Echi -> RE: Madrid guitar builders with help. (Mar. 17 2017 10:50:33)
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in the case of the Madrid school the Josè Ramirez way had a big influence. The top journeymen of Ramirez in the company best age (Antonio Martinez, Paulino, Felix and Manuel Contreras) were accustomed to build from 3 to 4 guitars per month (being paid per guitar finished). They could select the tops among those already jointed and thicknessed (usually at 2.8 thickness) and the necks. Other people would have provided the rosettes and done the varnish. When the main journeymen started their own career, it was kind of natural to follow the same method in a bigger scale. They all knew each other and decided for a sort of collaboration. For instance Felix Manzanero in the first years as independent shop, used to build around 40 guitars per year. He could do it as he had a substrate of people providing services and products, which made easier to make a business. The things later changed and the same Manzanero gradually drove to a one man shop (with the help of his son); as a consequence in the last 15 years of his career he used to make around 10 guitars per year. The same thing could be said for many other makers. Arcangel, Aguado, Plattner, Nieto are definitely artisans. Ramirez, Contreras, Bernabe', Conde and maybe Pedro de Miguel could be better defined as small companies. Arcangel and Conde would deserve a different chapter.
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