Cristina and José Enrique Ramírez
A long time ago a guitarist asked Cristina: “How did your father get you both to continue the tradition? My son doesn’t want to continue, he prefers to take another path”. The answer was none other than “having had freedom of choice and support in decisions about our future”. José Ramírez IV never pressured his four sons to continue with their trade; on the contrary, he encouraged them to train and learn other disciplines. He wanted them to choose from knowledge, from the heart and from freedom; that is why, although only two of them are continuing in his footsteps, his sons Cristina, Almudena, José Enrique and Javier deeply admire and respect the work their father did. Only Javier started out in the workshop with his twin brother José Enrique, and then decided on another option to continue the family tradition of his mother: the work of a pharmacist. Almudena, a psychologist by profession, has yet to finish her first guitar.
José Enrique and Cristina felt the vocational call of this tradition from a very young age. The love for music and the guitar that was evident in the family gatherings was a breeding ground that culminated in their choice of life. José Enrique has combined his apprenticeship as a guitarist with his law degree; and Cristina is a graphic designer, journalist, sound technician and is studying Spanish guitar at the conservatory with Ana Jenaro. She is also currently learning guitar building techniques from her brother.
They both run the workshop in two directions: José Enrique is the workshop manager and is in charge of conducting new research, while Cristina coordinates the commercial area and project development. The new models are the result of the teamwork of Amalia, Cristina and José Enrique.
They are currently focused on two areas: on the one hand they continue Amalia Ramírez’s research on the “Auditorium Model”, an instrument with a greater projection without loss of the sound quality that characterizes the Ramírez guitars; while on the other hand they observe their past reflected in the instruments of their great-great-grandfather José Ramírez I and his great-great-uncle Manuel Ramírez, recovering old construction techniques, as well as natural glues and varnishes.
The aim of Guitarras Ramírez is the evolution and development of the guitar by listening to its guitarists. Listening is the fundamental element of this trade, thanks to it, Guitarras Ramírez has reached its more than 137 years of history with the firm intention of continuing investigating and creating original models for the coming times and new musicians.
