2013 Lorenzo Frignani "1910 Manuel Ramírez" SP/IN

A 2013 "1910 Manuel Ramírez" replica by Italian luthier Lorenzo Frignani, with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, after the original 1910 Manuel Ramírez in his possession; inside is a facsimile of the Ramírez label of 1910.

In the video above, Taso Comanescu plays Tárrega's "Lágrima" on this guitar.

Capturing the Original

Lorenzo copied both the sound and the appearance of his Ramírez, and he finished this guitar with the "distressed" look of age that violin makers often give new instruments. The sound of the original is his priority – the aesthetic touches come almost as an afterthought.

Stefano Grondona's Verdict

Stefano Grondona, renowned for his performances on old instruments, has played these Frignani guitars and the original, and remarks that they do indeed capture its sound and feel. Lorenzo also finds them welcomed by players who don't want to risk touring with priceless vintage guitars.

Photos taken during this guitar's construction

Read more: Orfeo Magazine No. 6 – Tacchi, Frignani and Locatto (with a feature on Lorenzo Frignani)

Lorenzo Frignani: Luthier, Scholar and Collector in Modena

Lorenzo Frignani is an Italian luthier who works in Modena. Independent since 1986, he builds guitars, lutes and violins, and alongside his own concert models he makes replicas of historic guitars from his own collection – above all a 1910 Manuel Ramírez – finished with the aged, "distressed" look that is common practice in the violin world. His guitars and lutes have won awards in Italy and abroad, and in July 2011 the town of Fiuggi named him "luthier of the year".

Teacher, Author and Expert

Lorenzo has served on international competition juries, taught violin making and taken private apprentices. He has written and published widely on the history of plucked instruments, founded the publishing house LF Edizioni in 2007, and is a technical advisor on musical instruments to the court in Modena. In 2024 his son Eugenio joined the workshop, and together they launched Liuteria Frignani. Lorenzo was featured with Andrea Tacchi and Luigi Locatto in Orfeo Magazine No. 6.