Encyclopedia of Latin American Basses

Home , Dobro, Giannini, Headstock, Tagima, Tonante

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AGERONIA Chile, custom guitars made by Pablo Munoz in Santiago. LATIN-AMERICAN ALEMAN LUTHIER BASSMAKERS Argentina, custom instruments made by Daniel Aleman.

AG ALEXANDER LUTHIER Argentina, standard instruments made by Aristedes Argentina, custom instruments made by Alejandro Gracia in Buenos Aires. Large scale manufacturing ended "Alexander" Baccaglioni in Buenos Aires. in 1993. AG uses Korean parts made by Akkord (Hyup These active neckthrough basses are definitely Seung Co.). influenced by Warwick designs and often feature a AG basses are very much patterned after Warwick, distinct half open headstock. Fender and Höfner designs.

http://www.alexanderguitars.com.ar/

ALFONSO ITURRA Standard/custom basses and guitars made by Alfonso Iturra. Basses are neck-through with laminated native woods, 34” scale, Aero or Rough Crystal pickups and active Noll or Aguilar electronics. Special feature is the construction of the upper cutaway in the singlecut design. Semi- acoustic basses have piezo or Schertler Bluestick pickups. Iturra also makes EUBs. http://www.graciaguitar.com.ar/

AGE Argentina, standard guitars and basses made by Andres Garay . Models are Rick-style laminated neck-through basses.

http://www.ageluthier.com.ar http://www.alfonsoiturra.com/

AMATISTA BASSES http://www.mauricioarcis.blogspot.com/ Argentina, EUBs made by Etcheverry Horacio in Los Hornillos, Córdoba. ARTE MARA Standard model features propriety piezo pickups and Argentina, modern shaped acoustic upright basses made active electronics (4 band graphic EQ). by Wallace Culver in Buenos Aires. Custom versions have an inlaid amethyst stone.

http://www.artemara.com.ar

ASH http://www.amatistabasses.com.ar/ Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Jorge Eduardo Zeballos in Buenos Aires. ANDRES LOIACONO Argentina, guitars and basses made by Andres Loiacono. [email protected] No info or website available.

ARCIS Chile, custom basses made by Mauricio Arcis.

http://www.ashguitars.com.ar 2

AVALON Brazil, custom instruments made by Mauricio Moreira in the south of Brazil.

AYS BEAUDOUX Chile, custom electric basses by José Ananías in Santiago Argentina, custom acoustic and electric basses and since 1992. guitars made by Daniel Eduardo 'Fanta' Beaudoux in http://www.aysbass.com Buenos Aires since the ‘80s. Beaudoux makes four- to sevenstring ABGs and modern BACH style solidbody basses. Several models are headless. Argentina, standard-custom basses made by Marcelo Bach. Pictured is the bolt-on Petrus.

http://www.beaudouxguitarras.com.ar/

BEGHER Brazil, lower priced Rickenbacker ("Begher")-style guitars & basses and other models made between 1966-1972 by Romeu Benvenutti.

BATAN Argentina, F-style guitars made by Pablo Batàn. Basses are J-style, sometimes with Sadowsky pickups and electronics.

Caravelli makes a violin-shaped acoustic EUB with BENVENUTI Fishman double bass pickups. Brazil, custom basses and guitars made by Roberto Benvenuti in Sao Paulo since 1996. CARBAJAL Luthier Benvenuti makes EUBs and solidbody basses. The Mexico, custom guitars and basses made since 1979 by pictured bass has a fretless jacaranda ‘board and an Carlos Carbajal in Mexico-City. He previously worked for EMG piezo pickup. Dobro in the US. Main bass is the Pet EUB with hollow pear-shaped body and a traditional scrolled doublebass neck.

http://www.carloscarbajalguitars.cjb.net/ http://www.rbenvenuti.com/ CASA CARBIELl Mexico, acoustic instruments made by Carbieli in BULECEVICH LUTHIER Michoacán. Argentina, custom instruments made by Ivan Bulecevich Bassmodel is an ABG. in La Plata.

http://www.bulecevichluthier.com.ar

CARAVELLI Brazil, acoustic instruments made by Caravelli since 2005.

