Friederike Linscheid

Friederike Linscheid – Guitar Maker

In the construction of my concert guitars, my overarching goal is to give them a consistent expression while still imbuing each one with its own personality. For me, this comes from an inner harmony between the instrument’s sound and its outward appearance.

Both are shaped by the selection of materials and forms, which I determine based on acoustic, structural, and aesthetic criteria. In particular, when selecting the tonally influential soundboard material, I employ physical measurements in addition to traditional methods such as bending and tapping.

The sound of my guitars is suitable for the stage, powerful, with a wide projection, a variety of tonal colors, warm basses, and a singing treble.

To create a strong visual unity, I use a reduced color palette and repetitions in materials and forms. I offer my guitars with both a modern and a more traditionally influenced design. The instruments are structurally nearly identical and differ primarily in the various rosettes and slightly altered outlines.

The fundamental construction is based on the classical guitar in the Spanish tradition. The bracing system of the soundboard follows the concept of Robert Bouchet, but is much more delicately executed. However, subtle structural and visual details go beyond the conventional framework. For instance, the soundboard drops on the treble side above the soundhole, as this elevated fretboard enhances playability and sound projection in the high treble. The relatively narrow outline results in a slightly smaller soundboard area. The mass of the vibrating area is thus reduced, contributing to a quick response during play. To counterbalance this, I increase the body volume with high sides, giving the basses their deep character. The sides are doubled but quite thin, which benefits sustain without adding excessive weight. All instruments feature a hand-polished shellac finish.