José Ramírez (luthier) facts for kids
José Ramírez (born in 1858, died in 1923) was a famous Spanish luthier. A luthier is someone who builds or repairs string instruments, like guitars. José Ramírez started the well-known company Ramírez Guitars. He also began a family tradition of luthiers in Spain. His family still runs the company today. His grandson, José Ramírez III, later led the company. He made important changes to the classical guitar.
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The Early Life of José Ramírez
José Ramírez was born in 1858. He was the first child of José Ramírez de Galarreta. His father was a wealthy landowner. In 1870, José Ramírez began learning from Francisco Gonzalez. Gonzalez was another skilled luthier. This was like an apprenticeship.
Starting His Own Guitar Shop
In 1890, José Ramírez opened his own shop. It was located in Madrid, Spain. The company, Ramírez Guitars, stayed in this same building for a very long time. They worked there until 1995.
Ramírez's Guitar Innovations
José Ramírez usually followed the designs of Antonio Torres. Torres was a very famous guitar maker. However, Ramírez made one special change. He created a larger type of flamenco guitar. This new guitar was known as the tablao guitar.
People liked this new design. They also liked the high quality of his guitars. But José Ramírez is most remembered for something else. He started a family line of luthiers. He also founded the guitar company that still uses his name today. Many other luthiers learned from José Ramírez. One of them was Paulino Bernabe Senior.
See also
In Spanish: José Ramírez de Galarreta y Planell para niños
- Classical guitar making
