Austria
With a series of video portraits, TV journalist Sibylle Tiessen takes us on a captivating journey into a world full of exciting projects, cultural diversity and authentic stories on Mallorca. Supported by TUI, the TUI Care Foundation and Majorca Daily Bulletin, viewers learn more about the island from a whole new perspective, from inspiring stories of locals to social, artistic, ecological, scientific and political aspects.
Episode 23: The guitar maker in search for the perfect tone
Antonio Morales gently scrapes a small plane over a sheet of Canadian cedar. Shavings form, curling like thin golden locks. “The wood dates back to the 1960s. My mentor, George Bowden, brought it to Mallorca,” Morales begins his story. “When Bowden passed away, he left me all his tools, materials, and machines,” says the craftsman, who was born in Extremadura region. The decades-old dried wood is especially well-suited for guitar making.
With an almost reverent gesture, he sweeps his hand through the air of his workshop, presenting his domain. “It was only through him that I discovered the world of proportions and vibrations. Without him, I would never have become a guitar maker.”
The excellence of Morales’ craftsmanship is evident in the fact that he was the one who made the last guitars for the famous flamenco musician Paco de Lucía (1947–2014). “That was on another level. My craft reached new heights because of it,” Morales recalls.
