Charles & Patrick Cao, 2024

The label says Cao. Everything else says Friederich. We have handled the real thing, and we still had to look twice.

This is the best Friederich model guitar we have ever seen. Had we not seen the label, nothing about this instrument would give away that it was built by Charles and Patrick Cao rather than by Daniel Friederich himself. It does not matter where you look. The carved inlay on the headstock is perfectly done. The color of the French polish on the cedar top is exactly right, recalling the cedar Friederichs of the early 2000s. The shape of the plantilla is unmistakable. Even the choice of Indian Rosewood for the back and sides looks like a set Daniel Friederich would have selected.

Pick the guitar up and the illusion only deepens. At 1,700 grams, the weight, and the distribution of that weight in the lap, is exactly what a Friederich feels like, immediately recalling one of our all-time favorite examples, a 1981 Friederich we handled and reviewed on this site. The neck is shaped just like a later Friederich. The rosette is flawless, bright with color, and a dead ringer for the rosette on a 2012 spruce Friederich we once had in the shop. The polishing work is immaculate. Attention to every detail is simply there.

We are often skeptical of bench copies, preferring to enjoy a luthier's own identity in an instrument. But the great copies are made out of admiration, and that admiration is obvious here. Charles and Patrick know these guitars. We visited Charles at his workshop and saw real Daniel Friederich instruments on his bench, not copies, and that firsthand study shines through every inch of this guitar. The label reads No. 435, 2024, and just above the brothers' names it carries the words "dedicated to Daniel Friederich." A fitting homage.

Sound

After saying so much about the aesthetics, it is hard to overstate the sonic relationship this guitar has with the instruments that inspired it. We are half ashamed to admit that here, too, we would be fooled. Somehow, Charles and Patrick have captured the depth, clarity, and restrained elegance of Daniel Friederich's guitars. It is apparent not only in a few chords but in the open strings alone. Each pitch is elegant, ever present, and effervescent.

Make no mistake, this is a loud guitar. The first chord roars. Yet there is an openness to the sound and a regal hum that never offends, and that is the hardest thing to get right in the Friederich sound: basses that are so obviously ready to explode, somehow delivered with elegance. The basses here are rich, open, and extremely resonant, setting the whole guitar vibrating, with the main air resonance sitting squarely between F sharp and G, right where luthiers aim to avoid wolf tones. The trebles are smooth and bell-like, chiming and lighting the instrument up with a series of overtones that is hard to believe, somehow without ever covering the fundamental.

Walk through the strings and each has a personality. The second string is as lyrical as one could imagine. The third is very clear, avoiding the fat, thick third string so many guitars suffer from. The fourth is where the French sound really shows itself, that Bouchet inspiration, tame and controlled rather than explosive, though lean into it and it will get a little wild. The fifth is woody in the best sense, not hollow, but thick and charming. The sixth carries the same richness down to the bottom of the range.

There is a certain class you feel when playing the very best Daniel Friederich guitars. They handle extremely well, they are even tempered, and they are mature beyond belief. We can honestly say the very same about this guitar. Any luthier will tell you that copying the bracing, the thicknesses, the tuners, and the neck carve does not produce a maker's sound signature. Somehow, the Caos have captured it anyway.

This guitar is certain to satisfy anyone who wants a Daniel Friederich but may not be looking to spend that kind of money. Frankly, even if you already own a Friederich, this one belongs in the room: blind test your guitar loving buddies, and if they know their stuff, they will place it on a very similar level to the very best Friederichs. Yes, we are that wowed.

Playability

The playability is perfect, and uniquely Friederich. The neck follows his later profile: on the thicker side, a touch wider, and more D-shaped than most modern classicals. Some might call it substantial, but combined with the very low action and the way the guitar sounds, it feels integral to how the instrument plays. Blindfolded, we would swear we were holding a Friederich. The ideal weight and balance make long sessions effortless. Nothing about the setup fights the player; the guitar simply responds, and you feel everything vibrating against you.

The cedar top is braced with a seven fan pattern with closing braces, the Friederich recipe. The rosette pairs herringbone inlays on the outer and inner rings with the red and black motif Friederich is so well known for, and the same motif is mirrored on the tie block of the bridge. The headstock carries the carved, inlaid Friederich concert model signature running down the center over an Indian Rosewood veneer, and the polish is done to the right sheen, never too glossy. Tuners are Perona. The back and sides are a beautifully matched set of Indian Rosewood, polished to perfection.

Specifications

Number: 435
Bracing: Seven fan with closing braces
Finish: French Polish
Condition: Near mint

Brothers Charles and Patrick Cao are based in Qingyuan, just outside Guangzhou, China. They have built hundreds of traditional guitars together, and their work is informed by close study of exceptional historical and modern instruments, including original Daniel Friederich guitars in their own workshop. Their Friederich model is an homage to the Parisian master Daniel Friederich (1932-2020), whose guitars have shaped the sound of generations of concert players and remain among the most sought after instruments in the world. This example shows just how deeply the brothers have absorbed not only his aesthetic but his sound.

This guitar is in near mint condition. There are no marks on the back and no nail marks on the top.