Manny builds guitars.
June 26, 2015 9:26 PM   Subscribe

 
What a tease.
posted by idiopath at 12:31 AM on June 27, 2015


Yeah exactly - I wanted to see more about his process and to have the soundtrack not featuring the instruments he makes is unfortunate.
posted by leslies at 6:18 AM on June 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


I really like Manny Avalos. I wish I could find out more. I would love to sit and have a beer or three with him and just talk about his life and his life philosophy. I hope that is just a trailer for a potentially much longer documentary.

Like the two commenters before me, this is too incomplete for such a potentially interesting subject and to not have someone playing his guitar is a crime against film making.

Here is the description under the video:

Manny Avalos is a Renaissance man. His expertise spans the subjects of mathematics, teaching, painting, music, and woodworking. After repairing a broken guitar for a friend, he was intrigued by the craftsmanship and detail that went into making a guitar. At 89 years old, Manny works out of his shed everyday, crafting custom guitars from scratch. It's not about the money for Manny, instead it's about the sheer joy of creating and discovering new things along the way
posted by AugustWest at 9:20 AM on June 27, 2015


He also looks and acts much younger than what I imagine a 89 year old would/does. Maybe intellectual curiosity does keep one young.
posted by AugustWest at 9:21 AM on June 27, 2015


Yeah exactly - I wanted to see more about his process and to have the soundtrack not featuring the instruments he makes is unfortunate.

Yeah, I felt the same way. It was nicely shot, but the music was an omission.

I was hoping for something more in the way of hearing what they sound like in the right hands.

So, if you're interested in some weekend luthierfilter that includes that, check out:

Hugh Greenwood, "[a] retired geologist formerly of the Department of Geological Sciences at U.B.C. He has been building guitars for ten years and specializes in concert-sized classical guitars. The instruments so far have all been made with cedar tops and Indian rosewood backs and sides and ebony fingerboards, mainly because these are the instruments he likes to play as an amateur."

This short about Joseph Yaniuzello and his guitars.

And enjoy some Linda Manzer, who's been a luthier for over 40 years.

Linda Manzer / Medusa Guitar

Linda Manzer's 30-year Journey With Pat Metheny) (radio doc)

Linda Manzer: Guitar-Maker Extraordinaire

Pat Metheny playing Manzer's Pikasso.

Metheny playing some of her classical guitars.

So I guess that's Canadianluthierfilter.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:56 AM on June 27, 2015 [5 favorites]


Luthier filter eh? These two videos featuring Ervin Somogyi are utterly fascinating if you have any interest in the craft of guitar making. They were initially posted a few years back as the first two in a series. I had planned to do an FPP when the series finished, but there were never any more.
posted by markr at 4:55 PM on June 27, 2015 [3 favorites]


I don't play the guitar, shit, I barely even *like* the guitar -- most of the music I listen to is made by synths and samplers. But I do love to watch luthier videos.

Shout out to the Bert van der Meij videos then.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:48 AM on June 28, 2015 [2 favorites]


Metheny playing some of her classical guitars.

Her? (Admittedly, it is a little hard to tell in those videos, with his head always down).
posted by eye of newt at 4:17 PM on June 28, 2015


I just realized 'her' referred to Linda Manzer. Doh!
Where's the post delete button?
posted by eye of newt at 4:29 PM on June 28, 2015 [1 favorite]


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