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 top is exactly right. 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. The weight, and the distribution of that weight, is perfect, immediately recalling one of our all-time favorite Friederichs, a 1981 example we handled and reviewed on this site. The neck is shaped just like a later Friederich. The rosette is flawless, bright with color and again resembling his later work. The polishing work is immaculate. Attention to every detail is simply there.

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Specifications

Luthier: Charles & Patrick Cao
Year: 2024
Top: Cedar
Back & Sides: Indian Rosewood
Construction: Traditional
Finish: French Polish
Scale Length: 650mm
Nut Width: 53mm
Tuners: Perona
Strings: D'Addario XTC45FF with normal tension nylon first string
https://ddar.io/guitar-collection
Condition: Excellent, with light signs of play

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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.

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.

The basses are rich, open, and extremely resonant, setting the whole guitar vibrating. 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.

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.

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Playability

The playability is perfect, and uniquely Friederich. The later style neck carve sits naturally in the left hand, and the ideal weight and balance of the instrument make long sessions effortless. Nothing about the setup fights the player; the guitar simply responds.

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About the Luthiers

Brothers Charles and Patrick Cao have built hundreds of traditional guitars together, and their work is informed by close study of exceptional historical and modern instruments. 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.

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This guitar is in excellent condition, with light signs of play here and there.

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