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José Ramirez
(1858-1923), originally apprenticed with luthier Francisco Gonzalez, began
the family business in 1882. Many well known
players, such as Segovia, Tarrega, Sabicas, Llobet, Yepes, and others had used Ramirez guitars during the
course of their careers. The Madrid-based family business then passed to José
II (1885-1957), and then to José III (born 1922-1994).
The acoustic guitars today are built in the workshop that is supervised by
José Ramirez IV. Ramirez IV, born in 1953, apprenticed in the family workshop
when he was eighteen years old. By 1976, he had approached journeyman status,
and within three years was working in maestro status. His sister, Amalia
Ramirez (1955-), oversaw the business side of the company for a few years.
In the early 1980s, the family workshop employed seventeen workers and was
producing 1,000 guitars a year. In the mid-1990s, the Ramirez workshop cut
back production numbers to the amount the workshop could build without
sub-contracting to outside builders. This level of supervision aids in
maintaining the high quality of the guitars that carry the Ramirez name. José
IV, passed away in 2000, and his sister Amalia took over the workshop after a
short time away from the company.
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