Salvador Ibanez "Concert" model appr. 1908.

 Jaime Ribot / Salvador Ibanez 1908

I'd like to start with the end result: The guitar as it is now. 

Great bonus was the awesome tone! Scale: 650 mm.  Width 

at topnut: 52 mm.Width at the bridgebone: 54 mm. SOLD

A newly added label. I'll explain this decision 

further in my explanation.

The back that has been French polished as is the rest of

this guitar.

Only two small inserts in the centre of the bottom

were needed. Hardly detectable now.

As there were too much loose braces and other damages

I decided to open the guitar in order to be able to repair

all those imperfections in a better way.

As the back had to be taken off a new binding of course.

The soundboard, still absolutely straight before

and behind the newly glued bridge.

Half of the original frets were missing so a new fret job

was necessary. Also to change the angle neck to body.

Some mother of pearl pieces were missing. Newly added

of course. The two triangular inlays on both sides of the

bridge are not in line. Remarkable but I've seen this more

on Salvador Ibanez guitars!

The head with its' inlays. Again in a like new condition.

No damages to the back of the head. Not any cracks

here. Original tuners as well.

The typical Valencian way of building a heel.

In fact photographed to show the action. This guitar

is very comfortably playable now with its' 4 mm action 

on the 6th string (twelfth fret) and 3 mm on the first.

Maybe even lower for the first string. A joy to play!

Just a nice shot but also to show the inserts alongside

the left and right side of the fingerboard as this often 

occurs on older guitars.

A Brasilian rosewood fingerboard as opposed to the later

used ebony on their highest models when Salvador Ibanez 

e Hijos were in charge.

All the repaired cracks can be seen here. I've left the 

inserts just a bit higher so a luthier very experienced

in coloring the insert might do a better job.

The bridge already was partly loose and having seen the knob

for a strap (I do not know wether if this is original?) and

the holes for a string holder I presume someone putted on

a set of metal strings!

A beautiful rosette but in fact carved a bit too deep in 

the soundboard. Therefore I strengthened the inner part

of the sound hole to prevent any future damages. That

can be removed but is not advisable.

I took the opportunity to remove the bridge a bit further

away from the sound hole to ensure a perfect octave pitch!

The knob for the G-string is a bit bowed but works perfectly.

Dangerous to have it placed back in the "start" position so I 

left it that way as it works normally.

The guitar in question in unrestored condition.

A body close up with the frets already removed.

Similarities with a Jaime Ribot guitar. But also with a Francisco

Pau guitar. It would have been easy to place a label in this guitar

from these luthiers but to be honest: Everything points towards

Salvador Ibanez as I already explained here and there.

The Jaime Ribot guitar and other builders appear to 

have similar ornamentations as on guitars of some other 

Valencian makers they can be seen: Francesco Pau 

and of course Salvador Ibanez.

The Jaime Ribot label, a bit damaged.

Again, but now with the strings in between. You can easily 

make pictures with your mobile telephone by simply sliding 

your telephone below the strings and then make a picture.

These pictures are NOT from the guitar in question!

The guitar presented with the bridge off as it was 

easy to remove it. It was already partly loose.

The body before the crack repairings took place.

The label that should have been in this guitar. Photographed 

and shopped to make it clearer thus giving more details.

This label must have been used between 1905 - 1910.

Some reparations (inserts) were needed and therefore

the back has to be French polished from the start.

A knob at the bottom intended for use with a holding

strap. Wether if this is original can be discussed of course.

The holes a bit higher placed are the traces of a formerly

placed tailpiece, probably for metal strings...

The inserts, still not colored to their surrounding.

Strange is the unevenness of the inlays on both sides of the

string tie block. I've noticed it on other guitars from Ibanez

guitars of that period. The inserts necessary can be  studied 

here. More easy to do that without the bridge glued on.

The head and the newly placed frets as half of them were 

already missing and moreover, I had to make a neck to

body angle correction. For that purpose I shaved away 

material of the fingerboard towards the head.

I've shortened the headstock with about 1 mm in order 

to get rid of disturbing damages that occur when placing

a guitar frequently with its' head against a wall.

A new quality topnut that has to be 

there on a concert guitar of this age.

Though the back has been taken off, a picture with the

label sticked in from the sound hole has to be there.

This happens so often! In this case the two transverse braces

were partly loose and then string tension can cause these

problems much easier. To prevent this in the future I placed

an extra wide but thin layer between the two transverse bars

in the upper bout. The Japanese do this often to prevent

these damages.

Another move was to strengthen the soundhole

edges as when the space for a rosette is carved too 

deep it severely weakens that spot. The cleat 

beyond has been placed at the end of a crack.

Every single glue block that attach the soundboard to

the sides must be checked and reglued if necessary. The

transverse bars above the sound hole had to be reglued.

But they are the original ones.

And the same insert on the other side.

A knob at the borttom intended for use with a holding

strap. Wether if this is original can be discussed of course.

The holes a bit higher placed are the traces of a formerly

placed tailpiece, probably for metal strings...

No spruce heel operation on this guitar, often done by 

Valencian makers to speed up production processes.

And a picture of the other side of course.

