out the stops and build one worth more than the prize value. And then, if anyone wants to buy the guitar after you win, they can pay you what it’s worth. I have a feeling a maker may prefer to keep a winning instrument as something to display to potential customers or just as a treasured momento, however.
Now, for a couple of suggestions to the organizers:
- There was absolutely no feedback formally provided to the contestants. It would not be difficult to provide a written checklist or brief summary to the entrants so they could understand the areas where it was felt their instrument could be improved. Bad set-up, finish issues, tonal issues? To my opinion, the complete lack of feedback is reason enough for many to avoid this competition. It is my largest criticism. And if feedback is provided informally to some, then in the interest of fairness it goes without question that it should be provided to all.
- The contestant interviews were very brief. If one hour proved to be too taxing in previous years, perhaps a half hour would have been a reasonable compromise? After all, some contestants had travelled over 15,000km in support of the competition and, in light of that, the 15 minute provision for interviews was quite lean.
- A simple meet and greet for the makers would be a nice touch. If there are concerns about impartiality or time constraints amongst the judges and organizers, there’s really no need for them to attend the event in any significant capacity. A 25€ addition to the entrance fee could fund booking a room in a local taberna for some beverages and Tapas. An additional admission fee for any spouse or friends who wish to accompanying a maker could be levied. Simple, yet it would go a long way to show the makers that their presence is appreciated. Heck, if I happen to be in town during the event I’ll even offer to organize it.
- Last year, the competition was held in a municipal hall that had armed security at the entrance. Would it have been such a stretch to simply lock the door of the contest room during the lunch break so the contestants could choose to leave their guitars in a stable environment during lunch? If insurance is a concern, could not the contestants simply sign a waiver? Or maybe hire a security guard for the time slot to stand at the door and prevent entry? Sending contestant guitars out into the heat at lunchtime put a lot of undue stress on the instruments (and the makers) and really does seem unnecessary.
- Valuing the prizes for the Flamenco category at 30% less than the Classical is simply not cool. As the categories, under the conditions laid out by the competition, are so intrinsically similar, bringing market conditions into the mix in such a manner is really questionable, IMO.
- Lastly, I feel for the competition to truly attain international legitimacy, any actions that could lead to the suggestion of conflicts of interest should be studiously avoided. In that sense, those directly or even indirectly associated with GSI or Jitamen should consider recusing themselves from judging positions. As it is, there is a real danger that the competition can present the appearance of being a vehicle largely in place for commercial interests to seek out new additions to their stables, and/or to promote those with whom they already have an association. I’m not saying this is the case in practice, but the appearance is there and I think it will ultimately prove to be unhealthy.
So, in conclusion, to anyone who is considering entry; Granada is probably one of my favourite places in the world and I highly recommend visiting there, if one has not done so already. In that sense, the competition and associated festival provides a great excuse to go. Just book an extra week, if possible, and really enjoy the city. Bring a beautiful guitar. Above all, don’t take it too seriously. If you believe in your work enough to enter, then you’ve already arrived, IMO, and you’ll have the pleasure of seeing and hearing the works of other makers and will also have the opportunity to make some new friends. In that sense, it’s all good.
Hopefully my critical remarks to the organizers don’t get me blacklisted or anything. At the moment, I see this as largely being a prestigious, niche event. It’s fun, and worthwhile in many ways, but as it stands, and in my opinion, it’s a little too tainted by business interests, regional bias, and build restrictions to be considered hugely significant to guitar making in the broader scheme of things. This is in no way intended to be taken as a reflection on the quality of the winning instruments last year, they were all indeed beautiful and deserving. Ditto on the sincerity of the organizers. It’s just that it would be unfortunate if the manner in which the competition is conducted could, in any way, lead to speculation that might diminish the accomplishments of the makers.
I truly hope that my comments are considered in the spirit in which they are being given. I am doing so out of great respect, not just for the event organizers, but also for the participants. I have a deep love for Granada and a deep love of my craft. I can’t help but feel that, just as the entrants could benefit from feedback concerning areas of improvement, so also can the event. But, at the end of the day, it is what it is, and will be what it chooses.
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Date Mar. 4 2020 20:40:27
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