Gabriele Lodi (born 1976) is an Italian classical guitar maker and restorer working in his father's workshop in Carpi, near Modena, best known for his Antonio de Torres models and his restorations of original Torres guitars. He is a co-author of the book Antonio de Torres – Lo Stradivari della chitarra moderna, and GSI is his only dealer in the United States.
At a Glance
- Born: Italy, 1976
- Workshop: his father's workshop in Carpi, near Modena, Italy
- Trained: in his father's shop from age 13; professional maker from age 20
- Specialties: Torres-tradition guitars and the restoration of Spanish and Romantic-era guitars
- Models: his "My Torres Interpretation" model, plus models based on the Madrid school (Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández and Domingo Esteso) and the Barcelona school (Enrique García)
- Research: regular trips to Buenos Aires since 2004 to study great Spanish guitars
- Own label: since 2013; guitar No. 100 (2021) started his "Expo Series" for Roma Expo Guitars (REG)
- In the USA: GSI is his only dealer
A Family of Guitar Makers
Gabriele Lodi was born in 1976, and his relationship with the guitar began very early, as his father was a luthier and player. During school, Gabriele would spend several afternoons a week in his father's shop, where he took lessons with his father and with many of the players who stopped by. The sound of the guitar moved him, but he never took his playing very seriously, and at 13 he began helping his father, spending any time away from school in the shop learning to make guitars. At the age of 20, after a year of military service, he began his career as a guitar maker.
Lessons from the Romantic Guitar
He worked side by side with his father and became intrigued by the historical instruments that came into the shop for repair. He began to study and to search out instruments from the 19th century, and to develop his knowledge of the music and instruments of the Romantic period. He also came to the conclusion that the composers of the period were greatly influenced by the instruments they played: Giuliani with Fabbricatore and Stauffer, Legnani with Stauffer, Sor with Pagés, Martínez, Panormo and Lacote, Aguado with Laprevotte, and so on. With these instruments, he found, power, projection and sustain were often less important than expressiveness, quality of tone and dynamic range.
The Spanish School, from Torres On
Gabriele decided to build very traditional guitars, and this approach led him to the Spanish school, from Torres on. Starting in 2004, he began to travel to Buenos Aires, where he had access to great Spanish guitars that he could study. Lodi still works in his father's workshop, and today he builds models based on the Madrid school (Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández and Domingo Esteso) and on the Barcelona school (Enrique García). Today he restores many Spanish and Romantic guitars, and he has had an amazing response to his own guitars from players. In fact, his workshop has become a meeting spot for players and collectors, and his restoration work increases with every year.
Carrying the Torres Tradition Forward
In the last many years, the great Antonio de Torres has become a primary driving force in Gabriele's work as a restorer, historian and, of course, as a builder. He has completely restored many original Torres guitars – work that in some cases required removing the backs – and one of them is now in the Cremona Musical Museum of Plucked Instruments. He has also traveled to Barcelona to study the famous 1859 Torres owned and played by Miguel Llobet. Along the way he captured insights from the hand of Torres that have led him to explore his own innovative ideas to carry the Torres tradition forward into the modern day. His Torres guitars carry the words "My Torres Interpretation" on the label: never literal copies, they combine his favorite elements of various Torres instruments with construction details that answer the needs of modern players using nylon strings.
His Own Label and the Expo Series
Although Gabriele was already a seasoned maker, he started using his own label (instead of the standard family label) in 2013 – and his guitar #1 under that label came to GSI. In 2021 his guitar No. 100, inspired by the 1858 Torres "Cumbre" shown at the Seville Expo, launched his "Expo Series" of guitars made for Roma Expo Guitars (REG), with new Expo Series guitars following in 2022 and 2025.
In the Press
Orfeo Magazine #13 – Lodi, Bottelli, Coriani, Peruffo
Gabriele Lodi and his guitars are featured in Orfeo Magazine No. 13.
Gabriele Lodi Guitars at GSI
GSI is Gabriele's only dealer in the United States, and many Gabriele Lodi guitars have passed through our doors since his guitar #1 arrived in 2013. You'll find guitars currently in stock by clicking the "Guitars In Stock" button in the header of this page as well as earlier examples in our Museum by clicking the "Guitars In Museum" button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Gabriele Lodi build his guitars? In his father's workshop in Carpi, near Modena, Italy.
What is a Gabriele Lodi "Torres" guitar? A guitar built in the tradition of Antonio de Torres – labeled "My Torres Interpretation" – informed by Gabriele's restorations of several important original Torres instruments.
What other models does Gabriele Lodi make? Models based on the Madrid school of Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández and Domingo Esteso, and on the Barcelona school of Enrique García.
Does Gabriele Lodi restore guitars? Yes. He restores many Spanish and Romantic-era guitars, including several important original guitars by Antonio de Torres.
Where can I buy a Gabriele Lodi guitar in the USA? GSI is Gabriele Lodi's only dealer in the United States.
