Early Life and Family Tradition
I was born among guitars on 9 June 1960 in Madrid, directly in the workshop where my father worked. We lived above the shop, and from an early age I watched him handle wood with care, selecting and shaping it with dedication. He taught me to search for the finest materials, assuring me that good wood always rewards the maker by allowing a fine guitar to emerge.
Learning the Craft
When my father later became independent, a new chapter began. The workshop in our family home on Loto Street became my daily environment, and I continued learning the fundamentals of guitar making. There was always time to be in the workshop, and it was not long before I left my studies to dedicate myself fully to the craft I loved most: assisting my father.
Apprenticeship and Mastery
At the age of 17 I began my apprenticeship under the most demanding Master I could have had. My father was a perfectionist, and every task he taught me had to be done thoroughly and with precision. He shared with me the secrets of each tool and the deeper understanding of how wood behaves over time. Through this demanding training, I learned first as his student and eventually worked alongside him, always attentive to his guidance and artistic vision.
A Lifetime of Collaboration
We spent 30 years working side by side, thinking constantly about how to refine our craftsmanship and how to come closer to creating the Great Guitar. Even during rest or holidays, our thoughts returned to the future of the workshop and the next step in our development.
Continuing the Legacy
Now this challenge is mine alone. After his passing, I carry forward the responsibility he prepared me for throughout his life: to continue building guitars with the same dedication and respect for the craft. I hope that one day my children may choose to follow this path as well, continuing the beautiful tradition of making fine guitars.
A Legacy Shaped by Dedication
Paulino Bernabé was born on 9 June 1960 in the apartment directly above his father's Madrid workshop — growing up among guitars, wood shavings, and the tools of one of Spain's great guitar-making dynasties. His father, Paulino Bernabé Senior (1932–2007), had trained as a guitarist under Daniel Fortea (a pupil of Francisco Tárrega) before learning construction at the Ramírez workshop under José Ramírez III. After fifteen years as Ramírez's head artisan, the elder Bernabé opened his own Madrid workshop in 1969 and developed a proprietary internal strutting system that distinguished his instruments; he received the Gold Medal at the 1974 International Crafts Exhibition in Munich.
Paulino II began a formal apprenticeship under his father at seventeen, learning toolwork, wood behaviour, and the principles of construction from a craftsman who demanded the highest precision from the outset. Father and son worked side by side from the early 1980s until shortly before the elder Bernabé's death in 2007. Today Paulino II leads a team of four skilled luthiers in the Madrid workshop, continuing to refine the construction methods that define the Bernabé sound: powerful basses, clear trebles, and notable projection and sustain. In 2011 he founded the Spanish Guitar Foundation to preserve the heritage of the tradition and support young musicians.
