Reza Safavian

Near Frankfurt, Germany

Reza Safavian is a German luthier of Iranian origin who came to building the way many fine makers do, through playing. Trained first as a classical guitarist, he turned to lutherie after finding that few instruments met his tonal expectations, and the work of Matthias Dammann inspired him to build his first double top in 2001. Since 2003 he has worked full time as a guitar maker near Frankfurt, producing only a handful of instruments each year with exceptional attention to sound balance, projection, and detail.

Safavian builds cedar double tops with Nomex cores over fan bracing, ultra lightweight and meticulously voiced. The guitars are visually rooted in classical tradition yet carry subtle personal touches: rosettes inspired by Persian art, a signature headstock with a sapwood center stripe and flamed tip detail. The sound leans toward purity, emphasizing the fundamental of every note without ever turning sterile, and players often speak of the width of his sound, deep yet clear, expansive yet focused, with remarkable evenness and sustain from string to string.

Safavian double tops have become some of the most requested guitars in our shop. A 2025 example paired extraordinary volume and projection with an elegant, pure tone and a velvety first string, and it was among the easiest playing guitars we have had in the building. A 2026 followed with that unmistakable width of sound, rich foundational basses beneath crisp, colorful trebles. His output is so limited that these rarely wait around, and our expert team keeps a list of players hoping for the next arrival.