The history of Rodriguez guitars is as rich as the wood they are crafted from. Manuel Rodriguez, the grandson of flamenco guitarist Manuel Rodriguez Marequi and son of classical luthier Manuel Rodriguez Perez, learned the art of constructing a guitar firsthand. His apprenticeship began at the age of 13 in Madrid, and after operating in his own shop in Spain, Manuel emigrated to Los Angeles in 1959 and opened a business there. Manuel resided in Los Angeles for nearly 15 years, making guitars for professionals, Hollywood actors, teachers, and students before moving back to Madrid in 1973.
Using only the finest woods, and hand-forming each to precise tolerances, Manuel Rodriguez developed distinctive guitars fit for the world’s preeminent artists. Each instrument is as unique and individual as the musician who plays it.
Creating new music makers is our industry’s common mission. Many companies follow suit, recognizing the importance of this goal and pursuing programs to grow the market. However, one business leader stands out in his support for music education and passing his culture to leaders—and future generations. Manuel Rodriguez, Jr., was raised in the family business of creating classical Spanish guitars. He learned the trade from his grandfather and father, who were classical luthiers devoted to using only the finest woods and hand-forming each guitar to precise tolerances. These distinctive guitars were created by hand for the world’s preeminent artists.
As Rodriguez focuses on the changing marketplace and moving his business forward, he revolves the promotion of his company and its product around history, education and ecology. “People have less credit and they’re buying cheaper instruments,” he explains. “That’s happening in the United States and worldwide, so we have to do new things—look at innovations and adapt our industry with the economic situation right now.”
One way Rodriguez reaches out is by presenting the leaders of other countries with a classical guitar. He travels with the King of Spain to meet these leaders, one by one, and to share the Spanish culture with them. Rodriguez educates those he meets by explaining the history of the classical guitar—dating back 400 years—and of his family business over the last 104 years. By sharing his story, he hopes that the leaders of these countries learn to value their music trade and history.
“I say to these leaders, ‘The most important thing here is music for children and music education. Please give students these programs because learning music makes them more intelligent.’ I’ve met with about 15 leaders, and I think it’s very interesting. Musical instruments are very important for education in these countries. Some of these leaders play guitar and it’s very impressive. They value what you’re doing and they love musical instruments.”
Rodriguez is working with Jimmy Carter and the Carter Foundation to provide guitars to children in Africa and helping to prevent river blindness. In the United States, he is working with Guitar Center Foundation to give 100 free guitars each year to the foundation’s children’s programs for those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to them.
From an environmental perspective, Rodriguez Guitars is working with Al Gore to present innovation in woods to create ecological guitars and showing these guitars worldwide. Historically, the company has focused on the conservation of woods by using a system that controls the cutting of trees and the planting of new trees. Rodriguez is concerned about the future of tropical forest and endangered woods like Brazilian rosewood; his company is trying to find other woods with the same sound, and is promoting this cause to the industry. “We need to do this with all the instruments and all the guitars in the world,” he says.
Rodriguez continues to plan for future travels to promote music education, tell of the classical guitar’s history and encourage responsible use of the world’s natural resources. His commitments to promoting three generations of family craftsmanship and preserving the future with innovative ideas are the true marks of an industry leader.
When Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., passed away on December 25, 2008, he left a legacy of quality and craftsmanship to the future generations of his company. Manuel was the grandson of flamenco guitarist Manuel Rodriguez Marequi and son of classical luthier Manuel Rodriguez Perez. He learned the art of constructing a guitar firsthand as a 13-year-old boy in Madrid and operated his own shop in Spain before emigrating to Los Angeles in 1959.
He spent 14 years in the United States, building instruments for professionals, actors, teachers and students. Here he learned English, married and had two sons. He also conducted research with engineers at UCLA to improve design. Manuel returned to Madrid in 1973 and developed a dual approach constructing both fully handmade concert guitars in the workshop and using machines and a specialized workforce to produce student guitars in greater numbers.
In recent years, Manuel became increasingly concerned about the destruction of the environment, endangered woods and global competition as humanitarian issues around the world. He continued working in the workshop and remained involved in the day-to-day activities of the family company until the very end.
Manuel Rodriguez, Jr., reflects on his father: “He was a very open person with all the industry, always smiling and showing all the things he has learned. He was trying to make the guitar rich in sound, rich in history, rich in beauty—that was his main legacy. And I was so fortunate because he was a friend and a father, and I always went around the world with him. He left with very peacefully with all of our family around him.” |