Stephan Schlemper

I started building classical guitars and working on amplification more than 30 years ago in the workshops of the Spanish guitar makers Manuel Contreras and Antonio Marin Montero. Later I did internships with/at Brazilian lumberyards. My grandfather had been a musician and artisan and, after studying Spanish and engineering, I returned to making guitars.

The classical guitar with its multitude of sounds has grown in popularity for use in orchestras and all kinds of ensembles. Unfortunately, its natural sound is not always sufficient for these purposes. I became aware of this problem early on and, consequently, the first Schlemper guitar with integrated amplification was finished in 1985. I presented it to Leo Brouwer, who was performing with an orchestra in Germany at that time, and proudly received his congratulations.

Building guitars and amplifying their sound in a natural way has been my passion ever since.

Only few guitars are completed in my workshop every year. Guitarists from various countries visit and usually stay for a day. They try out guitars and amplifiers, order them, pick up instruments or have a Schlemper System installed. Technology and tradition work hand in hand.

My primary goals: to understand and appreciate the guitarist with all his ideas and preferences. To make the guitar audible in an orchestra.