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Author
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Topic: Domingo Ortega
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Jeff Hildreth
Member
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posted 08-13-2004 08:36 PM
  
Found a reference to him on the web..
there is a quote from a guy who visted Ortega and says he works out of the same shop as Vicente Carrillo.Anyone know about this maker and his guitars
does he also help make the Carrillos? Jeff |
FrankB2
Member
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posted 08-13-2004 09:03 PM
Hola Jefe, The CG Store carries his guitars,
and I might have tried an $1,800 model. There
were so many guitars being handed to me in that range over two days, I just can't remember  . If I did try it, and it was good, it would have stuck in my brain. It's
not a brand that the CG Store pushes at this
price point. Frank [This message has been edited by FrankB2 (edited 08-17-2004).] |
Jeff Hildreth
Member
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posted 08-13-2004 10:27 PM
lacg store on line $2400 classical or flamenco |
C. Vega
Member
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posted 08-14-2004 06:17 AM
U.K. dealers Stafford Guitars handles them with prices ranging from 1200-1875 Brit pounds.
Their site says that he trained in Carrillo Sr.'s shop but the photo of his label says "Madrid". No shop address, which is usually included on Madrid maker's labels.
I can't find anything about him in my references. www.staffordguitar.com/shopfront/system/index.html |
Regg
Member
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posted 08-16-2004 08:26 PM
I own an Ortega 1A Rio, and I think it is a fine instrument. Zavaleta's told me awhile back that Ortega was a fictional name for Carillo's workshop, but this is not the case--Ortega is a fine builder in his own right that is sharing Carrillo's shop. Scroll down to see Domingo working. http://www.lacg.net/spain.htm My teacher enjoys playing my guitar, and he owns a Ruck! I heard at one point that there were some factory made guitars coming out of Madrid with the Ortega name slapped on it (those are probably finding their way cheaply at GC), but this is not the same thing. I bought mine unheard for $1600 and I am very pleased with the ease of playability, warm sustain and projection. It really draws the attention of the listener, IMO. I brought this guitar to a luthier named Scott MacDonald in Huntington, who was suprised at the price I paid, and said that you're looking at a builder who will be selling these guitars for $4,000 eventually. Unfortunately, there is not much info on Domingo Ortega, but I say that if you can find a 1A Rio you'll have a hard time putting it down. I got in touch with the author of the review on Harmony Central about the Carrillo, and he assured me that there is no difference in tone, quality and construction between the guitars of Carrillo and Ortega. He also told me that he owns their flamencas, and they are the perfect "crossover" guitar. |
Jeff Hildreth
Member
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posted 08-16-2004 08:51 PM
No doubt it is a fine guitar
however do a web search you will eventually find the "bio" for Sr. Ortega
including that he apprenticed with Vicentes father along side Vicente
One problem here.. Vicentes father died when he (vicente)was seven or thereabouts and did not apprentice with his father.. nor could have Ortega as he is purported to be 28 yrs old; and that would be a chronological impossibility...Domingo Ortega was one of the most famous and popular bull fighters in Spain
Ortegas label has no adress only Madrid
And if they are made in Carrillos shop why MADRID on the label ?
There is no record anywhere anytime of Domingo Ortega as a luthier
except for LACG ( and their travel log)and a Brit web site with the apparently flawed bio..and an owner and dealers who have not met or seen Ortega.. and at wildly varying prices...by 30%....same guitars ... Gee Frank did you asked the Classical Guitar shop where they got the Ortegas ?
As if they would tell you// probably a distributor.. Hey Juan c'mere... today you are Domingo Ortega.. there's 500 pesos in it for you.. My take.. there is nor Domingo Ortega Luthier.. the story is likely trumped up and Domingo Ortega is as real as Antonio Lopez and 200 other ficticious names assigned to "jobbed" guitars Ortega may be a second line or overflow production or seconds from Carrillo or thru Carrillo... 2 Photos of Ortega do not look the same and you never see his full face... Could be wrong and I will stand corrected but I don't think I am wrong...way too many discrepancies... Too Much Story for it to be real Carrillo story still isn't entirely clear..
he is at the Musik Messe in Germany sharing booth space (large) with the Paco guitar distributor.. he goes to the US NAAM show..
