2018 Gabriele Lodi "Torres" SP/MP

This 2018 Gabriele Lodi "Torres" is a classical guitar from Carpi, Italy, with a spruce top and maple back and sides – Gabriele's synthesis of the original Antonio de Torres guitars he has restored and studied, and the same model played by Marcin Dylla.

A Synthesis of Torres, Not a Copy

This particular instrument is a tribute to the great Antonio de Torres. It is not a copy or replica of any single Torres, but rather a synthesis of Gabriele's favorite elements of the various Torres instruments he has seen, blended with some construction details that he believes satisfy the needs of modern players. Indeed, this is the very same model currently played by Marcin Dylla.

Hands-On with Original Torres Guitars

In the 7 years before this guitar was made, Gabriele had the good fortune to completely restore many original Torres guitars. The work was extensive – in some cases it required removing the backs, with both external and internal work – so Gabriele has really had a hand (literally) in these original masterpieces, one of which is now in the Cremona Musical Museum of Plucked Instruments. He has also visited Barcelona to study the very important 1859 Torres owned and played so famously by Miguel Llobet. This guitar built for us is Gabriele's attempt to manifest all of this knowledge about Torres, with the intent to present the same feeling as an original, but with a few minor modifications to satisfy modern players using nylon strings and a 21st-century playing technique.

Workmanship, Tone and Playability

The workmanship is second to none, with quite elaborate purfling throughout the entire instrument – top, sides, back, bridge, rosette and head veneer. In the rosette and bridge there are mother-of-pearl inlays as well, making this simply a striking instrument to behold. The tone is full of old-world charm, with an excellent balance of firm, round bass and clear, ringing treble, and easy action and comfortable playability round out this exceptional, world-class guitar.

Note – although Gabriele is a seasoned veteran of guitar making, he started using his own label (instead of the standard family label) in 2013, and this is the 48th guitar in that series. We at GSI are thrilled to represent this great maker.

Reflections on this model (with photos of the inside of the guitar) by Gabriele Lodi

Orfeo Magazine #13 – Lodi, Bottelli, Coriani, Peruffo

A Family of Guitar Makers

Italian luthier Gabriele Lodi (born 1976) comes from a family of classical guitar makers. His father was a luthier and player, and Gabriele happily spent most of his childhood in his father's workshop in Carpi, near Modena. From the age of 13 he was helping out at the bench, and by 20 he had made guitar making his profession. He still works in that same family workshop today.

From Historical Guitars to the Spanish School

The historical instruments that came through the shop for repair sparked a lasting fascination with old guitars, and because of it many of his own guitars are strongly rooted in traditional design and aesthetic. After studying the Romantic guitars of the 19th century, he turned to the Spanish school from Torres on, traveling regularly to Buenos Aires from 2004 to study great Spanish guitars. Besides his Torres models, he builds guitars inspired by the Madrid school – Manuel Ramírez, Santos Hernández and Domingo Esteso – and by the Barcelona school of Enrique García.

Carrying the Torres Tradition Forward

In the last many years, the great Antonio de Torres has become a primary driving force in Gabriele's work as a restorer, historian and, of course, as a builder. He has restored several important original Torres instruments, and along the way captured insights from the hand of Torres that have led him to explore his own ideas to carry the Torres tradition forward into the modern day. He is also a co-author of the book Antonio de Torres – Lo Stradivari della chitarra moderna. His Torres guitars carry the words "My Torres Interpretation" on the label: they are never literal copies, but combine his favorite elements of various Torres instruments with details that answer the needs of today's players.

Gabriele Lodi and GSI

Gabriele has used his own label (instead of the family label) since 2013, and in 2021 his guitar No. 100 launched his "Expo Series" of guitars made for Roma Expo Guitars (REG). His workshop has become a meeting place for players and collectors, and GSI is his only dealer in the United States.