2017 Michel Bélair "Hommage à Daniel Friederich" CD/IN

This 2017 Michel Bélair "Hommage à Daniel Friederich" is a classical guitar with a cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Montreal, Canada, after Daniel Friederich's 1999 guitar No. 763 – one of the first "Hommage" guitars at GSI.

Recreating Friederich No. 763

To build his tribute to Daniel Friederich, Michel draws on the 1999 Friederich No. 763 in his own collection and on a copy of Friederich's personal notes from building it. The cedar top is matched to the original in density, grain spacing and stiffness; the Indian rosewood sides are laminated with mahogany; the neck is Honduran mahogany; and the carved headstock, rosette, purflings and Rodgers tuners are all true to Friederich's style.

Sound

A powerful, responsive guitar with rich basses and thick trebles and a velvety, silky tone. Its sustain is impressive and its decay smooth and predictable, so it stays consistent and balanced across the full dynamic range.

Michel Bélair: A Concert Guitarist Turned Luthier

Michel Bélair is a Canadian luthier based in Montreal. He developed his passion for the guitar in his early teens, which eventually led him to study guitar at McGill University, where he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in guitar performance under the tutelage of Alvaro Pierri. He then studied with Roberto Aussel in Paris. Michel has excellent skills as a player – his playing has been recognized with prizes and awards at various international classical guitar competitions – and he fully understands the perspective of the instrumentalist, which has had a big influence on his work as a guitar maker.

Two Original Friederich Guitars

As a performer, Michel played two original guitars by Daniel Friederich (no. 557 and no. 763), and both of his teachers, Alvaro Pierri and Roberto Aussel, also played Friederich guitars for most of their careers. This long-term exposure to – and appreciation of – Friederich's instruments inspired Michel to develop his "Hommage à Daniel Friederich" model. He also builds his own traditional and double-top models.

GSI and the "Hommage" Model

Michel pays particular attention to the decay and overall sustain of the sound. GSI is proud to be the exclusive dealer in the USA for Michel's "Hommage à Daniel Friederich" model.