Welcome to Freilicher Guitars

A fine instrument inspires a musician like nothing else can. Owning a guitar that is perfectly suited to your musical needs will motivate you to play and play ––  perfecting your techniques and challenging your creativity.

I began my music studies at the Washington Conservatory of music, where I studied classical guitar and music theory with Herman Meyer. Continuing my studies at The Berklee College of Music in Boston, I majored in Music Production and Engineering. Soon I began to experiment with my electric guitar by changing pickups, re-wiring the electronic harness and adjusting the string action. It was not long before I found myself doing set-up, modification and repair work for other students.

In the fall of 1998 I moved to Northampton, Massachusetts where I apprenticed with Brad Nickerson and Ivon Schmukler. Under Brad and Ivon's guidance I built my first flat top and carved top guitars. I continued working around the shop with Brad and Ivon until the winter of 2000. In January 2000 I began working in the repair shop at The Fretted instrument Workshop in Amherst, Massachusetts. Doing repair work I got to examine and take patterns from fine old guitars and banjos as well as studying the successes and failures of many modern makers.

In August 2001, I established my own workshop in Belchertown, Massachusetts, where I continue to build one-of-a-kind acoustic and electric guitars, basses and banjos, as well as doing repair and restoration work for players around the country.

Currently, my main focuses have been making reproduction 5 string banjo necks, documenting and taking patterns from original instruments and developing my building methods for constructing flat top guitars. Currently, My an developing my line of acoustic guitars to include: a small Size 0 guitar based on an 1890's Martin 0-28, an L-00 based on my Gibson L-00 from 1932-1934, an OM based on a Martin 000-28 long scale from 1932, and a slope shoulder Dreadnought based on pre-war Gibson J-45's.

I like to get to know my customers well and work closely with them during the design process. Through this process each instrument truly becomes an extension of the musician who commissions it. Pease feel free to challenge me with your own personal "dream guitar" design.

–– Louis Freilicher