Luthiers from Around the World

The modern French name for luthier goes back to lute making. In the German-speaking world, the makers of stringed instruments were called violin makers, as violin was the generic term for various stringed instruments. However, violin makers also occasionally made plucked instruments such as lutes, mandolins, harps, guitars and hurdy-gurdies. Clear demarcations between the instrument makers were created later and regionally by professional associations. The craft of luthiers is usually divided into two main categories: Makers of stringed instruments that are plucked or bowed, and makers of stringed instruments that are bowed. Since stringed instruments require a bow, there is a sub-type in the second category known as a bow maker or archetier. Two important luthiers of the early 19th century who are associated with the development of the modern classical guitar are Louis Panormo and Georg Staufer. Antonio Torres Jurado is credited with developing the shape of the classical guitar that is still in use today. Christian Frederick Martin from Germany developed a form that evolved into the modern steel-stringed acoustic guitar.

Marcos Domato – Classical Guitar Maker from Vigo

Marcos Domato – Classical Guitar Maker from Vigo

Marcos Domato – A New Voice in Spanish Classical Guitar Making Marcos Domato Fernández is one of the most compelling voices to emerge from the current generation of Spanish classical...

Marcos Domato – Classical Guitar Maker from Vigo

Marcos Domato – A New Voice in Spanish Classical Guitar Making Marcos Domato Fernández is one of the most compelling voices to emerge from the current generation of Spanish classical...

Silvia Zanchi – Italian Luthier from Bergamo

Silvia Zanchi – Italian Luthier from Bergamo

Silvia Zanchi – A Master Voice in Italian Lutherie Among the most distinctive voices in contemporary Italian guitar making, Silvia Zanchi has built a reputation that extends well beyond her...

Silvia Zanchi – Italian Luthier from Bergamo

Silvia Zanchi – A Master Voice in Italian Lutherie Among the most distinctive voices in contemporary Italian guitar making, Silvia Zanchi has built a reputation that extends well beyond her...

Tamara Stahl – A New Voice in European Classical Guitar Making

Tamara Stahl – A New Voice in European Classica...

Tamara Stahl – A New Voice in European Classical Guitar Making Tamara Stahl represents one of the most compelling new voices to emerge from the European classical guitar making scene...

Tamara Stahl – A New Voice in European Classica...

Tamara Stahl – A New Voice in European Classical Guitar Making Tamara Stahl represents one of the most compelling new voices to emerge from the European classical guitar making scene...

Reza Safavian: Guitarist, Luthier, and Master of the Double-Top

Reza Safavian: Guitarist, Luthier, and Master o...

Few figures in the contemporary classical guitar world embody the deep connection between playing and building as fully as Reza Safavian. Born in Iran and later based in Germany, Safavian...

Reza Safavian: Guitarist, Luthier, and Master o...

Few figures in the contemporary classical guitar world embody the deep connection between playing and building as fully as Reza Safavian. Born in Iran and later based in Germany, Safavian...

Karel Dedain – Belgian Master Luthier from Ghent

Karel Dedain – Belgian Master Luthier from Ghent

Karel Dedain – Belgian Master Luthier from Ghent In the landscape of contemporary classical guitar makers, Karel Dedain occupies a distinctive place: a Belgian craftsman rooted in the old Spanish...

Karel Dedain – Belgian Master Luthier from Ghent

Karel Dedain – Belgian Master Luthier from Ghent In the landscape of contemporary classical guitar makers, Karel Dedain occupies a distinctive place: a Belgian craftsman rooted in the old Spanish...

Matthias Dammann – Pioneer of the Double-Top Guitar

Matthias Dammann – Pioneer of the Double-Top Gu...

Matthias Dammann – Pioneer of the Double-Top Guitar Few luthiers in the history of classical guitar making have reshaped the craft as profoundly as Matthias Dammann. Born in Germany in...

Matthias Dammann – Pioneer of the Double-Top Gu...

Matthias Dammann – Pioneer of the Double-Top Guitar Few luthiers in the history of classical guitar making have reshaped the craft as profoundly as Matthias Dammann. Born in Germany in...

Yulong Guo – China's Master of the Double-Top Guitar

Yulong Guo – China's Master of the Double-Top G...

Yulong Guo – China's Master of the Double-Top Guitar Yulong Guo stands apart as the most internationally recognised classical guitar maker to emerge from China — a luthier who has...

Yulong Guo – China's Master of the Double-Top G...

Yulong Guo – China's Master of the Double-Top Guitar Yulong Guo stands apart as the most internationally recognised classical guitar maker to emerge from China — a luthier who has...

Rinaldo Vacca – Sardinian Master of the All-Wood Lattice Guitar

Rinaldo Vacca – Sardinian Master of the All-Woo...

Rinaldo Vacca – Sardinian Master of the All-Wood Lattice Guitar From the island of Sardinia, where ancient craftsmanship traditions run deep, Rinaldo Vacca has emerged as one of Italy's most...

Rinaldo Vacca – Sardinian Master of the All-Woo...

Rinaldo Vacca – Sardinian Master of the All-Wood Lattice Guitar From the island of Sardinia, where ancient craftsmanship traditions run deep, Rinaldo Vacca has emerged as one of Italy's most...

Daniel Stark – German Master Luthier and Double-Top Innovator

Daniel Stark – German Master Luthier and Double...

Daniel Stark – A German Luthier Shaping the Modern Concert Guitar Daniel Stark is one of contemporary lutherie's most compelling voices — a German craftsman whose instruments have found their...

Daniel Stark – German Master Luthier and Double...

Daniel Stark – A German Luthier Shaping the Modern Concert Guitar Daniel Stark is one of contemporary lutherie's most compelling voices — a German craftsman whose instruments have found their...

José Marques – Portuguese Luthier of Modern Concert Guitars

José Marques – Portuguese Luthier of Modern Con...

José Marques – A Portuguese Voice in Contemporary Lutherie Among the most compelling voices in contemporary classical guitar making, José Marques occupies a distinctive position: a Portuguese craftsman whose instruments...

José Marques – Portuguese Luthier of Modern Con...

José Marques – A Portuguese Voice in Contemporary Lutherie Among the most compelling voices in contemporary classical guitar making, José Marques occupies a distinctive position: a Portuguese craftsman whose instruments...

Wolfgang Jellinghaus – A Life Devoted to the Classical Guitar

Wolfgang Jellinghaus – A Life Devoted to the Cl...

Wolfgang Jellinghaus – A Life Devoted to the Classical Guitar Wolfgang Jellinghaus (1951–2024) was one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary classical guitar making — a German luthier who...

Wolfgang Jellinghaus – A Life Devoted to the Cl...

Wolfgang Jellinghaus – A Life Devoted to the Classical Guitar Wolfgang Jellinghaus (1951–2024) was one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary classical guitar making — a German luthier who...

Juan Hernandez – Master Luthier from Valencia

Juan Hernandez – Master Luthier from Valencia

Juan Hernandez stands among the finest classical guitar makers to emerge from the Valencia region of Spain, a luthier whose instruments combine over five decades of accumulated craft knowledge with...

Juan Hernandez – Master Luthier from Valencia

Juan Hernandez stands among the finest classical guitar makers to emerge from the Valencia region of Spain, a luthier whose instruments combine over five decades of accumulated craft knowledge with...

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