After his graduation, José turned to building guitars and was apprenticed to a master craftsman David Egidio. He was born in the desert of Tabernas in 1985, in the province of Almería, also the birthplace of the old master luthier Antonio de Torres.
Since he moved to Amsterdam four years ago, he has focused on building stringed instruments, such as the violin.

For becoming a violin maker, José’s background, his youth, helped determine his choice: ‘The strong influence of Flamenco music, as well as the still living presence of Antonio de Torres and other great luthiers from Andalusia, have made the Spanish guitar an instrument that is still part of my daily life. With my education as a cabinetmaker, from the start I had the intention to gain skills for building guitars. But once I was introduced to the world of musical instruments, my passion multiplied and my heart opened to the world of violins, violas, cellos and double bass.’

For José, the Central Market Hall is a place full of creatives of all kinds, which is a source of enrichment for everyone who works here. ‘I believe you should always be open to any type of inspiration and enjoy the opportunities that can arise from close collaborations with professionals from different disciplines. And of course, I don’t need to mention the building’s beautiful location, originally designed for food industry entrepreneurs. Now it is filled with new life, new experiences and new vibes.’

With roommate Jelger, José shares a passion for working with wood and the design profession. Using traditional woodworking techniques, he specialises in making handmade musical instruments, including Spanish guitars and violins. Jelger designs furniture and electric guitars, using both traditional and modern techniques.
Based on these two points, we hope to work together to develop our own line of musical instruments that converge between old craft, new techniques and contemporary design.

Photos by Chris van Houts