Tint long enduring

UMA VERDADEIRA OBRA DE ARTE EM PERFEITO ESTADO DE CONSEVAÇÃO Tampo e Laterais: Cedro AAA Fundo:Jacarandá Tamanho da Escala: 656mm José Ramírez III (1922 ? 1995) was without doubt one of the most influential and important luthiers in the second part of the 20th century. His guitars influenced hundreds of instrument makers, many of whom imitated him, and thousands of guitarists around who played his instruments. Indirectly, he even influenced composers of the guitar who found for the first time that their music could be heard in large concert halls instead of small chamber music environments. It could be argued that José III had a more profound effect on the development of the modern guitar than any other guitar maker in history. So what was his secret, and why do we make such sweeping claims about his importance? One paramount reason is that José III was the first and only luthier to be able to standardize the process of making a classical guitar such that it could be built by any well-trained artisan, according to his precise plan and under his supervision. Moreover, the design was such that these instruments, although not made by him personally, stood up to and often exceeded the quality of the best handmade instruments of the day. ¿José Ramírez III was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1922. His father José II had left Spain for a brief tour of South America after the turn of the century and ended up staying for nearly 20 years. In I923, on the news of the death of his own father, José II moved the family back to Madrid, and it was at this time that he took over his late father?s guitar workshop. At the age of 18, José III began working as an apprentice and within a few years was building guitars and experimenting on his own. In I957, he took over the duties as ?maestro? (master) of the Ramírez workshop, which by now had spanned three generations, and he continued to develop what would become the Ramírez concert guitar that we know today. This instrument was typified by its large body, long string length, and cedar or spruce top. It had great power, as well as sustain, sweetness, a fullness of tone and a balance across the entire register. José III died in 1995 at the age of 73. Probably his most enduring contribution was his role as a teacher and as a developer of talent. We often measure a man?s greatness not only by what he achieves in his lifetime, but by what he leaves behind for others to complete, and by how he influences those in his wake. From the 1960s to the 1990s, the José Ramírez workshop had assembled and trained many of the most talented guitarreros of José III?s generation, many of whom continue to work on their own with great individual success. This collection of greatness under one roof has only been approached by that of Manuel Ramírez (José III?s great-uncle) or his grandfather, José Ramírez I, whose workshops collectively included the likes of Santos Hernández, Enrique Garcia, Domingo Esteso, Emilio Pasqual Viudes, Modesto Borreguero, Julian Goméz Ramírez and many others. José III?s roster, however, is still unmatched when you consider the number of great luthiers who began their careers there. They include Paulino Bernabé, Manuel Contreras, Mariano Tezanos, Enrique Borreguero Marcos, Pedro Contreras Valbuena, Manuel González Contreras, Miguel Malo Martínez and so on. ?I make sure that everything is done exactly as I want it,? José III told George Clinton in 1984. ?The architect doesn?t have to get involved with the bricklaying. My pupils learn from me so they know exactly what is to be done, otherwise I would do it myself. The wood and the tools have no secrets from me, and if there are problems I have to sort them out.? Quantity is not always a virtue, especially in art or the work of artisans. However, in the case of José III, his guitars became the standard for musicians worldwide because he was able to produce roughly 20,000 concert instruments during