The voice of jazz guitars
- Mauro started his journey as a musician
- He creates fully customisable guitars that adapt to the body of the player
- He specialises in jazz and gypsy jazz guitars
Mauro Freschi learned to play the guitar in 1995. In 2003, he decided to make his own instrument and together with a local artisan, Mario Novelli, he started to make his first custom guitar. He learned the secrets of this craft and eventually inherited his master’s workshop. The craft of guitar making falls under the broader discipline of lutherie. Mauro designs, creates and repairs all kinds of string instruments, however his passion and specialisation are for guitars, in particular special guitars for jazz which has always been his favourite musical genre. Being first and foremost a musician, Mauro is capable of perfectly understanding the needs of a guitar player. His belief is that the instrument should adapt to the body of the player, and not vice versa, therefore all of his instruments are fully tailor-made, in terms of both aesthetics and ergonomics.
Interview
- What are the characteristics of a jazz guitar?
- There are several different jazz guitars. The most common one is the Archtop which is created from a hollowed piece of solid wood and has a curved top and back. However, my all-time favourites are the gypsy jazz guitars, which were invented in Italy in the 1930s and are somewhat similar to a mandolin.
- How do you make an excellent guitar?
- The first, most important thing, is the selection of the wood which will influence the sound and tone of the instrument. Different woods work better for different musicians. Once you start working on a guitar, the thickness of the components alters according to the elasticity of the wood.
- Who are your clients?
- Most of my customers are professional musicians. Italian lutherie is among the best in the world, however not many of us are capable of fully customising an instrument. People come to me because they see my instruments in a concert or shop, and together we create the perfect instrument for the hands and musical taste of the player.
- What is the secret of your success as a guitar maker?
- Guitar making is not just about high quality or beautiful designs: every guitar has its own voice. I try to find the voice that will work best for a specific musician. Each commission marks the beginning of a long dialogue with my client: a journey inside their musical world.
Mauro Freschi is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2003
Where
Mauro Freschi