Carrillo and 4 guys cant make enough guitars to pay for these shows or fill the resultant orders.. given his shop has not changed nor has his equipment (his words)not likely
and now crowd his shop with Domingo Ortega...
that makes 6 people to my simple math unless and of course Ortega is another assembler of part B and as I described above the overflow gets the Ortega name All interesting but again Too Much Story [This message has been edited by Jeff Hildreth (edited 08-16-2004).] |
zavaletas
Member
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posted 08-16-2004 09:45 PM
I am puzzled as well. I have seen the photos on the lacg site, as well as the other references. I suppose I could have misunderstood what I was told by some years ago, but the purported biography doesn't seem to jive with other facts. Perhaps, Vicente or Domingo Ortega himself can clarify this, and give us his biography. |
Regg
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 07:31 AM
Well, we can speculate forever I guess, but I don't see how Vicente Carrillo--or any other respectable luthier for that matter--would build a quality instrument with premium tonewoods (including Braz RW in my case) and slap an unknown label on it. Can anyone really profit from that?My point is that if you can find one at a decent price, they are at least worth checking out. The luthier may be phony, but my guitar is not. [This message has been edited by Regg (edited 08-17-2004).] |
Jeff Hildreth
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 08:25 AM
As I said in an earlier post.. no doubt a good guitar"phony" label or nom de luthier Bernabe.. Antonio Lopez as an instant example of using a ficticious name on an excellent range of guitars The other possibility is that they are NOT made by Carrillo but made for Carillo
and putting on a Domingo Ortega label
(albeit with MADRID) seems as honorable as the famous Condes putting their labels on Valencia made guitars and charging three times the retail price of the guitar as sold with the original makers label The facts remain...
Ortega label reads Madrid
No clear photos of Ortega
Ortegas age does not correspond with bio
No one has met Ortega but LACG (nice story)
There is no documentation anywhere of a Domingo Ortega in Spanish guitar making chronicals
Carrillos story about his shop or Ortega
is still cloudy
Classical Guitar store sells the guitars for under $1800 LACG ( who does not answer their phone ) sells them for $2400
must be the $600 shipping form the east coast to LA Cal.. No doubt it is a good guitar,.. The lowly Lucida Artisa 797 Picado flamenco was also an excellent guitar and factory made by Prudencia Saez ( their model 22 relabelled)
for under $600 mine was $400 Enjoy the guitar and forget the story
But for me.. I like the facts...
So who is Domingo Ortega.. Sr Carrillo please explain and introduce Sr
Ortega to the world...oh I see he has an apartment in Madrid and commutes... jjh
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Jeff Hildreth
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 08:29 AM
http://www.spanishguitar.com/guitar/do1a.htm the operative word here is MADRID luthier as I thought a commuter jjh |
C. Vega
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 08:46 AM
It's a pretty long commute from Casasimarro (Cuenca) to Madrid.
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Jeff Hildreth
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 02:52 PM
Emerald City Music in Seattle has a 1997
Domingo Ortega 1A Brazilian and Cedar in stock in excellent condition
Label reads as other Ortega guitars with the crude half cursive half printed signature and only MADRID as an adress on the label.
Shop says it is very well made. $2295But again a small but significant factor:
1997...... so that means Ortega was a journeyman if not master guitar maker at 21 years old...
Now in the employ of another "master" guitar maker...or was it "along side" a master maker
in the same shop...
I suppose the labels were just leftovers from his Madrid days..or I suppose this could all be true..but
Maybe the guy at Carrillos is Ortega Junior ? Fun stuff.. Called another US dealer ...
"they go out so fast I can not keep them in stock"
> How many have you sold ?<
"2.."
>How many do you have in stock<
"none... but I am thinking about ordering them"
>Where are they made<
"I order them from Cuenca"
>Why does the label read MADRID<
" Madrid is not just a city but a district.. a very big district"
And a brief conversation about Carrillo etc..
Jeff
[This message has been edited by Jeff Hildreth (edited 08-17-2004).] |
Regg
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 03:00 PM
It is very interesting, I'll admit. How old should DO actually be? I was reading about him being 28 years old about two years ago. |
C. Vega
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 03:15 PM
For what it's worth, a little research turned up 10 Spanish makers with the surname Ortega, none named Domingo.
Three of them worked in Madrid and four in Granada in the 19th-early 20th centuries.
One in Jaen (19th c.), one from Cuenca province who settled in Madrid (19th c.)and the only recent one, Manuel Ortega Sousa of Sevilla, died around 1991. He was the teacher of Andres Dominguez Guerrero who inherited his tools.And yes, Madrid province is fairly large but it doesn't include Cuenca. Cuenca is also the name of a city and a province. Carrillo's shop is in the town of Casasimarro in Cuenca province. Oh yeah, almost forgot, there's also a fairly well known flamenco dancer named Domingo Ortega.
[This message has been edited by C. Vega (edited 08-17-2004).] |
FrankB2
Member
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posted 08-17-2004 05:12 PM
I emailed Bob Page from the CG Store, and
asked about Domingo Ortega. He was out of
the store today, but should respond soon.
If he doesn't email back, he knows I'll call
him tomorrow, and...............LOL  .Bob's Ortega says Toledo in the description.
I don't know if that's a location, or a model
designation. The price is $1,800. Frank |