CHERUTI CAST (HIGH PERFORMANCE) Brazil, standard and custom basses made until 2007. Brazil, standard guitars and basses made by Josino Dos This company is now called Ledur. Santos Saraiva in Sao Paulo since 1993. He previously Models are the Mister, Power, Tuca and Picolo Bend, all worked with Giannini (from ’78) and others. made out of native woods. Cheruti has made EUBs too.

CHARLES Brazil, standard and custom stringed instruments made by Jean Paul Charles in Salvador-Bahia. Charles is a French luthier and mandolin player who has settled in Brazil. He makes EUBs from native woods.

CLAUDIO PALAZZOLO Bolivia, custom guitars and basses made by Claudio D'ALEGRIA Palazzolo in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Brazil, standard/custom guitars and basses made by Daniel Alegria and Rodrigo Werneck since 2003. Standard are native Brazilian woods, EMG pickups and D’Alegria’s propriety active electronic made by Tonechaser. The Defender JB and PJ are F-style basses, the Dragster is MM-copy. The Dart is an original design also made as a doubleneck ( Double Dart) or semi-acoustic (A-Dart). The Dynamo and Dragon are original models too. The Discovery is an EUB.

http://www.myspace.com/gclaudiopalazzolo1

CONDOR China/Brazil/US, Condor (since 1991)is the trading name of brazilian distributor Carlos Cesar Medeiros. Most http://www.dalegria.com/ instruments are made in China, but there’s also an US made “Condor by Fodera” and a Brazilian bass made by D'LARA D’Lara. Brazil, basses made by Standard basses include modern and F-style basses, Eliezer Lara in Rio de Janeiro, also for Condor. four- and fivestring ABGs, a semi-acoustic model and the D’Lara makes Fodera-style electric basses as well as top-of-the-range SC5000 with Wilkinson hardware, Kent EUBs. Armstrong pickups and active electronics.

http://www.condormusic.com.br/

CRUZOUND Puerto-Rico, traditional Puertorican stringed instruments made by Cruz in Morovis. The CL is Baby Bass EUB-style with wooden body and an additional magnetic pickup. The WRJ has a smaller/slimmer and more violinesque body. The AN 01C has a pear-shaped body. All basses feature a metal diafraghm pickup.

http://www.eliezerlaraguitars.com/ 6

DANIEL FERNÁNDEZ DE CASTELLI’S Argentina, standard and custom electric and (semi-) Brazil, standard/custom instruments made by Hilton acoustic basses made by Daniel Fernandez.. Castelli and son Tom in Churitiba since 1987. Fernandez makes ABGs like the fourstring La Montana, Models are four- to sixstring. fivestring El Lago and sixstring Yin Yang and also several electrics with an exclusive model for US bass shop The DEMONTE Low End. Argentina, custom guitars, basses and other instruments made by Jorge and Juan Demonte. http://www.guitarrasdemonte.com.ar/

DICARMO Brazilië, standard EUBs made by Roberte Dicarmo since 1986. There are two versions: Professional and Estudio

http://www.fernandezbasses.com.ar/

DANIELS Argentina, standard and custom guitars and basses made by Daniels.

DIGIACOMI &YAVICOLI see: Coatepec Violins.

DICKINS TOMA http://www.danielsguitars.net/ Mexico, lower quality instruments made in the mid ‘90s. . 7

DJS Argentina, standard/custom guitars and basses made by DOLPHIN DJS in Córdoba. Brazil, instruments made in the ‘80s – ‘90s by Carlos DJS makes a distinctly (pear)shaped EUB. Electric basses Assale, later working for Giannini. Dolphin guitars and are P- & J-style, a modern original design and a copy of basses were the best-selling instruments in Brazil during Gene Simmons’ Punisher. Bodies are made of cedar or the ‘80s. oak. The King has a pointy headstock, P-style body and one soapbar pickup. The BX1020 has two pickups and one was presented to Paul McCartney in ’90.

DREAMER GUITARWORKS Brazil, custom guitars and basses made by Celso Freire since the ‘90s.

http://www.djs-luthier.com.ar

DMS GUITARS & BASSES Colombia, custom guitars and basses made by Cesar Bohorquez in Medellin.

