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Born in 1931 in Marón
de la Frontera, the Spanish luthier Juan Alberto Pantoja Martín
learned the rudiments of the art in the workshop of Manuel Ortega
Sousa, the guitar maker in Sevilla who also trained Andres Dominguez
Guerrero. He acknowledges, however, that other guitar makers, such as Juan
Montero Aguilera in Cordoba, with whom he developed a special friendship,
have given him valuable advice. He has been building guitars
since 1957, and has had his own shop since 1967. J. A. Pantoja
Martin has trained a number of
luthiers, among them Frank Reijkers of the Netherlands and Maximiano
Fontiveros Sola. He works alone, using traditional methods
and designs, building his guitars completely by hand. He uses using only the finest woods
for his guitars, woods that have been allowed to dry for many years. The results of his
impeccable craftsmanship are superb classical and flamenco guitars. Pantoja
Martin's
handmade classical guitars
have a very refined, lovely tone. His flamenco guitars are vibrant and have been bought by
such great guitarists as Paco de Lucia, Sabicas, Los Panchos and the Mariachis de Santa
Rosa (Mexico). |