Alfonso Marin • Lutemaker

05/12/2025

11-course lute after Hans Frei (Warwickshire County Museum)
String length: 69.5 cm. Quilted maple body.
Neck and pegbox veneered in ebony and snakewood, with a snakewood center panel.
Bois de rose pegs.
This instrument was made for a customer in the USA.

19/11/2025

11-course lute after Hans Frei (Warwickshire County Museum)
String length: 69.5 cm. Quilted maple body.
Neck and pegbox veneered in ebony and snakewood, with a snakewood center panel.
Bois de rose pegs.
This instrument was made for a customer in the USA.

08/11/2025

The moment of truth!

06/11/2025

Adjusting the pegs is a long and somewhat tedious, yet fundamental process.
The ease and accuracy of tuning depend on doing it with patience and care.

These pegs, made for an 11-course lute, are crafted from bois de rose (Dalbergia maritima), an endemic rosewood from Madagascar, as beautiful, precious, and hard to obtain as it is rare.
It is a luxurious, exceptionally stable, and naturally oily wood — perfect for pegs, as its natural oils allow for a smooth and precise turning. The wood comes from stock acquired before its inclusion in CITES.

Before oiling, its color is a deep reddish brown; once finished, it appears almost black, but under direct light it reveals a rich reddish hue that gives it a truly unique character.

31/08/2025

In Memoriam: Fred Jacobs (1961–2025)

A lo largo de 7 años en el Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Fred Jacobs fue mi profesor de laúd. Su enseñanza me marcó profundamente como intérprete y más tarde influyó de manera significativa en mi labor como constructor de instrumentos históricos —no a través de una instrucción directa, sino mediante los valores que me transmitió.

Entre muchas cosas, me dejó tres principios esenciales: la pasión por la música, la profundidad en el trabajo y el estricto estudio de las fuentes históricas, siempre con el objetivo de recrear el espíritu y la estética de cada época con la mayor fidelidad posible. Estos valores siguen siendo una referencia en mi camino, tanto como músico como como constructor de instrumentos históricos.

Gracias, maestro. Descansa en paz. Tu legado permanece.

31/08/2025

In Memoriam: Fred Jacobs (1961–2025)
For seven years at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Fred Jacobs was my lute professor. His teaching shaped me deeply as a performer and later had a significant influence on my work as a luthier—not through direct instruction, but through the values he passed on.
Among many things, he left me with three essential principles: a passion for music, deep work, and a rigorous study of historical sources, always aiming to recreate the spirit and aesthetics of each period as faithfully as possible.
His understanding of historical performance remains a reference in my work, both as a player and as a luthier.
Thank you, maestro. Rest in peace. Your legacy lives on.

21/07/2025

Vihuela rose. Boxwood and goat parchment.

12/07/2025

Vihuela bridge detail

09/07/2025