DOH SERIES http://www.luthier.com.br/ Argentina, standard & custom guitars and basses made by Daniel O. Hunko. ELROI Models include Rick and J-style basses and originals like Brazil, custom instruments made by Marcus Vinicius this Big Dragon. The Arlequin has a chequered wood inlayed body.

http://www.dohseries.com . 8

ENRIQUE CRIVELLARI FAIM Argentina, acoustic and electric guitars and basses made Argentina/Korea, standard instruments made since the by Enrique ”Lex” Crivellari. ‘80s by FAIM in Buenos Aires, also imports from Korea. Older model is the headless Tomahawk, current models ESTEBAN ECHEVERRIA are budget quality P- & J-basses and four- and fivestring Argentina, custom instruments made by Esteban basses in Warwick/Ibanez Soundgear-style. Echeverria.

http://estebanecheverria.olx.com.ar/

ESTRADA & BEVERIDO Mexico, David Estrada and Lorena Beverido are Ïtalian school” violinmakers from Coatepec. They make traditional bowed instruments and have made a compact acoustic bass too.

http://www.faim-instrumentos.com.ar

FDC Panama, standard/custom classical guitars and EUBs made by Luis Fernández de Córdoba in Panama City. He has studie guitarmaking in the USA and has worked with Gary Brawer. This bass is custom made, using a Fender Mustang neck.

http://www.coatepecviolins.com

FABREGUES Puerto Rico. custom instruments made by Pepe Fabregues in Santurce. Four- to sixstring basses with maple neck, ash body and Fabregues designed hardware & electronics.

http://www.guitarrasfdc.com/

FENIX Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Hernan E. Lorenzo in Buenos Aires.

FINCH Brazil, guitars and basses made by Finch in Sao Paulo in the ‘70s, One example is this Rick-copy. There’s a P-style bass too.

http://www.foxguitars.com.br http://www.woodviewenterprises.com/

FREDDY PIZARRO Chile, custom electric basses and guitars made by Freddy Pizarro in Con-Con.

FOX Brazil/Korea, standard and custom guitars and basses made by Fox in Belo Horizont since 1998. Fox is a collaboration between Brazilian Crafter importer Leo Gandra and guitarmaker Ademir Coelho de Sousa, starting out making EUBs. Nowadays Fox has 25 employees making instruments like the Amazona-series basses and guitars, using native Brazilian woods with European distribution by the British Woodview Enterprises Ltd. Amazona basses are the B2 and B3, singlecut solidbody fivestrings with cedar chambered body and cedar neck, imbuya top and Shadow piezo-pickups. The BX500 is a modern full-cedar fivestring bass with two soapbars (in wooden housing) and 3 band active EQ. Custom model is the bolt-on Star Bass with many contrasting woods, double cutaways and active electronics. There’s also an imported Korean-made version of the Star Bass.

http://guitarraspizarro.googlepages.com/

GG CUSTOM GUITARS GABRIEL PEREZ Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Gustavo Chile, custom guitars and basses made by Gabriel Perez Gonzalo in Buenos Aires. in Valparaiso. http://gabrieluth.blogspot.com/

GALASSO Argentina, custom electric guitars and basses made by Ezequiel Galasso in Buenos Aires. http://www.galassoguitars.com/

GC (GERI CARLETTO) Brazil, acoustic guitars (and some basses) made by Geri Carletto in Taquariting, Sao Paulo. This bass is made out of maple with an ebony ‘board,

Schaller hardware and active Seymour Duncan pickups. http://www.ggcustomguitars.com.ar/

GC (GUSTAVO CICERO) GIANNINI Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Gustavo Brazil, founded in 1900 by Tranquillo Giannini, an Cicero in Buenos Aires since 1988. acoustic guitarmaker. Since the ‘70s Giannini is involved Most models are F- or Warwick-style, often featuring with electronics, amps, keyboards. Basses are sometimes EMG pickups and made out of traditional woods. original, sometimes copies. Some ‘90s models are branded Trilogy Inc. The Shark ('80) is a headless bass with a wood throughneck and a sharkfin shaped fibreglass body. '70s models remind of Aria copies of J-bass, Rick and Gibson EB2 and this EB3 .The AE03B is an ‘original’ model fashioned after the Aria 1820. Currently only an ABG is offered.

