Andy Manson, Portugal, UK
"The wood from these ancient barrels as material for luthiers is a true treasure trove. Being involved in this project is, for me, a joy and an honour for various reasons. Firstly, of course, it is always a pleasure to work together with my colleagues in the EGB. There is poetry in the making of beautiful artifacts from the raw material in the ruined barrels, in which the Marquis of Pombal kept his wine, he who rebuilt the beautiful city of Lisbon from the ruins brought about by the massive earthquake and tidal wave of 1755. To be able to use this material, seasoned over 265 years at least, therefore reliably stable beyond any doubt, is for us as craftsmen a bonus beyond measure. We are all people who have dedicated our lives to working in a small scale, very much in the vein of makers of instruments in the time when these barrels were made. And let’s all be thankful that the wood did not, in the hands of some unwitting person, suffer the unthinkable fate of ending up in a stove. Let us be the guardians of what amounts to our Holy Grail."
Andy finds poetry in the making of beautiful artefacts from the raw materials of the ruined barrels. For a craftsmen like him to be able to use this material, is a bonus beyond measure. The story
connected to the wood, the history of the momentous event and all that it encompassed has been a wondrous inspiration to him.
Using his craft to allow the magic of the voice lurking inside the wood to be liberated by vibrating strings Andy is looking back on a long and satisfying career. He started building acoustic
instruments in 1967. His work is firmly based in the classic methods, using hand tools wherever possible, along with hide glue and natural finishes. Over the years he has achieved a reputation as
one of England‘s finest luthiers, with a client list that includes a slew of England’s top guitarists. He is now located in Portugal representing the close historical ties between England and his
new home country.
«Being invited to join a group of some of the best guitar builders in Europe to participate in the regeneration of this extraordinary trove of rare and beautiful material was more than a little exciting. The story connected to the wood, the history of the momentous event and all that it encompassed has been a wondrous inspiration.»
