Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain Interview
Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain Interview
ID
NAME: Nacho Urdiain, Urdiain Guitars
NICK NAME : Nacho
LIVING IN : Madrid, Spain
TRAINING & BACKGROUND: I came from a Sound engineering career. I worked in Sound design since 2000. Then I began combining my sound jobs with repairing and modifying instruments around 12 years ago. First with my own, then my friends’ and finally I started working with clients. In 2017, I decided to make a building course with Luis Guerrero. We built one acoustic guitar together and for me this was the beginning of the next step in my lutherie career. I also did a couple of O’Brien online courses and now I’m making a classical guitar following Pablo Requena’s Online course.
PLAYING: Guitar is my main instrument but I play some Bass Guitar and I always love to sit on the Drums and have Fun!
NAME OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL BAND : Wow !It was a long time a go… My first high school band was call “Below”
LUTHIER YOU ADMIRE THE MOST: This question is very difficult, I admire a lot of them! I love Ted Astrand guitars, Ryosuke Kobayashi, Buendia, Somogyi…. But I want to mention three guys: Luis Guerrero, Leno Guitars and Arima Guitars. They are my friends and my support in this profession. I admire them the most.
INSTRUMENT YOU DREAM TO HAVE ONE DAY: So many !!!
LAST ALBUM YOU BOUGHT: Moses Rubin “Dreams & Certainties”
LAST MUSIC SONG YOU PUT IN YOUR CAR: Floating Points “Promises”
LAST SHOW YOU WENT TO : Counting Crows
MOST IMPRESSIVE INSTRUMENT YOU EVER HAD IN HAND: An original 1958 Fender Stratocaster
MOST STRANGE RESTORATION OR REPAIR YOU HAD TO DO : Convert a Squier Telecaster into a four stringed instrument with a very rare open tuning. So fun to play!
Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain Interview – Can you tell us what you consider to be the most important thing when you design a guitar ? What is your process of creation and how does it often start?
The most important thing for me is what I want to give to the musician,
what kind of tool of creativity I want to make, from there everything is possible.
I usually start with an idea of the sound, the size, woods… Then I do some research of similar guitars ever made and I start to draw some plans.
Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain – Can you present us your flagship models ?
My main guitar is very similar to an OM model.
Well balanced with beautiful open sound and really good dynamics. It works very well with fingerpicked guitarists but you can play everything with it.
My designs are beautiful with very simple lines.
I want to create a link between the guitarist and the guitar. A bond that begins with a good conversation and a cup of coffee at the workshop.
Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain Interview – According to you, what is the most impactful thing in the instument sound ? The woods ? the building technique ? what should a buyer ask for when he want to order an instrument when he was to be sure he is ordering the right instrument for him?
For me one of the most important steps is to choose the right wood for each instrument.
From there I can change some aspects of the bracing depending of the wood and the idea of the sound.
I think a buyer should ask for the advice of the luthier and tell him what he wants in his dream guitar.
Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain Interview – For a custom instrument, can you explain your process? What are your average delays? And how do you advise your customer? What questions do you ask him so that his instrument is perfectly adapted to his expectations?
Usually I invite the client to come to the workshop and have a little chat with me. I want to hear what the musician wants but also who is he or she. What is the type of music that he creates, his taste in art, his background… That gives an idea of the person that I have in front of me and when I’m working on the guitar I’m thinking in all of that.
My average time to make an instrument is around 3-4 months if I don’t have any guitar in the making.
I listen to my customers what they want and then I can recommend types of woods, size of the guitar, strings… As I said before I try to have an idea of who my client is and his needs and wishes.
Urdiain Guitars by Nacho Urdiain – Do you have famous musicians playing on your models ? If so, can you tell us who ??
Borja Montenegro was one the first musicians that trust in my guitars. He plays with big Spanish Artist like Sabina, Perales, Sole Gimenez… Also he is a well known producer and his guitar is always at the studio with him.
I want to mention Conrado Isasa. Fingerstyle guitarist that makes beautiful music with his guitar. He played here in Spain but also at USA and Latin America.
Luthiers.com brings together luthiers from all over the world. According to you, how is the Spanish lutherie different?
In Spain we have one of the best Guitar Luthiery Tradition in the world.
Here, the Classical Guitar was conceived as we know it now. That’s why I use the Spanish heel construction in my acoustics. Also my necks are made of Cedar instead of the common use mahogany. I try to put some of the Spanish Guitar Luthiery tradition in my guitars.
Where can we buy your instruments? Can we try them somewhere? Will you participate to some guitar shows ?
You can buy them contacting me to my e-mail and social media contact. Also at luthiers.com.
Sometimes I have a couple of guitars at Leturiaga in Madrid.
You can contact Urdiain Guitars
using the contact form on his personal page on Luthiers.com here :
https://luthiers.com/listing/urdiain-guitars/
We also invite you to follow him on his various social networks:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urdiainguitars/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urdiain_guitars/
- Website: https://urdiainguitars.com
Urdiain Guitars Interview
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