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.

Sylvain Balestrieri – French Luthier in the Tradition of Bouchet and Friederich

Sylvain Balestrieri – French Luthier in the Tra...

Sylvain Balestrieri – French Luthier in the Tradition of Bouchet and Friederich Sylvain Balestrieri is one of the most thoughtful voices in contemporary French lutherie — a maker whose instruments...

Sylvain Balestrieri – French Luthier in the Tra...

Sylvain Balestrieri – French Luthier in the Tradition of Bouchet and Friederich Sylvain Balestrieri is one of the most thoughtful voices in contemporary French lutherie — a maker whose instruments...

Elvis Pajares – Peruvian Luthier Building Concert Guitars of Rare Depth

Elvis Pajares – Peruvian Luthier Building Conce...

Elvis Pajares – Peruvian Luthier Building Concert Guitars of Rare Depth From the mountain town of Namora in northern Peru, Elvis Pajares has emerged as one of the most distinctive...

Elvis Pajares – Peruvian Luthier Building Conce...

Elvis Pajares – Peruvian Luthier Building Concert Guitars of Rare Depth From the mountain town of Namora in northern Peru, Elvis Pajares has emerged as one of the most distinctive...

Roy Fankhänel – Master Luthier from the Ore Mountains

Roy Fankhänel – Master Luthier from the Ore Mou...

Roy Fankhänel – Master Luthier from the Ore Mountains Roy Fankhänel is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary German guitar making — a craftsman whose instruments carry the...

Roy Fankhänel – Master Luthier from the Ore Mou...

Roy Fankhänel – Master Luthier from the Ore Mountains Roy Fankhänel is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary German guitar making — a craftsman whose instruments carry the...

Gerhard Oldiges – German Master of the Spanish Guitar Tradition

Gerhard Oldiges – German Master of the Spanish ...

Gerhard Oldiges – German Master of the Spanish Guitar Tradition Among the most thoughtful and historically grounded classical guitar makers working in Europe today, Gerhard J. Oldiges occupies a singular...

Gerhard Oldiges – German Master of the Spanish ...

Gerhard Oldiges – German Master of the Spanish Guitar Tradition Among the most thoughtful and historically grounded classical guitar makers working in Europe today, Gerhard J. Oldiges occupies a singular...

José Marin Plazuelo – Granada's Master of the Traditional Concert Guitar

José Marin Plazuelo – Granada's Master of the T...

José Marin Plazuelo – Granada's Master of the Traditional Concert Guitar Few luthiers working today embody the living continuity of the Granada guitar-making tradition as fully as José Marin Plazuelo....

José Marin Plazuelo – Granada's Master of the T...

José Marin Plazuelo – Granada's Master of the Traditional Concert Guitar Few luthiers working today embody the living continuity of the Granada guitar-making tradition as fully as José Marin Plazuelo....

François-Régis Léonard – French Luthier from Brittany

François-Régis Léonard – French Luthier from Br...

François-Régis Léonard – A Voice of the French Lutherie Tradition François-Régis Léonard is one of the most compelling figures in contemporary French classical guitar making — a builder whose instruments...

François-Régis Léonard – French Luthier from Br...

François-Régis Léonard – A Voice of the French Lutherie Tradition François-Régis Léonard is one of the most compelling figures in contemporary French classical guitar making — a builder whose instruments...

Antonio Marchese – Classical Guitar Maker from Piedmont

Antonio Marchese – Classical Guitar Maker from ...

Antonio Marchese – A New Voice in the Italian Classical Guitar Tradition Antonio Marchese belongs to a generation of Italian luthiers who approach the classical guitar with both scholarly rigour...

Antonio Marchese – Classical Guitar Maker from ...

Antonio Marchese – A New Voice in the Italian Classical Guitar Tradition Antonio Marchese belongs to a generation of Italian luthiers who approach the classical guitar with both scholarly rigour...

Raffaele Dantone – Master Luthier from the Dolomites

Raffaele Dantone – Master Luthier from the Dolo...

Raffaele Dantone – A Voice from the Dolomites Raffaele Dantone is one of the most compelling classical guitar makers to emerge from Italy in recent years. Born in Bolzano in...

Raffaele Dantone – Master Luthier from the Dolo...

Raffaele Dantone – A Voice from the Dolomites Raffaele Dantone is one of the most compelling classical guitar makers to emerge from Italy in recent years. Born in Bolzano in...

Manuel Contreras – The Innovative Spirit of Madrid Guitar Making

Manuel Contreras – The Innovative Spirit of Mad...

Manuel Contreras – The Innovative Spirit of Madrid Guitar Making Among the great classical guitar makers of the twentieth century, Manuel Contreras stands apart as one of the most inventive...

Manuel Contreras – The Innovative Spirit of Mad...

Manuel Contreras – The Innovative Spirit of Madrid Guitar Making Among the great classical guitar makers of the twentieth century, Manuel Contreras stands apart as one of the most inventive...

Manuel Adalid – A Spanish Master Between Tradition and Innovation

Manuel Adalid – A Spanish Master Between Tradit...

Manuel Adalid – A Spanish Master Between Tradition and Innovation Manuel Adalid Balbuena stands among Spain's most accomplished and intellectually driven luthiers — a craftsman who grew up inside a...

Manuel Adalid – A Spanish Master Between Tradit...

Manuel Adalid – A Spanish Master Between Tradition and Innovation Manuel Adalid Balbuena stands among Spain's most accomplished and intellectually driven luthiers — a craftsman who grew up inside a...

So Kimishima – Heir to Japan's Greatest Guitar-Making Dynasty

So Kimishima – Heir to Japan's Greatest Guitar-...

So Kimishima – Heir to Japan's Greatest Guitar-Making Dynasty So Kimishima occupies a singular position in contemporary classical guitar making: as the grandson of Masaru Kohno — the most celebrated...

So Kimishima – Heir to Japan's Greatest Guitar-...

So Kimishima – Heir to Japan's Greatest Guitar-Making Dynasty So Kimishima occupies a singular position in contemporary classical guitar making: as the grandson of Masaru Kohno — the most celebrated...

David Rubio – The Englishman Who Transformed Classical Guitar Making

David Rubio – The Englishman Who Transformed Cl...

David Rubio – The Englishman Who Transformed Classical Guitar Making David Rubio (1934–2000) is one of the most remarkable figures in the history of the classical guitar — a self-taught...

David Rubio – The Englishman Who Transformed Cl...

David Rubio – The Englishman Who Transformed Classical Guitar Making David Rubio (1934–2000) is one of the most remarkable figures in the history of the classical guitar — a self-taught...

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