1965 Daniel Friederich SP/CSAR

This 1965 Daniel Friederich is a spruce and CSA rosewood classical guitar from his rue Ramponneau workshop in Paris – a "Concert" model, as its handwritten label says, from the peak of his spruce period.

In the videos above, Irina Kulikova plays Satie's "Gnossienne No. 1" and Adam Kossler plays Shostakovich's "Lyric Waltz" on this guitar.

A 1965 "Modèle Concert"

The label reads "Année 1965 – Modèle 'Concert'" – Friederich's top model of the 1960s, with the carved head and ornate yet tasteful rosette, and the classic (and in our opinion, one of the most beautiful) plantillas ever designed. This is an elegant example of his best work during the peak of his spruce period of the mid-1960s to early 1970s.

Sound and Playability

Its voice is gorgeous: silky and rich, smooth and full, with every note clearly separated and balanced across the whole range – the mid-century spruce sound at its best, with Friederich's unmistakable signature. A concert player's workhorse, it is incredibly playable, with a comfortable, sleek and easy neck (by comparison with instruments built in later periods with chunkier neck shapes), incredible responsiveness for the right hand and enough volume to fill any hall.

Condition

Very rare, collectible and in fantastic condition, with only one spliced crack to the side of the fingerboard (upper bout, treble side) as well as a re-glue of the center seam from the bridge to the foot. Otherwise it is in amazing condition for a guitar over half a century old.

Daniel Friederich: Paris Master of the French School

Daniel Friederich (1932–2020) was one of the most respected and influential classical guitar makers of the twentieth century. Born in Paris, he built his first guitar in 1955 – a simple copy of a Francisco Simplicio – became a full-time maker in his Paris workshop in 1960 after showing his work to Robert Bouchet, and in 1967 won top prizes at the legendary Liège competition: a gold medal for craftsmanship and a silver for sound, awarded anonymously by a jury that included Bouchet and Ignacio Fleta.

The elegant body shape and the distinctive headstock with its raised central design make his guitars easy to recognize, and they are known for their unsurpassed aesthetic as well as their beautiful and magisterial quality of tone. Many of the best players in the world have played them, including the Romeros, Manuel Barrueco, Julian Bream, Scott Tennant, Roberto Aussel, Eduardo Fernández, Álvaro Pierri and David Tanenbaum.

Concert, Recital and Arpège Models

In the 1960s Friederich built two main lines: the "Concert" model – his most advanced guitar, with a carved head, specially designed machine heads, the finest woods and a serial number on the label – and the less expensive "Recital" and "Arpège" models, which carried no serial number. From 1970 on he made only "Concert" guitars, each label giving the number and year. In his own words, his earlier guitars were "relatively simple, pleasant to play" with a "quite explosive" sound; from about 1973 he increased their weight, for more sustain and a richer, sweeter voice.

Daniel Friederich and GSI

GSI was proud to be Friederich's exclusive worldwide dealer for his new guitars until he retired in 2014, and for over 20 years we received one guitar a year from him. He passed away in Paris on November 4, 2020, at the age of 88 – read our tribute. You can also read Andrea Tacchi's interview with Daniel Friederich.

Books on Daniel Friederich

The bilingual book "Luthier d'Art" is the most complete record of his life and work; Orfeo Magazine No. 2 is devoted to him (see our post or read the issue online), and a 2008 Friederich is among the guitars shown in Orfeo's "34 Classical Guitars in Life Size":

Daniel Friederich 1932-2020: Luthier d'Art

Orfeo Magazine 1-5

Orfeo – 34 Classical Guitars in Life Size