GOLDEN Brazil, lower priced instruments made by Golden Guitars & Basses in Sao Paulo since the ‘80s. This company also trades Eagle en Golden instruments imported from Asia. Basses are F-style fourstrings with PJ or JJ pickups. The BG range is available with four- to sixstrings and features active pickups, the similar BL range has passive electronics. Most basses have cedar bodies and a http://www.gustavocicero.com.ar jacaranda fingerboard.

GOYA LUTHIERS Chile, custom guitars and basses made by Charly Campos GUSTAVO FOLCO in Santiago. Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Gustavo Folco in Buenos Aires. http://www.goyaluthiers.cl HARB HOECKER GOYO GONZÁLEZ Chile, custom guitars and basses made by Harb Hoecker Argentina, electric guitars and a multitude of acoustic in Vina Del Mar. instruments made by Gregorio Andrés González Foerster in Cordoba. HERING Goyo makes a shortscale fretless ABG with slotted Brazil, standard guitars and basses made by Hering headstock, mahogany back & sides, a German spruce top Guitars (Hering was originally founded in 1923 by the and Fishman electronics. german immigrant Alfred Hering), since 2007 the new http://www.goyoluthier.com/ identity of Walker Guitars in Blumenau. Hering basses are bolt-on and neckthrough J-style basses GRAVINA with Walker hardware and Lace J-pickups. Brazil, custom basses made by Joao Gravina. http://www.walkerguitars.com.br

GUNELLA HONDA Argentina, custom stringed instruments (and beyond) Colombia, custom instrumenten gemaakt door Navarro made by Adrian Gunella in Salta. HORACIO LISTA Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Horacio Lista in Buenos Aires.

http://www.gunellagtrtech.8m.com http://www.galeon.com/horaciolista/

JENNIFER JAVIER LOPEZ Brazil, maker of J-style basses, some with a distinct Argentina, guitars and basses made by Javier Lopez in scratchplate and pickup cover. Mendoza.

JONAS CALDAS Brazil, maker of acoustic upright basses.

J.CASSIO Brazil, custom basses made by J.Cássio in Rio de Janeiro.

JUAN MUZIO Argentina, custom stringed instruments made by Juan O. Muzio in Buenos Aires. JEG Muzio offers electric basses. Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Javier Ezequiel Gandolfo. Modern neckthrough basses, some styled after Yamaha TRB and Warwick Infinity basses.

http://www.jmuzio.com.ar

http://www.jegluthier.com.ar/ KIKO MELENDEZ

Chile, custom guitars and basses made by Kiko Melendez Lonestar makes the Mariachi, a traditional guittaròn, in Quilpué (Valparaiso). optionally fitted with Fishman electronics.

KRAFT LOPEZ Brazil, standard guitars and basses made by Tico Kraft in Argentina, guitars and basses made by Martin Lopez in the ‘90s. Buenos Aires. He also makes Mazzarino bass pickups. Models include MM- & J-style basses and Warwick His standard neckthrough bass model has a distinct lookalikes. scoop on the upperside and is made of native woods, 34" scale, brass nut, Allparts bridge, Grover Tuners, passive electronics with series/parallel switchable Basslines MM- & Mazzarino soapboar pickups.

http://www.lopezluthier.com.ar/ing LADESSA http://www.mazzarinopickups.com.ar Brazil, standard basses and guitars made by Edu(ardo) Ladessa in Sao Paulo. LUCAS MARTINEZ Ladessa makes a solidbody bass, four- to sixstring with Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Lucas B. maple body, jacaranda neck and with Ladessa designed Martinez. hardware, pickups and active electronics. Optional are [email protected] LED positionmarkers. There’s an EUB too, with a Pierre No info or website Josephs pickup and a Seymour Duncan preamp. LUIS CARLOS CUSINATO LEDUR Brazil, custom guitars and basses made by Luis Cusinato. Brazil, the new name (since 2007) of the Cheruti Models range from modern fretless to copies of Gene company, makers of standard/custom guitars and basses Simmons’ Axe. in Cachoeirinha Models are the MM-style Podium, Tuca, Felina, Mister, LUTHIER DE MALTA Power and Pícolo Bend, all featuring Seymour Duncan Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by De Malta. pickups.

