As told to Rafael Osío Cabrices by Luis Colmenares
I studied classical guitar for many years and I used to play at church. One day, in 2004, the priest found a drum set for the small church band and decided that we needed a bassist: me. But I didn’t have a bass. I asked my mom if she could buy me one, and she said: “You are an electronic engineering student, right? So go to your uncle’s shop and see if you can make one.” My uncle, a carpenter, had all the tools I needed. I researched on the internet how to build a bass, and built it. Mom was right.
Since then, I’ve made more than 30 instruments, and I just published an article explaining how to make an electrical cuatro venezolano in the spring issue of American Lutherie, the journal of the American Luthiers Guild.
However, I’m unable to build more at this time.
This is my story.
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I’m a…