The new added bindings around the back.

New proper fretwork.

A nice shot of the ornamentation and the Brazilian

rosewood fingerboard used here.

The insert on the right can be studied here.

Inserts coloured a bit better...

The beautiful rosette with some newly placed 

pieces of pearl inlay.

The sides that are in pristine condition.

Antonio Lopez Martin Model 1 (Built in 1966)

 Antonio Lopez Martin 1966 

The Spanish luthier Antonio Lopez Martin is relatively unknown. 

He manufactured a lot for other more reputable workshops in
which his guitars were resold. He made classical and flamenco 

guitars. There is very little information around his guitars. He 

apparently started his career in Madrid in the early 60s late 50s 

and then moved to Melilla in the late 60s. However, given the 

quality of the model 1 presented here for sale, one can think 

that this luthier made very good instruments! Original case 

included. SOLD.

Antonio Lopez Martin sold his guitars through shops in Cadiz 

and Sevilla. He was a supplier of guitars in Malaga as well.

This guitar comes with its' original case, another plus to 

our believe. I've seen these suitcases around other guitars 

built by Madrid based luthiers, e.g. Manuel Contreras.

and of course Jose Ramirez among others

A nice back with straight figured rosewood. It simply

means that a back like this is less prone to cracks as

the pieces of wood have almost been quarter sawn.

As is the case most of the time, the layers of

polish tends to color rosewood a bit more yellowish

after the years. When I'm forced to relacquer or 

polish an old guitar the final result is much darker 

most of the time.

This is the original label in pristine condition that

says the guitar to be built in 1966. It was his highest

model he built at that time and it was nr. 195.

It is also proof that Antonio Lopez Martin was already

situated in Melilla half way the years sixties and 

possibly even early sixties...

This guitar hasn't been oversprayed though it is almost 

hard to believe that a guitar that old could be in a condition

like this. As this instrument is entirely French polished

it is easy to do some cosmetic repairs to the lacquer

on some spots. (Headfront and upper left shoulder.)

The tuners most likely are handwork from a Marrocain firm

and possible silver has been used for the base plate. Superior

quality both in looks and way of working. I've seen these

tuners also on a concert classical guitar from the fifties but

can't remember who made that guitar.

By clicking on this picture an even closer look is possible.

A nice undamaged headstock and that counts for both 

front and back. As the polish on the front showed some

craquelures I figured it to be more beautiful to French 

polish the head as well. Striking detail is that the head-

form also can be found on Casa Garrido labelled

instruments. As Antonio Lopez Martin was active

in Madrid during the first half of the sixties of the

past age it could be possible that he built for this

music shop. Then he possibly must have used this

headform after settling in Melilla. The topnut is

an example in the eye for details from this luthier.

The knobs are riveted on the axes as is the case 

on the higher end Fustero's also. And no damage

to be discovered at the top of this head.

The label again tells us that this guitar has been made in 

Melilla I 1966 and was nr. 195, probably by counting his 

number 1 models. Useable for those who have a guitar

but with a missing label.

The guitar has been provided with a nice rosette.

The rosewood bridge with its' inlay and a freshly cut bone 

saddle adjusted to a nice playing action. Often I'm lowering

the slot for the bridgebone in order to get it closer to the

soundboard itself and have more "flesh" to hold the

bridgebone in a proper way.

The Spanish luthier Antonio Lopez Martin is relatively unknown. 

He manufactured a lot for other more reputable workshops in
which his guitars were resold. He made classical and flamenco 

guitars. There is very little information on his guitars. He apparently 

started his career in Madrid in the early 60s late 50s and then 

moved to Melilla in the late 60s. However, given the quality of 

the model 1 presented here for sale, one can think that this 

luthier made very good instruments!

The label is most likely the equivalent of A concert model , or 1A 

depending on the name of other luthiers. For the year we can conclude

 it to be made in 1966 and this is number 195. The body is of course entirely 

solid with a solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, 

ebony fingerboard and bridge. A very beautiful marquetry on the rosette, 

bridge and very fine purfling. Very neat work with very nice finishing

work. In terms of sound, this guitar is ment for the classical player 

though the bridge has more a flamenco like hight. The soundbox

is extra deep to enhance the low frequencies but the balance certainly 

is there. The guitar has power and at the same time beautiful 

roundness of tone . 

Specifications:
Solid spruce top, Solid rosewood back and sides, Ebony fingerboard, 

rosewood bridge, rosewood purfling, inlaid rosette, rosewood 
headstock veneer, Mahogany neck, French polished, tuners original. 

New strings.

The outer heel of this guitar, Gracefully done with again

great craftsmanship. Nice low action.

And that counts for the bass strings as well.

The only "minor" (but I would not call it that way)

is the seam of the two halves of the soundboard that

shows a very slight hairline crack. As this guitar has

been provided with a 5 fan bracing, the brace in the

middle simply covers this area. But to be sure I

worked in some wood glue and I think it is stable

now as a good glue joint is even more strong than

the cells of the wood itself. There are always tensions

between the parts of a guitar and if a crack occurs

it can be seen as a "relief" and the result is that

other cracks are not likely to happen anymore.