http://www.ledurmusic.com.br/

LONESTAR Mexico; instruments made by a collective of guitarmakers in Paracho and distributed by the US based LPD Music Int.

http://www.luthierdemalta.com.ar/ 14

LUTHIER GM Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Guillermo Morone. GM mostly makes F-style basses.

http://www.chicasybajos.com.ar/

MATIZE Brazil, standard instruments made in limited quantities by Paulo Lima from LeStac. http://www.luthiergm.com.ar/ http://bajos10.blog.com.es/

MAESE MBRAY Argentina, guitars and basses made by Mariano Maese Argentina, standard/custom guitars and custom basses in Avellaneda since 1988. made by Marcelo Bray in Bahia Blanca. Maese basses feature Bartolini and Maese pickups and switchable active/passive Maese preamps. Maese also makes an EUB. http://maeseluthier.com.ar

MÁRCIO BENEDETTI Brazil, custom guitars and basses made by Marcio Benedetti in Sao Paulo since 1989. Benedetti previously worked at Ladessa and Tiguez. He also teaches lutherie. Models range from four- to sixstrings with throughneck construction, passive soapbar pickups and active electronics. http://benedettiguitarworks.blogspot.com/

MATIAS CROM Argentina, custom stringed instruments made by Matias Crom, ranging from guitars to acoustic uprights. Electric basses are styled after Carl Thompson designs.

http://www.brayluthier.com/

MGBASS MEL Brazil, standard/custom basses made by MGBass since Argentina, standard/custom guitars and basses made by 2003. Marcelo Lago in Buenos Aires. Models include the 105, System Drive, Desert, Oasis all Some MEL basses are originals, others are very much available as four- to ninestring bass featuring neck- patterned after Alembic, Pedulla and Warwick basses. through construction, extensively laminated woods and EMG pickups.

http://www.mauriciobass.com

MIRANDA http://www.melguitars.com.ar/ Argentina, guitars and basses made by Ricardo Miranda in Burzaco. MEZA Basses range from J-style to modern neckthrough Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Javier models. Meza in Buenos Aires. The neck-through MPJ has an ash body, three piece maple neck and EMG PJ pickups.

http://www.mirandaluthiers.com.ar/

MM BASSES Colombia, basses and guitars made by bassplayer/luthier/industrial designer Jairo Eduardo Suarez Gallardo (aka Mick Mutante) in Bogotá. Standard features of MM Basses: a choice of three body- shapes (all available with double or single cutaway(s)) from local hardwoods, oil and wax finish, 34", 24 frets or fretless, http://www.mezaguitars.com.ar/ three- to five-piece throughneck, a single MM Basses

blade humbucking pickup with neodymium magnets and passive electronics. Optional are: more than four strings, different scale, a second pickup, active electronics.

http://www.nzaganin.com.br/

OLIVO Equador/Canada, standard/custom basses formerly made by Olivo Chiliguinga in Toronto between the late ‘70s- early ‘80s. He previously worked at Lado and

returned to Equador in the mid ‘80s. Currently Olivo http://www.mmbasses.com builds classical guitars in his Quito workshop .

Olivo basses are influenced by Alembic and Lado, M.O.G. featuring neckthrough construction, exotic wood bodies, Colombia, standard EUBs (previously made under the Bartolini Hi-A pickups, Schaller tuners and and Badass Simet brand) by Andres Mauricio Ortega Gomez in bridges. Palmira since 1998. These affordable instruments are sold through the Internet. There are three sizes: BB1 (standard Babybass), BB2 (Mini Baby Bass) and the BB3 Super Mini Baby. They all feature fiberglass bodies, native woods for the necks and a pickup system derived from Ampeg’s Babybass. http://www.ababymog.galeon.com/

MORENO MOORE Chile, standard/custom acoustic instruments (including ABGs) made by Eduardo Alan Moreno Moore in Santiago since 1988. Moore is a respected concert guitarist, having studied in the US and performed in Europe. Bassmodel is a six string classical guitar with a 72cm scale, tuned down an octave. The current range focuses on Suzuki-method student guitars. http://www.morenomoore.cl

NAVARRO Puerto Rico, custom instruments made by Mike Navarro in San Juan. http://www.guitarzonepr.com/

