classical guitars

 Tony Acosta had a dream to make the world’s finest classical guitar strings.  He began working nights to perfect his product and build relationships within the industry and slowly gathered the needed equipment. Several years later, when he quit his day job working for an airline, his friends thought he was crazy to leave before his retirement just five years away.  Tony wanted nothing more than to see his dream come true, so he took the risk and established the renowned Luthier Strings Company.  “You must follow your dreams” he said with a smile. 

Kiyokazu Ishibashi is proud to be in the music products industry and to follow the path of his father, who started the business following World War II. The music store was small in the beginning and in fact first carried sporting goods as well as musical instruments. When Kiyokazu was just 12 years old his father passed away and his mother began running the business. During his years as head of the business the number of locations has grown to 15 stores and includes a strong music lesson program as part of his business model to develop and encourage music makers.

Tsunesaburo Kurosawa has a deep passion for instrument building and has become one of Japan’s leading classical guitar luthiers. The success of his guitars grew into the need to create a showcase for his instruments and soon he opened his own shop in Tokyo. This success was followed by a second location. As sales increased, Kurosawa-san began making folk and even electric guitars to meet the demands of his customer’s requests.

Dr. Alfio Leone is among the world’s best loved luthier of traditional Italian musical instruments. He learned his craft by years of studying the vintage instrument in the region of Sicily where he was born, established his factory, and still resides today. In 1958 he changed the name of the company to Musikalia and has been working day and night ever since. “I’m not always sure which direction is home, after all I am in the shop from early until very early, but this is my life.” Dr. Leone’s daughter is working side by side with her father and will, in turn, take the company into a new era of musical instrument making.

Manuel Rodriguez Jr. learned as his father did, the deep rooted tradition of building a classical guitar. He is very proud of his father and grandfather, as well as the time-honored craftsmanship and skills required to make a fine Rodriguez instrument. Unlike so many others consumed by the traditions, Manuel has developed technological advances to successfully promote the products with updated web site postings, email newsletters and regular updates to his customers around the world.

Manuel Rodriguez Sr. was very proud of his ancestry as a classical guitar luthier in the deep tradition of his native Spain. With honor, pride and passion, the art and craftsmanship has been handed down from his father and in turn he has taught the skills to his son, Manuel Rodriguez Jr., the current president of Guitars Rodriguez. In 1905, Manuel Senior’s father opened a small shop after years as a repair man. The reputation of the instruments has covered the globe, a source of pride for Manuel.  

Harry Rosenbloom is the founder of Medley Music and one of the true pioneers of import relations with the Japanese beginning in the late 1950s. He developed and maintained key partnerships with the Japanese suppliers and was one of the first advocates for better trade relations between the United States and Japan. The Ibanez guitar line was just one of the successful results of his partnerships. Harry is also the father of Gerson Rosenbloom, the second president of Medley Music and a NAMM Past President. Gerson closed Medley Music in December 2008.  

Joachim Schneider proudly continues in the family tradition of hand crafted instrument making. His great grandfather was a violin builder as was his grandfather. His grandfather and father also became guitar luthiers. Joachim was taught by his grandfather and specialized in building professional level classical guitars. He took over the shop when his grandfather passed away in 1962 and soon fostered relationships with distributors who brought Joachim’s instruments into the global market. Since this time he has handed down the craft of instrument making to his two sons.
 

Mirek Strizka opened a musical wholesale business in the early 1960s and named it European Craft. The company began as the young Czech immigrant established a business in Los Angeles, California, selling one instrument, the harmonica. He wore out his car traveling the country and establishing dealers. He found the business very difficult and considered switching to another industry many times. Then, just like that, six years later the Beatles came to America in 1964. Mirek’s business was established and ready to meet the high demands of product requests. Over the years he also established several instrument brands and product lines such as the Estrella classical guitar. 

Arturo Valdez is known around the world as the “guitar repairman to the stars.” With his shop located on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, California, Arturo has worked on thousands of guitars, many legendary in the history of rock and roll. He opened his shop in the early 1960s and soon had customers such as John Lennon, Eric Clapton and John Denver. Over the years Arturo also created his own brand of guitars and became a sought-after luthier as well. Beginning in the 1980s he designed his one line of classical and Flamenco guitars, which have been sold around the world.