Master luthier Cristian Mirabella’s passion for guitar started with classical music at the age of five. By the age of eleven Cris had begun an apprenticeship in the construction and restoration of fine stringed instruments. It was during this time that he would be exposed and influenced by the talents of James D’Aquisto, John Monteleone and others including many of the noted New York players. The apprenticeship would last nearly fifteen years and would later recognize Cristian as one of if not the last guitar maker of the new generation of builders to have been schooled in this traditional form of luthier education. However, it was with a natural progression towards independence and the desire to offer his clients the best of his work, that Cristian opened Mirabella Guitars and Restorations in the fall of 1997.
Today, with 35 years of experience, Cristian Mirabella is considered one of the premier builders todays as well as a top restorer of D’Angelico, D’Aquisto and golden era Gibson and Epiphone archtops. He continues the New York tradition and style as well as incorporating his own innovative ideas and designs. This balance of visual art and acoustic science are reflected in each of the instruments Cris Mirabella creates. He is romantic in his explanation of why he is devoted to these guitars.
“Building an archtop is a very intimate craft,” he says. “You get to understand the piece of wood you are shaping, and if you do things right, it will tell you what will work best. You are allowed to create art that a player will then use to create his or her masterpiece.”
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