Derek Brown, guitarist and teacher (United States)
I’ve had a wonderful time in Granada with Pavel learning how to build guitars in the Spanish tradition. He focuses on how important it is for a luthier to use their mind first, and then use the tools very well, and to be very thoughtful in their process, to be careful and deliberate. And as a result, we ended up learning very much about building guitars and we made beautiful instruments that sound wonderful, and um… Very satisfying experience and I hope to come back and do it again sometime soon.
Ksenia Yakovleva, guitarist and teacher (Russia)
My course with Pavel Gavryushov has come to an end. It was an unforgettable experience. We have come a long way from “just wood” to a highest-grade musical instrument. This instrument is mine now, and I’ve never heard anything like it. Pavel, I am very grateful to you for your ideas, for your skill, for your human qualities, for your sensitivity, for the atmosphere that you created in the workshop, for your sparkling humor and for the opportunity to be here and create this miracle! I don’t have enough words to express all the gratitude and the degree of my joy! I’m so happy!
Special thanks to our cheerful company. You guys are so cool! You are kind, funny, sponsive and I really loved you with all my heart! Sending you tight hugs!
James Mulholland, journalist (France)
A wonderful stay in Granada and at Pavel’s workshop, drenched in the history and tradition of guitar making. Pavel is patient, passionate and extremely knowledgeable. His sensitivity to the tonality and character of the wood is nothing short of inspiring – I hope one day it will speak to me as it does to him! He also works with a strong mathematical base, explaining the importance of ratios and various other calculations to consider. He is very focused on sharing his knowledge and helping his students realise the maximum potential of their skills in order to produce a first class, quality instrument. Gracias, Pavelito!
Cristina Gomez Vargas, bank employee (Spain)
I have been a student of Pavel Gavryushov for a year and I have made Torres-style guitars, and now I am making a guitar inspired by Herman Hauser. Pavel is a great master, an excellent teacher and an even better person.You are going to really enjoy this course if you dare to join in. I especially recommend it because you’ll be learning to make a guitar of a very high class that will sound phenomenal, in a short amount of time. And later you’ll be able to enjoy playing it, I am in love with mine.And you will learn to build a really high-class guitar in a very short time. You are really going to have a good time.You will have a lot of fun doing it, for me it was like a stress-relief therapy, an activity that clears my mind when it’s overwhelmed. Ten hours in the workshop go by in a second – it is not just an apprenticeship but a magnificent combination of a great master and an experience that I will always carry with me, because we are what our parents and our teachers have made us. Thank you very much Pavel Gavryushov for everything you have taught us, and for creating such a friendly and cheerful atmosphere.
Takis Giannakopoulos, international economist (Greece)
Day after day, in a very friendly and calm atmosphere, for a month, you create your very high-class instrument with your own hands! For most students, as well as for me, creating a guitar was a childhood dream. Therefore, when you finally manage to make this dream come true, you are overwhelmed with a sense of pride and satisfaction!
During the break, Pavel and I had extremely interesting philosophical discussions (they are also a necessary element for creativity). In addition to the training course, Pavel showed us a lot of sights both in the city of Granada and beyond. It was so interesting that I would like to come back again and again!
Alf Marius Kjærås, Conservatory student (Norway)
It has been a real pleasure to have stayed in Pavel’s wonderful workshop in Granada, Spain. To be able to learn from one of the very best of luthiers for an entire month is a-dream-come-true-experience. I started with no knowledge, and yet he managed to guide me through all of the processes. Besides being a great teacher, Pavel is always working with a lot of perfection. Because of this I will for the rest of my life be a guitarist that has taken part of every detail of his top quality guitar. This combined with a cozy atmosphere filled with humor, interesting conversations and coffee-breaks has made this a month I will never forget. Thank you, Pavel, for sharing all the knowledge that you have and for giving me this opportunity
Manuel Diaz Miguel, biologist, university professor (Spain)
There is always time to learn. In my case, I’m lacking words to describe the wonderful experience that an intensive course with Pavel Gavryushov has given me. His advice in choosing the best woods, his skills in handling tools, his knowledge of acoustics coupled with the extremely high level of requirements in all the tasks of building a guitar, makes it possible to achieve the highest level of professionalism for students, even those starting from scratch.
This apprenticeship has made me able to choose and assemble woods in an almost magical way to make instruments that will fulfill the expectations of the most demanding players.
