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| Victor Bedikian with one of his masterpieces | |
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Victor Bedikian (French), is one of the most famous guitar makers of the past century
Victor Bedikian's long career has been inspired profoundly by his association with the grand master of 20th Century French guitar making, Robert Bouchet (whose guitar can be heard on Julian Bream's early recordings). Dominique Field, France's most respected contemporary concert guitar maker recommended Victor Bedikian's guitars. Victor conserved Bouchet's working notes and drawings in his workshop. Victor Bedikian's guitars are reputed for being beautiful, strong , loudly resonating. They are said to sing with a pure voice that comes from the deepest recesses of the 30-year-old wood. It is a guitar difficult to master, not every player can unlock it's nuances, its reverberant depth of sound, but it is said that once those nuances are discovered, a whole new palette of tone colors comes to life.
Victor Bedikian's art of making guitars respects the mastery of the 19th Century Spanish creator of the modern guitar, Antonio Torres, with Robert Bouchet, who took his inspiration from Torres, serving as the bridge. Victor Bedikian showed his first guitar to Bouchet in 1965 and was encouraged by the master luthier who gave him valuable advice about his own methods of construction. That began a close friendship and association that lasted until Bouchet's demise. At first the young Bedikian made regular visits to Bouchet's workshop to show him his latest instruments, but during the years 1977 to 1982 it was Bouchet who honored Victor by regularly passing by his workshop in Paris. Victor Bedikian builds his guitars with the same method as Bouchet with the bracing very much influenced by Bouchet's unique system.
Victor Bedikian made a limited number of guitars in his lifetime. These guitars are hard to find today. Victor Bedikian is now retired.
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edit"I have the feeling," Victor says, "that Robert guides my hands, that he's beside me watching what I do, advising me. He instilled his art in me forever." And you feel it immediately when you pick up this guitar from the hands of Bedikian, that the grand tradition has been preserved and fine old wood still