2015 Lorenzo Frignani "1910 Manuel Ramírez" SP/IN

A 2015 "1910 Manuel Ramírez" classical guitar by Lorenzo Frignani, with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides – a replica of the 1910 Manuel Ramírez he owns, down to a facsimile of the original label (Arlabán 10, Madrid, Año 1910).

A Violin Maker's Distressed Finish

Violin makers often finish a new instrument so that it appears aged, with wear that isn't really there, and Lorenzo does the same on this model, giving it a striking resemblance to the true original. For him, though, the sound comes first; the look simply lets the player enjoy a vintage-style guitar with none of the fragility or structural defects an old guitar can have.

A Unique Offering

Angelo Gilardino, Sandro Torlontano, Andrea Dieci and Stefano Grondona have all played Lorenzo's replicas as well as the original, and they confirm that the replicas capture its sound and feel. It is a way to own this style of guitar for far less than an original, and to tour without a priceless antique – unlike anything we had offered before.

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.