2011 Thomas Fredholm "7-string" SP/IN (ex John Dearman)

Swedish guitar maker Thomas Fredholm has been making instruments for several decades, all beginning with an infatuation over a Martin steel-string guitar. His classical guitars have been played on by several famous artists over the years, including David Russell, Mattias Jacobsson and even Andy Summers (of The Police). This example from 2011 has had only one owner to date - Grammy award-winner John Dearman of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet who played this instrument on the LAGQ album "New Renaissance". See below for his reflections on this instrument.

This is a traditional guitar with spruce top and lightly braced internally for maximum responsiveness. The sound is typical of a modern instrument - powerful, responsive and deep with a quick, punchy attack. Overall, a very well-made instrument, easily capable of concert use. Having no damage or prior repairs, the guitar is in otherwise concert-ready condition with easy action and excellent playability.

I first met Thomas at the Iserlohn guitar festival in 2007. Often at Iserlohn there is a phenomenon where there will be a certain buzz amongst the attendees and performers and teachers and in that year, the buzz was about Fredholm. Several players ordered guitars based on the guitar that he was showing at the festival, including David Russell, who I believe recorded some videos playing his Fredholm. I ordered a six-string from him which I thought was wonderful and so decided to order this spruce seven-string which I went on to play exclusively in the LAGQ until 2018. I performed hundreds of concerts on this guitar and you can hear it on our 2015 recording “New Renaissance”.

- John Dearman, November 2025