Marcelo Barbero (1904-1956)

“In his final years, he made mind-blowing guitars. Imagining what he could have achieved in his 60s or 70s… is speculation, but he might have been the guitar maker who achieved the most beautiful sound in history. Who knows…

The first time I played a Marcelo Barbero was in Tokyo. One by him from the fifties. Ufff… I didn’t know much about Marcelo Barbero but… that day after playing this guitar I was thinking about its sound And the feeling out of it for several days. Since that day I was completely in love of the guitars of this guitar maker.” Alberto Cuéllar (Madera Founder)

Marcelo Barbero is in third position on Alberto Cuellar’s “THE 20 BEST GUITAR MAKERS IN HISTORY. ALBERTONE SOUND RATING”

Birth and Early Years
Marcelo Barbero was born on July 16, 1904, in Madrid, Spain. Not much is known about his early years, but it is clear that he did not come from a family of guitar makers. His entry into the world of guitar making was driven by his interest in music and his proximity to other great builders in Madrid.

Beginnings in Guitar Making
Barbero began as an apprentice in the workshop of José Ramírez I in Madrid. There, he learned the fundamental principles of guitar construction and developed skills that he would later refine throughout his career. He worked for several years in this workshop, but it wasn’t until later that he would establish his distinctive style.

The Influence of Santos Hernández
A pivotal moment in his life occurred after the death of Santos Hernández in 1943, another of the great Spanish guitar makers of the 20th century. Hernández, who had been an apprentice to Manuel Ramírez, created a legacy based on the traditional Spanish construction system. After his passing, Santos Hernández’s widow asked Barbero to finish the incomplete guitars left by her late husband. This commission allowed Barbero to study Hernández’s style and techniques in great depth, which had a significant impact on the development of his own style.

Construction Style
Marcelo Barbero blended the influences of Santos Hernández with his own innovations, achieving a balance of power and projection, ideal characteristics for both flamenco and classical guitars.

Barbero experimented with various technical aspects, such as the placement of fan bracing and the thickness of the soundboards, resulting in guitars with a unique sound. His instruments are highly regarded for their warm tone, the extraordinary balance between bass and treble. perfect intonation on all registers and a richness of harmonics difficult to find in any other guitar.

There was a turning point in the development of his guitars when, in the 1950s, he introduced a flat bar reinforcement under the bridge. This change is considered to have significantly enhanced the beauty and quality of their sound.

In a recent frequency analysis we conducted on three of his guitars here in Granada, we found that all three were tuned to D#. These guitars were a 1945 Viuda de Santos Hernández and two with Marcelo Barbero labels, from 1946 and 1953.

Recognition and Legacy
During the 1940s and 1950s, Marcelo Barbero established himself as one of the leading guitar makers in Spain. His reputation grew not only among flamenco guitarists but also among classical musicians. Renowned guitarists of his time, such as Sabicas and Niño Ricardo, played his instruments, further enhancing his prestige.

Although his career was relatively short due to his untimely death, he left a lasting impact on the Spanish guitar-making tradition. Many consider Marcelo Barbero’s guitars to be among the finest ever made.

Death and Legacy
Marcelo Barbero passed away in Madrid on July 17, 1956, at the age of 52, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy in the world of guitar making.

Today, Marcelo Barbero’s guitars are highly collectible and greatly valued by musicians and collectors worldwide. His name remains synonymous with excellence in Traditional Spanish guitar making.