Today we’d like to introduce you to Ralph Alcala.
Ralph, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started learning double bass in middle, which led me to attend the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. There I majored in classical music. Being the curious person that I am one day, I decided to take my bass apart to see how it worked. I quickly realized I couldn’t put it back together. Through a teacher friend of mine, I was able to find Frank Tretter, a violin maker in Garden Grove, California. He helped me put my bass back together. He saw that I had good intuitions and hands for this kind of work. He asked if I wanted to keep learning how to repair other instruments. This is where I found that I had found my calling in life.
Three days after I graduated from high school, I received a call from Jon Peterson owner of World of String in Long Beach, CA saying I was hired. I spent almost ten years studying double bass restorations there. In 2013, I started my own shop focusing in making double basses. Currently, due to the pandemic my shop is closed but I continue making basses at the Eastman string company.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road at all. Being a Latino in the classical music world is already rare, but being a Latino double bass maker, it’s even more rare. That I know of there are only two of us in the United States. Having to struggle to prove that I am competent enough to repair certain instruments or getting surprised looks from people when tell them I built the double bass they are playing can be demoralizing.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Alcala Luthiery – what should we know?
I restore and make double basses for both jazz and classical musicians. I am most proud of the fact that I am one of two Latino makers in the nation.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My hunger for knowledge is so important. I feel that I will always be a student of my craft. I hope that I never get to a point in my career that I feel like I know enough.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 3239833019
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alcala_luthiery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlcalaStringLuthiery
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