Guitars built by Antonio Marin Montero
Typical for the wonderful instruments created by guitar builder Antonio Marin Montero (who lives in Granada, Spain) is their exquisite design which shows expert workmanship, their timeless elegance, and their unbelievable richness of tone and timbre. One will always recognize these master pieces.
Antonio Marin Montero follows the tradition of Antonio de Torres, the creator and inventor of the modern guitar. As a homage to his teacher and mentor in Paris, Robert Bouchet, he named his instruments Bouchet Models. Today, Antonio Marin is the most famous representative of the rich Granadian guitar building tradition which attracts guitar builders and guitarists from all corners of the globe.
on the left side, Antonio Marin Montero
The Guitar Builder*
· by Claudia Ulferts, Tagesschau, March 2004
"It is the most whimsical and unreliable instrument you can think of. - but also the sweetest and softest one", was once stated by the guitarist Segovia when he tried to characterize the guitar. In Spain, this instrument is a kind of national symbol. One of the most famous guitar builders lives in Granada. Musicians will wait months and months to purchase a guitar from his studio.
For Antonio Marin Montero it is the first thing in the morning to open the door of his working space and to look at the snow-covered Sierra Nevada high above Granada. The next thing is to check the barometer. Marin nods quite satisfied: a stable high-pressure area, very little air humidity. Today he will be able to glue his guitar together.
A Hypersensitive Instrument
"This instrument is just like a human being", says Antonio Marin Montero. "It is really sensitive. It hates humidity." In spite of his worldwide fame, Montero is a shy man. But Flamenco artists and classical guitarists from Germany, Austria and Japan regularly go on a pilgrimage to see him. Patiently they will wait for their instruments: Montero has no "guitar store", he makes guitars only to order. Delivery dead line is at least 16 months.
What is it that makes up a good guitar builder? Marin´s response is a good laugh. "First of all, you must have the nose for the right wood." The wood has to be seasoned and should show tightly packed year rings, especially the alp pine which Montero uses for the cover parts of the resonance box. "I always know instantaneously whether the wood will fulfil my demands. It is a certain intuition, a feeling referring to colour, structure, and flexibility. The best investment into an excellent guitar is when you allow the wood to season, at least for ten years. Even much longer, if possible."
All Guitars have their own special sound
Marin can always guarantee high quality instruments, even though every single guitar has its own special tone and sound. "It is just the same as with human beings: No one is like the other. It is my task to get the best out of the instrument." Thereafter, everything is up to the hands of the guitar player. "The wood must vibrate. By and by, it will adjust to the vibration. The guitar must be played every single day. Marin winks. "It is really very simple: You have to treat the guitar like a human being. No heat, no pushing, and a little attention every day."
Antonio Marin, Bouchet, pine, 1998
Antonio Marin, Bouchet, pine, 2003
Antonio Marin, Bouchet,cedar, 2004