The Passing of a Master Luthier
Paulino Bernabé
Madrid, Spain
July 2, 1932 - May 10, 2007 by Janet Marlow

When I learned of the passing of Paulino Bernabé Sr. on May 10, 2007, I began to reflect on just how significant and long-term the relationship between the maker and the player can be. Beyond the moment of choosing a guitar maker for that one guitar and ordering and paying for the instrument, the relationship continues in the expression of each note, tone and repertoire selection for as long as the original owner has the instrument.

Over time, the instrument evolves as does the player, but it’s only now that this relationship has become even more significant to me. Truly, choosing to build handcrafted guitars for players to express their music represents an amazing commitment of personal life force, and a commitment to be honored.

Paulino Bernabé is considered among the rare elite of guitar makers. His instruments, widely used by concert and recording artists, are sought after for their uniquely powerful, clear and sustaining tone. Born in Madrid on July 2, 1932, Bernabé studied the classical guitar with Daniel Fortea, a pupil of Francisco Tárrega. It was during these years that Bernabé developed an interest in guitar construction. In 1954, the young guitarist became an apprentice guitar maker, and eventually head artisan in the famed José Ramírez workshop; this was during the time when Andrés Segovia began to play Ramírez guitars. In 1969, Bernabé left Ramírez and founded his own workshop in Madrid.

Bernabé had said,

Some guitar makers feel that they have made instruments superior to all others, but I do not think I have as yet produced the best guitar ever made. So far, there is no equivalent to a Stradivarius among guitar makers, but one day I hope to produce the exceptional guitar.

In 1972, Bernabé completed a 10-string guitar for Narciso Yepes, which Yepes played until his death. In 1974, Paulino Bernabé was awarded a Gold Medal at the International Crafts Exhibition in Munich.

My own player/luthier relationship with Paulino Bernabé transpired as follows:

I had just landed in Madrid at the beginning of a three-month stay in my third year as a student of Maestro Narciso Yepes. There was a concert in the evening at a cathedral an hour outside of Madrid. The Yepes family, including his brother, and I met for dinner beforehand. The conversation was lively and they were all kind enough to practice some English with me. Continuing on to the concert in one the most magical of Spanish nights, I became completely inspired to become a player of the ten-string guitar as each piece of the Maestro’s brilliant program unfolded.

During my next lesson, I raised my head in commitment and said “Maestro, I am ready for the ten-string guitar.” He threw his hands together and with a smile on his face said, “We will get you the best ten-string guitar from Paulino Bernabé. Then with his usual elegance, Maestro picked up the phone to call Paulino for an appointment.

A day later, I found myself entering the Bernabé shop with Narciso Yepes. Bernabé’s shop was just across the street from the famed restaurant ‘Botin’s on Calle de Cuchilleros, a block from the Plaza Mayor and down the road from the Ramírez shop where Bernabé had been foreman for many years. We spent several hours talking, watching Paulino tap test the wood to ascertain pitch and resonance.

Paulino Bernabé had the most amazing hands. His fingers were very long and his hands proportionately large. Yet when he picked up the pieces of wood that he was working on he handled them in the most delicate manner, as if he were picking up a living, breathing object. His movements at his workbench were musical in their own way. Then, as Paulino was shaping a guitar component, Narciso said, “I would like to order a ten-string for Janet.” That was in 1975.

I waited two years for the instrument to be completed. Then in 1977 I received a phone call from Paulino to say that my ten-string was ready. Through several phone calls, Narciso informed me that Maricarmen, the wife of Yepes protégé José Luís Lopategui, was coming to New York and that she would be able to bring the ten-string to me in New York City. This was superb as I had been waiting for two years and now I would have the instrument in hand in just a few more days. I have always been grateful to Maricarmen for her kindness!

In 1981, Narciso was invited to Toronto, Canada for the Guitar Foundation of America Festival. Paulino Bernabé accompanied him during this trip. My composition “Three American Landscapes” was premiered at that same guitar festival as part of the Narciso Yepes Master Class. It was an honor for me to share a new piece that I had composed specifically for the instrument, particularly as it showed my grasp of utilizing all ten strings.

Paulino Bernabé stood backstage with me as I rehearsed the piece. It was good to see him. My Spanish was much improved and we had a jovial conversation. I always recall Paulino as a lighthearted man. He was a contemporary thinker and his ideas about guitar design and construction were in a constant state of evolution.

He was very pleased with the maturing sound of guitar and liked the piece. Even then he mentioned that he was thinking of new ways to achieve more sound with less bracing and different woods.

I did not see Paulino personally after that but corresponded with him through the years, sending him my new recordings as they were released. Through his son, Paulino Bernabé Jr., I always received a cordial ‘hello’ and thank you by e-mail. He was a wonderful person and will have more than a footnote in history as a brilliant luthier.

I have been playing my Bernabé 10-string for 30 years now, and this instrument has been the go-between for expressing my musical soul.

In 2005, I founded the International Ten-String Guitar Society and an Internet website to bring together players worldwide as a resource and member listing center. Then in July, 2005 I directed the First International Ten-String Guitar Festival in Litchfield, Connecticut. Paulino Bernabé sent a representative from Madrid to this event with a glorious ten-string guitar to show to the players. A few months later this instrument was purchased by an attendee of the festival.

The Paulino Bernabé luthiery shop established a standard of excellence known worldwide. His craftsmanship raised the bar for other luthiers, for six string guitars and especially in the development of the modern ten-string guitar. Fortunately, Paulino Bernabé Jr. is well prepared to carry on the tradition established by his father. To honor the Bernabé name, at the next International Ten-String Guitar Festival in July of 2008, the society will present the First Annual Paulino Bernabé Award to a luthier who contributes to the further development of the guitar.

Janet Marlow
June, 2007

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To learn more, please see: http://www.bernabe-guitars.com/

Janet Marlow can be heard performing on her Paulino Bernabé ten-string guitar on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jb28yqCXvw

See also: http://www.azstarnet.com/public/commerce/zavaletas/greene/Bernabé.htm