martin labella guitars

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koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

martin labella guitars

Hi

This afternoon an old friend came by.
He had a flamenco guitar from the builder "martin labella" from granada.
First I thought he made a joke but it was really on the label.

He seems to be an apprentice of Bellido.
It was an awesome guitar. For buleria, tango etc. a much better guitar then my gerundino. It was very fast, vivid and present.
And the price was 1250€ ( *!*)

Anyone heard of this builder ?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 30 2008 5:41:29

RobJe

Posts: 731
Joined: Dec. 16 2006
From: UK

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Nobody seems to have the answer so here are a couple of guesses.

First guess
Manuel Bellido’s son, Jesús Bellido (full name Jesús Manuel Lopez-Bellido Martín) used to run Andalucian Government funded courses for apprentice guitar makers. One of his pupils was Juan Fabián Labella Manjón (actually they are both about the same age). The ‘Martin Labella’ guitar could be a joint venture.

Second guess
Juan Martin and La Bella strings have come up with a great new business project to fill Spain with cheap imported guitars.

You choose! I would be interested to hear if there is an address on the label.

Rob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 1 2008 10:26:55

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to RobJe)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobJe
You choose! I would be interested to hear if there is an address on the label.

Rob

My friend bought it in the builders workshop in Granada. So the address is not an issue here.

And like I said it was a very good, bellido-like guitar.
I would buy one right away if they were available here in Holland or on the internet.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 1 2008 12:37:34

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to RobJe)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobJe

Second guess
Juan Martin and La Bella strings have come up with a great new business project to fill Spain with cheap imported guitars.

Are you serious and was this a joke?

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 1 2008 12:39:04

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

By the way, RobJe thanks for the reply.
I will call my friend for some more info on this subject.
I asked it here because I thought someone would know the builder(s).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 1 2008 12:48:32

RobJe

Posts: 731
Joined: Dec. 16 2006
From: UK

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to Arash)

quote:

Are you serious and was this a joke?

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction - but probably not this strange!
Rob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 1 2008 13:24:13

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Ok, I woke up this morning and a little bell was ringing.

I´m only 98% sure, so please dont hang me. Its some 4 - 5 years ago since I was in contact with the Bellidos.

Martin la Bella is a fictive name. He doesn´t exist. Its a project and they choosed the name because its easy to recognize. I think I know who might be making the guitars (Juan), but it could be someone else or things might have changed.
Its very Spanish, you see it other places. The best example is the famous Hermanos Conde, where you wont know who has made the guitars. Also in many shops they change the names on the label to their own name.
Actually I think its illigal and against EU consumer laws. I think we have a right to know who made our products. So maybe Condes should say: Made in Valencia by Sanchiz or the ones making them now.

Never mind, If you like a guitar, its a good guitar and if you dont mind the storys, go for a wrong label one. The problem is that if you order it without trying it, it could be made by someone else but with the same label on, this way you would be buying a completely different product without knowing.

I´m pretty sure you all know what I think about these stories, but if you want to know more about Martin La Bella, you could contact Manuel, Jesus or Miguel Angel Bellido and ask them. You can use my information, but please keep me out of this. I´m not into storys and I like reality the way it is.

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 1 2008 23:03:44

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Wow Anders, you make this sound like a very sleezy thing.

The builder was very open as far as I know. He said he was an apprentice from bellido. The 1250€ model was a student model. He also made 1A models for much higher prices.
It was not a bellido copy as far as I know. Just a bellido-like guitar.
Thin body, thin neck.

But I try to gather some more info. You'll hear from me.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 1:26:56

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

If its sleezy or not, depends on you. Some call it culture.

If it was Juan who made the guitar, he´s a nice guy. But why call it Martín La Bella when you have a good traditional name like Juan?

I will never understand these things.

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 1:35:07

RobJe

Posts: 731
Joined: Dec. 16 2006
From: UK

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

I was trying to suggest in my first email that it was a combination of one name of Jesus (Martin) and another one of Juan (Labella). They have such long names, breaking all the Spanish rules. If so, this seems to be a pretty open way of constructing a trade name - a bit like Pedro de Miguel.
Rob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 5:33:54

n85ae

Posts: 877
Joined: Sep. 7 2006

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Isn't there a line of guitar's out there labeled "Marcelino Barbero", that
were made in Japan for a Chicago area guitar shop, that sells them at
super high prices, because people don't know there isn't a Marcelino
Barbero. :)

But when the shop is on Chicago's most expensive street, the assumption
is "These must be fine guitars from Spain!"

Jeff

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 6:15:56

sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to n85ae)

Actually the music shop you speak of is Sherry-Brener Ltd in Chicago. He has a location on Michigan Ave. The line of guitars is called "Hernandis" which sounds muy Espanol however I believe they were constructed in Japan in the late 60's and early 70's. I have actually played one of these instruments and its not bad but a 1A model lists for $6,000 which is IMHO too much for a "factory" guitar. I don't recall what the label said about origin of construction. I know Jim Sherry and have visited his Mich Ave shop a number of times and he is very interesting to talk to about many of flamenco and classical guitar luminary's; he's met most of them during his time and has the pictures to prove it. My understanding is that he had a falling out with the Ramirez shop over the "re-labeling" of some of the instruments but I'll let you make your own decisions on that issue...
Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 8:27:01

n85ae

Posts: 877
Joined: Sep. 7 2006

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to sig)

I have an office 4 blocks from there, so I have visited occasionally. He's
actually a very nice man, makes you want to buy a guitar! Tom Nunez clued
me in, and I did some searching around, and indeed there once was a line
labeled Marcelino Barbero. Which if you try hard you might just be able to
buy one ...

Jeff

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 9:47:11

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

ok, I know some more now.

My friend bought the guitar at a shop called "la guitarreria" on the Calle Navas 22 in Granada.
Few years ago it was still THE Bellido shop he said. Miguel was behind the counter. They still sell Bellido's.

Something must have happened 'cause the shop vanished from Bellido's official web-site.

P.s. Despite the fuzzy stories my friend is very happy with his guitar.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 13:33:34

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Ok, now we are getting close.

Thats the shop where I worked for a year or so. And it was owned by Miguel Angel Bellido....
I tried a couple of guitars with the name of Martin La Bella. They were made by "Juan" (cant remember the lat name.) Its 4 to 5 years ago... and I have no idea if the shop still exist or not.

It was some idea of making a concept guitar etc for a good price, that someone else could make if necessary.. etc. I personally dont understand a thing about these stories.

One of the guitars I tried was very nice. Maybe thats the one your friend has. When did he buy it?

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 2 2008 13:46:19

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Anders, it was 28 dec. 2005.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2008 5:36:04

guitarmaker

Posts: 1
Joined: Apr. 27 2011
From: SPAIN

RE: martin labella guitars (in reply to koella)

Hi, I'm guitarmaker, sorry, my English is very bad.
I've come across a reference to Labella Martin guitars, and I have the answer to the question. I know who is the guitar maker....

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2011 6:51:49