Paolo Coriani - 2025 No. 272

About the luthier

Paolo Coriani is an Italian master luthier based in Modena, with over four decades of experience in crafting high-quality classical guitars. He opened his workshop in 1984 after nine years of apprenticeship at Liuteria Masetti, a family of guitar makers in Modena dating back to 1900. In the early years, he built guitars inspired by the popular models of José Ramírez III and Masaru Kohno. A turning point in his development came with the discovery of the work of Richard Schneider and Michael Kasha, which provided him with his first scientific insights into guitar acoustics and vibrational behavior.

A major influence on his philosophy was encountering the guitars and writings of Daniel Friederich, who had developed a less empirical construction method by collecting data such as weight and wood flexibility during the building process. Another significant moment was hearing and studying an 1867 Torres guitar once owned by Christian Aubin, an instrument that also inspired Robert Bouchet and Friederich. This contact with historic Spanish instruments deepened Coriani’s appreciation for traditional lutherie.

In the early 1990s, Coriani expanded his acoustic knowledge further through the work of bow maker Giovanni Lucchi and his velocity tester for tonewood selection. In 1993, he participated in a guitar-making course in Córdoba led by José Luis Romanillos, centered on Segovia’s 1912 Manuel Ramírez guitar. This experience cemented Coriani’s admiration for Ramírez’s legacy and inspired a long period of research into early 20th-century Spanish guitar makers, including Enrique García, Santos Hernández, and Domingo Esteso.

Since then, Coriani has restored numerous historic guitars and studied their vibrational behavior to inform his own work. Today, his instruments are inspired by the great masters: Ramírez, Torres, Hauser, García, and Simplicio; but are not direct copies. Instead, they reflect the character and sound of the originals while being adapted to meet modern performance demands. Rather than simply chasing volume or power, Coriani aims to craft guitars with warm, clear, and expressive voices that support the individuality of each player.

His guitars are built in a humidity-controlled workshop to ensure long-term stability. All woods are naturally seasoned, with soundboards aged for a minimum of 30 years and other components such as ebony, rosewood, and mahogany up to 50 or 60 years. Each instrument is finished with colored shellac using traditional French polishing methods and features one-of-a-kind rosettes, bindings, and purflings for a unique visual identity.

About the guitar

This 2025 guitar, number 272, follows the structural and sonic inspiration of the 1912 Manuel Ramírez guitar famously played by Andrés Segovia. The model traces its origin to the 1993 course in Córdoba with José Luis Romanillos, after which Coriani studied and restored numerous original Manuel Ramírez guitars. While not a direct replica, this instrument captures the density, balance, and richness of the historical original, with fine response and a deeply expressive voice.

The guitar is built with an Alpine spruce soundboard purchased by Coriani in 1993 and Brazilian rosewood back and sides imported into Italy in the early 1960s. The three-piece back features contrasting hues with a central section visually extended by the matching Cedrela Odorosa neck, creating a striking visual line from heel to endblock. The fingerboard is made of ebony, and the entire instrument is finished in hand-applied, colored shellac.

A herringbone purfling motif on the headstock pays tribute to José Luis Romanillos, evoking the warmth and refinement of his final rosette designs. Like all of Coriani’s guitars, it is a unique and deeply personal instrument, crafted for expressive sound, traditional elegance, and modern playability.