NOSTI http://www.guitarrasolivochiliquinga.com/ Argentina, custom electric and acoustic guitars made by ORELUTHIER Diego Nosti. Argentina, electric guitars and basses made by Orestes Di http://www.diegonosti.com.ar/nosti Vruno (Laboratorio Sonoro). He organises lutherie classes

too. N.ZAGANIN http://www.laboratorio-sonoro.blogspot.com/ Brazil, custom guitars and basses made by luthier Marco

Zaganin and Ken Nakamura in Sao Paulo. ORREGO Chile, custom basses made by Manuel Orrego Basses have nine-piece mahogany/maple necks, ebony 'board, mahogany body with maple top, Orrego passive Hi-Z pickups with EMG electronics. 17

PABLO MASSA Argentina, electric guitars and basses made by Pablo Massa in Avellaneda. Massa makes tapping instruments too.

http://www.pablomassa.com.ar/ http://www.orrego.com PEREYRA PABLO BERNASCONI Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Leandro Argentina, Bernasconi makesacoustic uprights and EUBs Pereyra in Buenos Aires. in Buenos Aires.

http://pereyraluthier.blogspot.com/

PLUMA R BASSES Argentina, electric and electro-acoustic guitars & basses US/Puerto Rico, standard/custom basses made by Ray made by Christian Iannamico in Bahia Blanca . Rogers, formerly in the US (Florida and New York) - Basses are a Baby Bass-style 35”scale semi-acoustic EUB currently in Puerto Rico. fitted with Fishman pickups and electric basses with Rogers started out working with Carl Thompson, making original detailing like this passive semi-acoustic Raiz the first R Basses in his workshop. Rogers currently works Coral IV with cedar body, cedar top and bolt-on neck. as a furniture maker, building basses on the side. Older R Basses are obviously influenced by Carl Thompson, current models are more inspired by Fodera, featuring Bartolini pickups and HAZ Labs preamps.

REPISO http://www.plumapro.com.ar/ Argentina/Spain. Custom acoustic and electric guitars made by Sergio Repiso since the '60s. After retirement RACELIS (1980) Repiso moved to Mallorca, Spain where he Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Racelis in continued working on guitars well into his eighties. He's Rosario. the actual luthier who defretted Carles Benavent’s http://www.racelisluthier.com.ar Gibson bass: " He pulled the frets out, fixed the fingerboard, changed the bridge and put a new pick-up RAY RAMIREZ in. I had only this bass then, so it was a real jeopardy. But Puerto Rico, standard and custom basses and EUBs made Repiso did a fine job, and the Gibson worked pretty well by Ray Ramirez in Humacao. Ramirez is a renowned until its retirement in 1995..." bassplayer and author of the instructional book "The Repiso has made sixstring (baritone) basses with a LP- swing of the Latin bass". style body. Ramirez makes four- to sixstring EUBs in Ampeg Babybass-style in several versions with wood or fiberglass body, diaphragm pickup (piezos optional) and active Aguilar or Bartolini electronics. The Travel Mate is a modern compact EUB with fibreglass body. Ramirez solidbody bassguitars are custom built with four- to sevenstrings, bolt-on or neckthrough construction, graphite reinforced necks with pau ferro ‘board and Bartolini electronics.

http://www.rayramirezbasses.com/

RM RS LUTHIER Argentina, custom guitars and basses made by Raul Argentina, custom basses made by Roberto Souto in Andrés Moine in Tandil. RM also makes pickups and Buenos Aires since 1997. electronics. RS has made the Carl Thompson-style sixstring Rainbow Bass and a NS Design-like EUB.

http://www.rmluthier.com.ar/

ROGER MORILLO http://www.rs-luthier.com.ar/ Venezuela, basses and guitars made by bassplayer/luthier Roger Morillo. Morillo has lived and SANTANERA worked in the US and has a distinguished career as a Argentina, custom electric guitars and basses made by player. Since returning to his country of birth he Ariel Santanera in Buenos Aires since 1985. During the concentrates on luthiery. '90s he concentrated on instrument design, returning to making and repairing guitars in 2003. The first instrument he made was a fretless bass. Recent instruments include the SG, an EB3-style bass with throughneck, and a Rick-style bass. During the '80s http://www.rogermorillo.com/ Santanera made quite a lot of headless basses. Santanera also organizes lutherie classes. ROZINI Brazil, acoustic instruments made by Rozini. Basses are four- and fivestring ABGs with medium scale, cedar neck, laminated tauari body with solid spruce top and cutaway and Artec electronics (Fishman optional).

