Antonio Morales, last guitar maker of Paco de Lucía. Presented by TUI. Video by Nova Producciones (Video lasts 7 minutes 44 seconds) | Youtube: Majorca Daily Bulletin TV
Antonio Morales gently scrapes a small plane over a sheet of Canadian cedar. Shavings form, curling like thin golden locks. “The wood dates back to the 1960s. My mentor, George Bowden, brought it to Mallorca,” Morales begins his story. “When Bowden passed away, he left me all his tools, materials, and machines,” says the craftsman, who was born in Extremadura region. The decades-old dried wood is especially well-suited for guitar making.
With an almost reverent gesture, he sweeps his hand through the air of his workshop, presenting his domain. “It was only through him that I discovered the world of proportions and vibrations. Without him, I would never have become aguitar maker.”
Guitar maker Antonio Morales loves his work and is always in search of the perfect tone and the ultimate guitar.
However, his passion for woodworking began in his early childhood. Like his grandfather, Morales first became a carpenter before turning his attention to stringed instruments. “I love building guitars and the delicate craftsmanship that comes with it,” says the 69-year-old with a smile.
“My work is incredibly diverse,” Morales enthuses, his long white hair tied back in a ponytail. “It’s a craft, but also an art, because it goes far beyond just craftsmanship. Besides that, mathematics plays a huge role. I always carry a few charts with me that I’ve derived from Pythagoras’ formulas,” says Morales, who moved to Mallorca at the age of 15.
“The concept of the monochord comes from Pythagoras. Everything that vibrates is governed by this principle.”
Tai Chi is about the art of energy, movement, and vibration - just like a guitar.
As he continues, he describes how his vocation aligns with his life philosophy. “I practise Tai Chi. This Chinese martial art is about the connection between movement, energy, and vibration - just like with a guitar.”
For Morales, guitar making also requires a personal component that borders on psychology. “I need to get to know the musician in order to tune the guitar to them.” He can tell from the musician’s fluid fingerwork how to balance the instrument so that it fits them like a tailor-made glove. Only then can the player achieve an optimal, clear sound.
Flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía (1947–2014, photo below) had his guitars built by Antonio Morales.
The excellence of Morales’ craftsmanship is evident in the fact that he was the one who made the last guitars for the famous flamenco musician Paco de Lucía (1947–2014). “That was on another level. My craft reached new heights because of it,” Morales recalls. De Lucía always told him what he expected from a guitar, not what he wanted adjusted in detail. “‘You’ll know what to do,’ he would always say to me. And I tried to meet his expectations until the very end.”
His client and friend unexpectedly suffered a heart attack while on tour. “For years, we had worked on the perfect guitar and called it ‘La Maestra.’ Unfortunately, he never got to play it,” Morales says with sadness. 'La Maestra' became famous in the music world, travelling across the globe. “But that didn’t mean it was perfect.”
To craft a custom-made guitar, Morales must first get to know the musician.
Still, that has never stopped him from pursuing his life’s calling. “I will not give up the search for the perfect tone, the perfect sound, and the perfect guitar.” He crafts around ten instruments each year. He does not reveal how much he earns per guitar.
“This search has an almost spiritual nature. Like the quest for the Holy Grail or the horizon. It’s out there somewhere, but always just beyond reach. I always say, the best guitar is yet to come. Even my teacher Bowden died believing that the next one would be the best. I do the same. I love it. This is my life.”
Support from the tourism industry: the project is sponsored by Europe's leading tourism group Tui and its Tui Care Foundation. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of supporting sustainable projects in the destinations. The foundation focuses on the potential of the tourism sector as a driver of social development, education and prosperity. The Group promotes sustainable tourism in cooperation with local people.
No comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Currently there are no comments.