Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to johnguitar)
All books presenting information about people with some related historical analysis are open to criticism for bias and misrepresentation. Thankfully I am not well enough qualified to judge on these issues.
I do think however that the book contains some important bits about the social history of guitar making. During the Spanish Civil war (1936-39) and the uncertainty in Europe during the subsequent world war there was an inevitable curtailment of non-essential production including guitars. I suppose that there would have been few apprentice luthiers during this period. I have seen plenty of old guitars during my lifetime but very few with dates between 1938 and 1944. It is interesting to hear of makers turning to other production (embroidery rings) to make a living.
As normality was restored those setting off on the route of cabinet making (ebonistas) would eventually find that their skills were no longer required due to the rise of “affordable” factory built furniture made from plywood and later, particleboard.
Many of the younger ebonistas brought their skills with hand tools into the world of guitar making and contributed to a rise in the number of guitar makers and guitars produced. It was common to serve formal or informal apprenticeships. Many of this generation (it is also my generation) are now retired or in semi-retirement and some have died.
Antonio Duran is the person that I find most intriguing. He told me about making castanets and that he had been involved in training disabled people to make them. He showed my wife how castanets were made and gave her some as a gift which we treasure. He married into the Ferrer family and was obviously involved in some way with many Granada makers. Some have suggested that he could not have made guitars himself because of the loss of one arm. I never liked to question him during his lifetime about the guitars that had his label and signature. The last time I saw him we talked about the death of his friend Antonio Ariza. Antonio Duran died a few years later.
Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to johnguitar)
I know that guy is being harsh or jealous or something. I LOVE coffee table books like this, I am sure I will pick it up someday. Meanwhile, there are several Granada makers featured in Guitarerros de Andalucia, the same guy who made the huge book, Guitarerros de Madrid, out of print I hear. Both are great fun books to have lying around...mainly because the author is clearly biased toward flamenco guitars which is what I always wanted to see. I watched that opening video clip again and noticed the credits for the music go to the young guitar player I guess...but to be honest the music is note for note rendering of Ramon Montoya's Rondeña...
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to Echi)
Thank you all for your comments. Echi, I appreciate your understanding. Actually, the biggest stumbling block to making this a great book was the guitar-makers themselves. You and I both wanted more technical information (as did a lot of other readers) but there were makers who refused even to allow their bracing patterns sketched in the biography pages. That is just one example. But then as you say, someone can write a technical book some other time. This one is more a history through the eyes of the guitar-makers. It is mostly based on interviews and the content ended up depending on the individual authors (not surprising really). As for writing a book, I somehow doubt I will. The time required is enormous, publishing is next to impossible and no one buys books anymore.
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to RobJe)
thanks John for your words. I still hope before or later you'll end writing a little booklet.
Btw I didn't mean that Ferrer did something illegal or questionable. Just some examples: Robje mentioned the case of Antonio Duran, whose guitars were mostly made by other makers; he married the daughter of Ferrer and managed the business of his shop; the book mentions also the case of Francisco Manuel Diaz who was allowed by Ferrer to manage a shop in Cuesta de Gomerez in exchange of half of the price of the studio guitars. To make it short I just meant that Ferrer was a little more than a teacher.
Nonetheless I still believe that the building techniques and the knowledge coming from an alive tradition are the common ground of the luthiers down there.
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to Ricardo)
Ricardo, please, do not confuse jealousy with justice or profesionalism. Yes, it would be interesting for you to, first read the book and then give your opinion. My purpose is not been unfair but truthful about the Granada School of Guitar Makers. The historic part of the book is a good research and is very well written, and there are some other good parts, but The Granada School of Guitar Makers deserves a more rigorous book.
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to Echi)
Echi thank you so much for your objective and pationless opinon. My purpose is not being unfair but truthful about the Granada School of Guitar Makers. The historic part of the book is a good research and is very well written, and there are some other good parts, but The Granada School of Guitar Makers deserves a more rigorous book.
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to Gildeavalle)
You know, I agree with you. The Granada School deserves a better book. Maybe someday somebody will write one. Actually there are only about 500 copies left in the warehouse so maybe in a couple of years a second edition will be published. That would be a good time to correct any errors, oversights and inconsistencies.
RE: The Granada School of Guitar-makers (in reply to Echi)
Echi thank you so much again for your objective opinion. Thank you Mr Ray for admitting my opinion as well, but I have been waiting for a while that you clarified that it was not the guitar-makers fault neither the fact that the book was sponsered by the Regional Government Diputacion de Granada (have in mind that it actually was sponsored by an English dealer of guitars). The final result was coordinated by someone who, obviously, knew about those errors, oversights and inconsistencies and, don't know why, but admitted them in the book. Anyway, I attach some of the events that Diputacion de Granada constantly organise in connection with Flamenco and guitar making. This time, Flamenco and Culture in its 6th edition, apart from other events, has organised visits to the guitar workshops of my mates Rafael Moreno and Francisco Manuel Diaz.
Printable Version
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread