(Photo from Roadside Guitars)
A lively argument is heard coming from inside; Adel Sakr against his three daughters. The daughters make a good case and eventually the father gives in. Sakr may be a legendary luthier in the city’s music scene but he is a family man first and foremost. “You can never win with them,” he says smiling.
Perhaps not, but according to Sakr, with a good work ethic you can win other battles. Sakr’s musical vocation began when he was a child: “these things are always noticeable. I was just drawn to it.” Sakr’s inclination toward music was so strong that he created an improvised instrument by pulling strings from different fishing rods over wood. “I had no idea what the different notes were but I experimented with different lengths and thicknesses to produce different sounds.”
Sakr tells how music requires sacrifices. “Many think of a bohemian life when a musician comes to mind but nothing could be further away from the truth. You were either studying music theory during the day or you were out performing and practising at other times,” he said.
These sacrifices were what ultimately led to Sakr’s withdrawal from a musical career. When he left for Germany in 1987, it was partially a decision to leave music behind: “A lifestyle in music is not satisfying, partly because of how it is perceived in Egypt. In Germany I quickly assimilated to the culture. I learned different skills and experimented with different fields, including carpentry, high capacity electricity and photography.”
Sakr marvelled at German efficiency and wanted to apply the same methods to his work. “The German post system ran incredibly well and I started to think that this perfectionism, this dedication to one’s job is what I admired. It is something that I think is rare in Egypt,” he said.
No matter how much he enjoyed living in Germany, eventually he left because: “An Egyptian always comes home,” he said. “I tried to read Al-Fatiha [the opening verses of the Quran] and the words did not come easily. I knew it was time.”
Despite a flourishing career in microphotography, Sakr chose to continue his career by fixing guitars when he returned to Egypt. “You can only perfect one thing”, he said.
Sakr said his success comes from his dedication and the lack of competition. “In Germany, I am one of many, but here few take this job seriously and this is partly how I have built up my reputation. It does not matter what you do, if you are a dedicated plumber you will have more clients than you can handle. Perfectionism is everything,” he said.
Holding up a guitar in a sad state with loose wires hanging out, he demonstrates his point: “This guitar has already been fixed by someone else and this is what it looks like. Besides having dedication and a good work ethic, maybe I am considered the best because this is the competition.”
The guitarists of Cairo seems to think he is being far too modest in his explanation for his success and many will only use Sakr’s highly praised skills when their instruments need repairs.