Leonardo Alfonso, guitar maker (Portugal)
Hello, my name is Leonardo Alfonso
I’m a luthier from Madeira Island in Portugal. I make mostly Portuguese mandolins and Portuguese guitars. And I wanted to know more about the construction of the classical guitar, so I came here to Granada, I am here in the workshop of Pavel Gavryushov to take a course with him. And I strongly advise all of you who has a chance to take this course to do it because Pavel is a very good teacher. He teaches things in a simple way but with all the knowledge that you need, so come here!!
Ahmad al Haj Ibrahim, maker of Arabic guitars and instruments (Spain)
I am a luthier of Arab lutes from Syria. I am learning to make my first classical guitar with the luthier from Granada Pavel Gavryushov. And the truth is that I am learning many techniques than are different to mine, and it is making my work much easier. I am very happy with the training and looking forward to seeing my first guitar.
Francisco Sánchez, architect (Spain)
I have been learning with Pavel Gavryushov for a year and this year I have built my third guitar. But really, it is my first because there is a very big difference. When you are lucky enough to learn something from a luthier who wants to teach, he shows you all his secrets. Not only in the way of construction, but things like taking the guitar sound out of the dock. Well, there is an opportunity that cannot be waived, in fact it is very difficult for luthiers to teach you how to get the sound out of the guitar in such a short time. If you want to try it, you’re going to love it. You’re going to enjoy everything about the way Pavel works, and Pavel’s way of being, his approach to everything. You are going to get a top-level guitar.
Ignacio Duran, biologist (Spain)
I have been learning the luthier craft for 5 years in Almeria, and another year with luthier Pavel Gavryushov, learning to build high-quality pre-concert guitars.
With Pavel I have discovered many tricks and techniques that I did not know yet and the truth is that I am very happy with everything that I am learning from him.
Boris Tretyakov, flamenco guitarist and teacher (Spain)
Like many guitarists, I was looking for the perfect guitar. I searched for a long time and decided that someday I would make one myself, even bought a set of wood. And then, fate brought me together with Pavel Gavryushov and I went to a guitar-making course in Granada. Having made my first instrument, I gained invaluable experience. The next year I attended the course for the second time and made another guitar. Now this is my main musical instrument. The feeling of playing the guitar when your own name is looking back at you from the label is impossible to convey in words! I’ll come back again :).
Pavel Sheikman, programmer (Russia)
After reviewing the available courses around the world, I realized that Pavel Gavryushov offers a unique idea, not only to get acquainted with guitar designs or to reveal the tricks of woodworking, but to create an instrument with your own hands. A musical instrument using time-tested designs made of excellent seasoned material and under the guidance of a guitar maker who has achieved international recognition. After all, just by buying a musical instrument, you will never learn the secrets of manufacturing, you will not have such an exciting adventure, which is a trip to the cultural capital of Spain, Granada. Not to mention the fact that the instrument itself will have a great sound and will become unique to you.
Paco Fajardo, guitarrista, constructor de guitarras (España)
En Granada hay muchos guitarreros, pero ellos no se dedican a enseñar a construir las guitarras. Pues Pavel se dedica hacer los cursos y enseñar. Es muy interesante porque el es para mi número 1.
Evgeny Becker, engineer of an oil-refining plant (Russia)
I am very glad that I had the opportunity to get acquainted with Pavel Gavryushov, a true master of his craft. And I am very grateful to him for his unique knowledge, and for sharing his many years of experience with me. Under his guidance, we have produced a unique instrument of the highest class. I spent my vacation combining it with Pavel’s course. This is the only vacation in my life that I didn’t want to come back from. I highly recommend it to everyone. Come to Granada — you will not regret it!
Alexander Gordeev, guitar maker (Russia)
I am grateful to Pavel for the opportunity to fulfill my dream. From great materials we chose the best, each person for themselves. We had a chance to work with great high-class instruments. We didn’t have a language barrier, no matter where anyone was from — from the United States of America, from Spain, or from Russia. The guitar-making course in Granada is the place you want to come back to!
Angel Gomez, guitar maker (Spain)
I decided to expand my knowledge as a professional guitar player, with Pavel Gavryushov thanks to the testimonials about the great sound of his guitars. With him I have acquired a different concept of the world of luthiery. Pavel Gavryushov is undoubtedly a great connoisseur of how the instrument works.