
José Salinas is a gifted flamenco singer, who has played on the stage with "El Amir" for many years. José grew up in Almería where his father was a well-known cabinet-maker. His life was molded by his father's craft starting from childhood. He spent countless afternoons at the side of his father at an early age to learn how to work with wood. He then learned the carpenter trade at his father's side when he was 16.
His passion for his craft and wood combined with his work as a professional flamenco singer aroused his interest for flamenco guitars and guitar building.
In 2014, he decided to learn the art of guitar making to unite his two great passions: wood and flamenco. He got inspiration from renowned guitar makers such as Andrés Marvi, Arcadio Marín, Javier Castaño and Alfredo Mate, among others.
In the spring of 2017, he decided with "El Amir" to build a special guitar for him, which corresponded to the latter’s preferences. We spent many hours with him to help him succeed in the project. Dimensions were replaced and tested, types of wood compared and tested.
José made now the second serial with a complete new bracing. The result is spectacular. Very good and deep basses and singing trebles. A perfect Flamenco sound. I could select with "El Amir" the 4 best guitars of 6 and we gave them the Amir label.
José had the good fortune to be able to buy very old wood. It is partly from the workshop of Gerundino and from an old guitar builder, who worked for Conde for more than 40 years. The Top is from 1974 and the cypress is 40 years old. The tuners are pegs from Wittner. The varnish is a thin nitro lacquer.
The "El Amir" guitars are sold exclusively by Mundo Flamenco.