ESTEVE
In 1957 Francisco Esteve, Manuel Adalid and Antonio Monfort decided to establish their own guitar workshop, starting their journey into the construction of the instrument. The tradition is carried on by Manuel Adalid Jr., who stays committed to further promote the name of ESTEVE all over the world.
This also means incorporating new designs and techniques, and the adaptation of the building processes to the demands of the international market, while keeping the spirit of our Artisan Tradition alive. ESTEVE’s team of 52 artisans is their greatest asset. Their craftsmen share a common passion for the guitar and years of experience. They love their work and are proud of each instrument they finish! ESTEVE guitars are renowned internationally for their excellent sound and finish. ESTEVE instruments are known for combining the best materials in their construction, as well as for bridging that difficult gap between artisanal tradition and modern building techniques. The ESTEVE guitar is the sound of the Spanish soul, inspiring musicians with its sonorous character, its playability, and its purity of sound. The pictures you’ll find on these pages are a proud testament to the ancient art of luthiery that lives on in ESTEVE guitars.
For ESTEVE artisans there is only one valid method of guitar construction. They have inherited our techniques from a long tradition of luthiers. They have made the name Guitarras Esteve the mark of high value and prestige.
The guitar’s top is prepared first, receiving its intricate wooden rosette and its bracing. Next the top is glued to the neck blank. The body rims are carefully bent and fit to the neck heel, before they are glued to the solid wood top (spruce or cedar).
Then the rims are glued to the bottom block. The linings, which help hold the top and back in place, are glued to the inside of the rims. Next the cross braces for the back are glued to the rims, and the back is glued on. The body is held in its shape by a body form, while the glue is setting. Depending on the model, the rims and backs of our instruments use either high-quality veneers or top grade solid woods. Once the special glue has cured, the top and/or back receive their decorative binding. The fingerboard is glued into place next, before the neck, the headstock and the fingerboard receive their final shapes. The correct bridge height is then determined and the bridge is glued to the top, before the frets are installed into the fretboard. Finally, the guitar receives the exquisite finish ESTEVE guitars are known for.
ANTONIO PICADO
Mr. Antonio from Berga – Spain dedicates his life for his high quality classic guitar making.
Antonio Picado is well known of his signature balance sound over his guitars, every strings have uniform acoustic amplitude when it is plucked with the same energy, thus easier for the player to control the tones.
His Double Top (D.T) system produces meaty overtone, deeper resonance, louder and longer sustain than the single top version. There is some up-charge cost for the DT version.
He uses 9 paralel symmetrical bracing plus 2 transversal tone bars at the left & right lower top. There are 2 side bars toward the left and right side of the sound-hole beside of the traditional upper & lower bars relative to sound-hole. The 9 + 2 bracing bars that are scalloped nicely to lighten overall weight.
MANUEL ADALID
Manuel Adalid Balbuena, born in 1951 in Valencia, from an early age and with full dedication, was instructed in the craft of guitar maker by two great masters, Don Antonio Monfort and his father D. Manuel Adalid Lazaro.
Due to his capacity and good work, in 1980 he took over the workshop. With his experience, great knowledge and extensive studies developed in the research of the guitar, he was awarded the title of Master Craftsman.
He currently lectures at international level on the Spanish construction system as well as new technologies applied to the Classical guitar.
Among its wide range of concert guitars without a doubt stands out the La Catedral, by its clear and clean sound, infinite sustain and its extraordinary richness of harmonics.
JUAN HERNANDEZ
Juan Hernández Iranzo was born in Turís (Valencia) in 1948. He started learning at the age of 15 in the Esteve guitar shop, and in that same workshop he became an officer and later in charge.
Now, together with four other artisans, He is proud to present beautiful guitar models, handcrafted with time and patience: in them he has used only the noblest woods and they have been finished with the most exquisite care.
Always built with the traditional Spanish manufacturing system.
Given the limited number of instruments that he produces, he can make any other model that you request.
Juan Hernández Guitars: “handmade with time and patience” High quality result of a long craft tradition.
