2023 Paula Lazzarini CD/CO

This 2023 Paula Lazzarini classical guitar, built in Italy with a cedar top and cocobolo back and sides by the 2021 Granada first-prize winner, comes to us pre-owned and in excellent condition.

Cocobolo with Sapwood Flourishes

For this guitar Paula chose a striking set of cocobolo for the back and sides, enlivened by lighter-colored sapwood flourishes – absolutely breathtaking. Richly flamed maple in the back center strip and the purflings sets it off, and her bold, almost "architectural" style shows in the head design and the symmetrical mosaics of the rosette and tie-block.

Friederich Roots and Four Transverse Back Bars

Paula's internal bracing is primarily inspired by Daniel Friederich. Here, though, she wanted a more "cello-like" depth and richness, so she braced the back with four evenly spaced transverse bars, tuning the internal resonance of the box to her taste. The result is a thick, full-bodied sound, rich in overtones in every note, yet with great clarity and balance between the notes – everything the winning instrument was, and more.

Condition

Although used, this guitar is in excellent condition with barely any signs of prior use.

Read more on Paula Lazzarini

Photos of this guitar taken during construction

Paula Lazzarini: From Buenos Aires to Cremona, Turin and Paris

Paula Lazzarini was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a degree in History, and a strong interest in objects and artifacts from the past led her to a Master's program in Restoration and Conservation at the University of San Martín. Her curiosity for woods and musical instruments gradually drew her to lutherie: she started with repairs and, from 2007, began making classical guitars under the guidance of Ricardo Louzao.

In 2016 Paula moved to Cremona, Italy, where she set up her first Italian workshop. She later moved to Turin, where she completed a two-year project as a visiting professor at the Accademia di Liuteria in Piemonte and then dedicated herself full-time to guitar making. In 2026 she moved her workshop to Paris, France.

Learning from Daniel Friederich and Antonio Marín Montero

In 2011 and 2012 Paula met a number of maestros and guitar makers from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and France, with whom she shared her experience of guitar making and restoration. For a brief time she also had the privilege of learning from Daniel Friederich and Antonio Marín Montero, who generously shared their insights into working the wood and their concepts of construction. She builds both traditional Spanish classical guitars and more contemporary lattice-braced guitars, and the needs of the many players she has worked with have encouraged her to combine the sound of the Río de la Plata with that of the traditional Spanish guitar. GSI is proud to be Paula's exclusive dealer in the USA.

First Prize in Granada

In 2021 Paula won First Prize at the 4th Antonio Marín Montero Guitar Building Competition in Granada, Spain – the first woman to win this prestigious prize. The jury included Yuris Zeltins, Manuel Cáceres, Edmund Blöchinger, Juan Carlos Martos, Alberto Cuéllar and GSI's David Collett.