231. Carmine Street Guitars; movie review

CARMINE STREET GUITARS
Cert TBA
81 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

A fella and his apprentice scavenge wood from buildings in New York and make guitars from them...
And among their customers are musicians in the most well-known bands in the world.
Yep, Rick Kelly and Cindy Hulej have shunned much of modern technology and their customers love their work.
Ron Mann's documentary is a love letter to Carmine Street Guitars where they make and sell instruments which make pluckers swoon.
It gently charts a 30-year history in which Kelly has worked with his aged mother, the company's administrator and during the last five years has been joined by disarming artist Hulej.
But the real story is their passion for guitars which are made from wood which has been holding up buildings for hundreds of years and which Kelly believes creates superior sound.
In the view of his customers, he is right.
Several big names in the music fraternity pop in and try out recently made guitars, show off their repertoire with them and pronounce how brilliant they are.
Mann's film is aimed straight at those who know about guitars - either as players or makers or those who have an appreciation for old-fashioned workmanship.
Despite his reputation, Kelly clearly hasn't made fortunes from his endeavour and neither does that seem to bother him.
He is clear that this is a labour of love and his reward comes when top exponents produce great music from his guitars and we hear plenty of them during the documentary
Meanwhile, in Hulej he has found a kindred spirit - a young woman who is the epitome of cool and has the passion to learn the old techniques as well as adding some of her own.
I admired both during a film during which I felt as if it needed a deckchair and cool beer for optimum enjoyment.


Reasons to watch: Must-see for guitar devotees
Reasons to avoid: A tad niche

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Italian luthier Gaetano Vinaccia (1759 -1831) is credited for the discovery of first six-stringed guitar that later on became the basis of the modern acoustic guitar.

The final word. Rick Kelly: "It’s like going back in time in this old shop. It’s an 1820s building, it’s got the same old wooden floors and brick walls and it’s real Greenwich Village It really has that feel and vibe to it." 13th floor

Share this post