1969 Daniel Friederich No. 242 SP/CSAR

This 1969 Daniel Friederich No. 242 is a spruce and CSA rosewood classical guitar from Paris, with no cracks or repairs – the Friederich that Roland Dyens chose for part of his concert at GSI in 2015.

In the videos above, Roland Dyens plays "Alba Nera", "El Último Recuerdo" and two of his waltzes live at GSI, Manuel Toucinho plays Albéniz's "Córdoba", and Filippos Manoloudis plays Llobet's "Scherzo-Vals" on this guitar.

Roland Dyens' Friederich

When we hosted the late and great Roland Dyens here at GSI for a concert and masterclass in 2015, we happened to have this guitar at the time, and Roland chose it to play on for part of his concert – see the videos above.

No. 242 and the Great Collectible Makers

This is an elegant example of Friederich's best work during the peak of his spruce period of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Friederich guitars are now universally regarded as among the most desirable and collectible instruments in the world, along with Bouchet, Hauser and Torres, for their unique yet compelling tonal qualities, expressiveness and artistic design. It features the classic plantilla, carved head and ornate yet tasteful rosette.

Sound, Playability and Condition

The sound is everything one hopes for in a spruce Friederich: silky and full, smooth and rich, with crystal-clear separation and an even balance from top to bottom. Built to be played in concert, it has the easy, slender neck of his early guitars, a wonderfully responsive feel for the right hand and volume enough for any sized hall – and it is very rare, collectible and in fantastic condition, with no cracks or repairs.

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