Salvador Ibáñez (1854–1920) was a Spanish

luthier A luthier ( ; ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments. Etymology The word ' is originally French and comes from ''luth'', the French word for "lute". The term was originally used for makers of lutes, but it came to be ...

. He made

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

s and other stringed instruments. These instruments were prized for their excellent quality and impeccable workmanship.

Ibáñez's career

At eleven years of age Ibáñez became an apprentice in guitar construction at Calle Muela,

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

. In 1870 he was registered as a guitar maker at Calle Cubells. Also working in the shop were ten-year-old José Ibáñez and Magdalena Albiñana y Magraner from L'Olleria, Valencia. In 1888 he first appeared in the trade guides at Calle Jordana and shortly after that at Calle Ruzafa; from 1896 to 1927 his shop was located at Calle Bajada de San Francisco. He made

bandurria The bandurria is a plucked chordophone from Spain, similar to the mandolin and bandola, primarily used in Spanish folk music, but also found in former Spanish colonies. Instrument development Prior to the 18th century, the bandurria had a ro ...

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

s, six and twelve-string guitars, and also guitars with detachable necks. In 1897 he made the world's first double-necked guitar. In the period 1915-1920 Salvador Ibáñez e Hijos (Salvador Ibáñez and Sons) was located at Calle Bajada de San Francisco and at Calle Padre Rico, Valencia. After his death in 1920 his workshop continued to be managed by his two sons until it was sold in 1933 to Telesforo Julve, also of Valencia. Julve bought the Salvador Ibáñez name, personnel and machinery and incorporated it in its own enterprise. In 1944 Julve was still using Salvador Ibáñez e Hijos labels.

Ibanez as a brand

Before

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, there were four importers/distributors in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

for Ibáñez's guitars, of which Yamaha is the best known. Just before or just after the Second World War, the Japanese firm Hoshino Gakki began production of its own acoustic guitars for the home market. Although it did not have a business relationship with either Ibáñez or Julve, Hoshino Gakki marketed their acoustic guitars first under the brand name "Ibanez Salvador" and later simply as "Ibanez". These guitars attained great market success in the 1970s and 1980s. Hoshino Gakki currently produces both acoustic and electric guitars using the

Ibanez is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki was one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United Stat ...

brand name, but is mostly oriented to producing electric guitars.

Original Ibáñez players

Julian Bream Julian Alexander Bream (15 July 193314 August 2020) was an English classical guitarist and lutenist. Regarded as one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century, he played a significant role in improving the public perc ...

has played a Salvador Ibáñez guitar.

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

has owned several original guitars of Ibáñez, one of which was sold at a benefit auction in 1999 obtaining a final price of US$42,000.

References

Sources

Historic Guitar Markers of the Valencia School
at www.zavaletas-guitarras.com
Telesforo Julve
at http://members.upc.nl/a.bogaard241/ José L. Romanillos Vega & Marian Harris Winspear, ''The vihuela de mano and the Spanish guitar'', 2002, Guijosa. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ibanez 1854 births 1920 deaths Spanish luthiers Ibanez