Thomas Dauge is a French classical guitar maker, born in 1979 in Libourne, who works in Lugon-et-l'Île-du-Carnay near Bordeaux. Self-taught, he studied the work of Daniel Friederich in depth, and his guitars fuse the old Spanish masters - Torres, Santos Hernández, Miguel Rodríguez - with the innovations of the French school. He was featured in Orfeo Magazine No. 21, and GSI is his exclusive dealer in the USA.
At a Glance
- Born: Libourne, France, 1979
- Workshop: Lugon-et-l'Île-du-Carnay, near Bordeaux, France
- Building guitars: since 1998; own workshop since 2006
- Studied: the work of Daniel Friederich, at the musical acoustics laboratory in Paris
- Spanish influences: Torres, Santos Hernández, Miguel Rodríguez
- Models: his "concert" and "flamenco" models; tributes to Torres, Robert Bouchet and Friederich
- Players: Fernando Millet, Aurélien Colas
- Featured in: Orfeo Magazine No. 21 (the new French generation)
- US dealer: GSI (exclusive)
From Folk and Gypsy Jazz to the Classical Guitar
Thomas Dauge was born in 1979 in Libourne, a small town in the Bordeaux region of southwest France. As a teenager he became passionate about music and the guitar in particular, and in 1998 he began building his own instruments. His first attempts were folk and gypsy jazz guitars, but he very quickly moved towards classical and flamenco guitars, and eventually decided to specialize exclusively in the classical guitar. He opened his workshop in 2006 after 8 years of self-taught guitar making.
Daniel Friederich and the French School
During those years he studied the work of Daniel Friederich in depth in the musical acoustics laboratory in Paris. His first instruments were essentially Spanish-inspired, but he gradually worked towards a more personal style influenced by developments pioneered by the French school. He is now undoubtedly part of the new generation of French makers - yet he continues to draw on the old Spanish masters he admires so greatly, and the fusion of these two worlds gives his guitars a unique place in international guitar making today.
His concert guitars show both sides: mahogany strips lining the inside of the sides (similar to Dominique Field's approach) and extra back bracing make the box sturdier and stiffer, while the bridge, like Friederich's, sits proportionally closer to the soundhole - placing the 12th fret a few millimeters above the body joint and leaving room for a full 19th fret under all 6 strings. Alongside his own "concert" and "flamenco" models, he also builds tributes to his heroes, among them a close copy of a 1986 Friederich.
Restoration as a School
Thomas cites restoration work as a deep influence on his style. He has repaired guitars by many historically important luthiers, including Friederich, Ignacio Fleta, Manuel Ramírez and Miguel Rodríguez, making technical records of each guitar for his own analysis. This has reinforced both his conviction about the universals of good guitar making and his understanding of how the particulars of each maker shape a personal style.
Woods, Measurements and Musicians
Thomas chooses his woods with the greatest care, according to cut, density, flexibility and texture, and adapts the flexibility of the bracing to each soundboard. For him, one of the essential points is good management of the structural stresses on the soundboard; the records he keeps of his measurements have allowed him to develop, empirically, a very personal sound, his main goals being maximum musicality, balance, sustain and polyphonic separation. He values artistic and musical exchanges with guitarists as essential to his development, and counts many professional players among his clients, including concert artists Fernando Millet and Aurélien Colas.
Thomas Dauge in Orfeo Magazine
Orfeo Magazine No. 21: The New French Generation
With articles on Pierre-Alexandre Bellest, Simon Burgun, Bastien Burlot, Thomas Dauge and Bertrand Ligier.
Thomas Dauge guitars have been coming to GSI since 2023. 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 is Thomas Dauge's workshop?
In Lugon-et-l'Île-du-Carnay, near Libourne in the Bordeaux region of southwest France.
Who influenced Thomas Dauge?
Above all Daniel Friederich, whose work he studied in depth, together with Spanish masters such as Torres, Santos Hernández and Miguel Rodríguez.
Where can I buy a Thomas Dauge guitar in the USA?
GSI is Thomas Dauge's exclusive dealer in the USA.