http://www.dospotencias.com.ar http://www.rozini.com.br/ 20

SAURRAL Argentina, guitars and basses made by Osvaldo Saurral in Córdoba. Models are based on Pedulla, Warwick and Fender designs.

http://www.siracusaluthier.com.ar

SNL Argentina, guitars and basses made by Sergio Nigrelli in Ituzaingó.

http://www.violasaurral.com.ar/

SIRACUSA LUTHIER Argentina, standard-custom guitars and basses made by Maximiliano Siracusa. Models are the Unity and the pictured Tigre.

SOTOBASS LUTHIER trading Korean instruments under the Memphis by Argentina, custom basses (and some guitars) made by Tagima) brand. Facundo Soto in Buenos Aires. His basses are neckthrough designs.

http://www.tagima.com.br

TIGUEZ Brazil, custom instruments made by E.Tiguez in Sao Paulo since 1988.

http://www.sotobass.com.ar/

SUAREZ LUTHIER (BHS) Argentina, standard and custom guitars and basses made by Benigno Horacio Suarez in Buenos Aires.

Models are styled after Ken Smith, Tobias and Warwick. http://www.tiguez.com/

TONANTE Brazil, founded in 1954 as Ao Rei dos Violões Limitada by Portuguese brothers Abe & Samuel Tonante, and nowadays the most famous ‘cheap’ brand of guitars in Brazil. During the many years of Brazilian import restrictions Tonante virtually had no competition and put out large numbers of budget quality instruments. These are wanted today because of their vintage appeal. Early models are the F-style Tonante Finder range, current model is the Charvel-style Star Light.

TORRE FUERTE Argentina. Custom basses. One example is fitted with Ken Smith pickups. No further info available.

http://www.suarezluthier.com.ar

TAGIMA Brazil, standard instruments originally made by Seizi Tagima since the ‘80s. Since ’96 this brand is owned by Marutec (Ken Nakamura, involved with N.Zaganin), also 22

http://www.utreracustom.com/ TWO HANDS Brazil, guitars an basses made by Two Hands. VERDI Basses resemble Carl Thompsons designs. Argentina, standard stringed instruments made by Ramon José Verdi and his two sons in Buenos Aires since the ‘70s. Bass models range from traditional electrics to “Virtual” bassguitars and EUBs. These have a frame instead of a fully massive body, some models having carbon fibre parts.

URBAN STRINGS Argentina, electric bowed instruments and guitars made by Gato Urbanski and Fernando Scherer in Buenos Aires. http://www.urbanstrings.com/

UTRERA http://www.verdi.com.ar Venezuela, standard/custom basses (and guitars) made by Freddy Utrera in Caracas. VETTAN (Luteria Vettan) Utrera basses (four- to sevenstring) feature a laminated Chile, custom electric guitars and basses made by Victor maple/walnut throughneck, 35" scale, rosewood 'board, Rivera Salazar in Concepción. solid mahogany (or alder) body with optional maple top, http://vettan.blogspot.com/ two humbuckers and switchable active EQ.

VICTOR REVERA Chile, custom instruments made by Victor Revera.

VOGEL Equador,standard guitars and basses made by (US-born) Bob Vogel in Quito since 1995. Vogel came to Equador working as a missionary. The 402/502/602 are modern four- to sixstring basses. The Buitre has a distinct body shape with short sharp cutaways. The Karl is styled after the Warwick Thumb without being a copy. All basses feature native woods, Basslines or Bartolini pickups and passive electronics with single volume and tone controls and a threeway pickup switch. http://www.vogelguitars.com/

WALKER GUITARS Brazil, standard/custom instruments formerly made by Walker out of native (ecologically harvested) Brazilian woods. Walker changed its name to Hering Handmade Guitars in 2007.

WOOD Brazil, standard/custom instruments made by Zé Eduardo.

http://www.woodguitars.com