Welcome to Pagelli's world of finest handmade guitars

The countdown is running.
7 more days then it's that time again....

Our stand number is 129.
Some instruments are waiting for you. And so do we.

So see you, right?

Dont miss the date!

We will held a 3 part masterclasses in Cremona at the Acoustic Guitar Village, a part of the Cremona Musica International Exhibition of 23/24/25 September.

Topic of our masterclass is «LUTHERY BEYOND LIMITS!»

Our goal is to encourage attendees to be brave and leave the normal path of building. To find an own visuality of their instruments and being therefor unique. We will also show how you may can find your own unique sound, by different ways of building an acoustic guitar. 

Since you are in competition with thousands builders out there, and the industry is getting closer to a fine built instrument as ever, this topics are match-making!

We will talk about 45 years experience in guitar making, about material, design, construction, creativity, business and much much more, all together with samples and pictures.

And of course you are free to ask anything thats on your mind.

We would love when it weren't a «we here-you there» masterclass, but an event that also allowed for a lot of spontaneity and interaction…and FUN!

 more info's and application form

We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at the first MIGS - Montreux International Guitar Show - later this month.... from April 29 - May 1, 2022 at the Casino Barrière in Montreux.

Finally, finally the time has come again! 
It's sure to be a special show, not only because it's the first MIGS, but also because it's the first, major international show after such a long time. Some of our friends from the EGB group and also guitar makers from overseas will come. We are looking forward to the reunion, the talks, the concerts... and the opportunity to present our guitars.

See you there!

Focused and projection... these are two descriptions that you hear very often in connection with guitars.

In our opinion, however, especially with PARLOR guitars, these terms need to be rethought. We believe that «projection» in particular comes from a time when you had to fill halls with the acoustic sound and therefore built very loud guitars. Today, however, there are so many good amplifying options available that this no longer has to be a goal. We know that most guitarists play their high-quality guitars at home and the volume is not the most important thing, but a sound that lets you dive into it and brings a smile on your face…like a great wine ;-)

PARLOR's are often called «couch» guitars, because they are small and handy and therefore optimal to have them «comfortable around you»...at the couch...in addition, in this ambience, the very moments happen when the inspiration meets you or you lose yourself in playing.

And that's exactly where we started and now take a completely different approach than is usually the case in guitar making.

We call it SPATIAL RADIATION GUITAR. The guitar does not radiate forward like a trumpet, but encloses one, one floats in a sound cloud. We achieve this by a completely new internal structure, the free-swinging top up to the neck attachment and the 2 sound holes on the upper side, for each ear one.

Inside I have omitted the large upper brace, which ensures the statics, and this is now directed to the sides via carbon bars. We call this construction principle «Turner compression absorber», as reverence to Rick Turner, who built this into his instruments many years ago. The principle has been around for a long time, for example on Banjos, but in elegance, we found Rick's solution the most beautiful. Through that, and by moving the sound holes to the edge of the top, we now have a top that can swing in its full length and not just to 2/3 as usual. This leads - long speech in a short sense - to an outrageous sound. Incredibly large and warm for an instrument with these small dimensions.

We built various prototypes and finally chose the one to our new regular model, which pursues our new approach most consistently.

You may have noticed that the fretboard is already finished on the body, as with the very first guitars from the Stradivari period. This on the one hand to take full advantage of the top as mentioned before, but also as a foretaste of the beginnings of guitar construction. This, combined with the most modern approach such as the carbon static solution, the new bracing layout and the sound holes at the top edges, should be like a foray through the history of guitar making, from the beginnings to the modern age and beyond...

By attaching the fretboard to the body, the neck angle has to be built steeper and the bridge higher, which leads to more torsion and thus to a faster response and more pressure, which means nothing more than that it sounds better. We deliberately kept the sound holes functional ... «form follows function» in its purest form. Everything else seemed artificial or too wanted. You should and can see from the guitar that a new path is being broken.

We beat us with big words... but after 40 years of guitar making, you know when something extraordinary has been created... this PARLOR is it!

The PARLOR is included in our regular program in this construction, of course always with the possibility to make individual adjustments, such as neck profile, wood selection, color, etc.

 played by franciscoletta.ch and recorded with 2 SLATE vms ml-2 mics straight into computer, just added a little room. As always, it's best to listen to the samples with headphones.

 On many wishes, we have recorded the new SPATIAL RADIATION PARLOR again with only one microphone and without any effects. Here's the proof that she sounds wonderful even in the simplest set up..;-)

But it sounds best acoustically when the 2 sound holes for the 3-D effect unfold their strength.

 Watch the PARLOR in pin up mode

PS: The logo on the headplate is a mirrored C... for Claudia and Claudio. This will be on all instruments from now on, but not always so prominent on the head.

Here are some pics and sound samples of our GRINGOBEAT with Lollar Goldfoils,

  Played by Francis Coletta over a 1961 Vox AC 30 and recorded directly into logic with a Sennheiser Dynamic microphone. No effects added.

We are happy to announce that 3 of those GRINGOBEAT models will be painted by the great Conrad Jon Godly!

Conrad is a world know painter and former photograph with high celebrity clients. A documentation of him, together with his Japanese wife Kazuyo Okushiba, also a great artist, will be on Swiss, German and Austrian TV called 3sat.
 You may follow the link 

Conrad will paint a GRINGOBEAT bass for a client of us and also a bass and a guitar as a pair for us. It's a honour to work with Godly and a great introduction of our new GRINGOBEAT bass and the new GRINGOserie that will be a collaboration with outstanding artists!

The wish was a Les Paul-like sound, simple, no edges, hand flattering and not looking like Les Paul, but with a lot of pressure... et voilà!

This is the second guitar we were allowed to make to the customer after 10 years. In the meantime, he traveled a lot, was following in the footsteps of the blues in the USA, and so his requirements for a guitar have changed.

Thank you for the renewed confidence!

Body and neck made of old Honduras mahogany, quilted maple blanket, ebony fretboard and headboard. Pick ups Harry Häussel, Steg Schaller, Mechanics Planet Waves.

With delay, but no less proud, we would like to present our cooperation with Peter Zumthor.

Peter Zumthor is one of the world's most famous architects and recipients of the Pritzker Prize. To introduce him may seem superfluous, Wikipedia is recommended for «non-architectural» people.

As part of the Zumthor individual exhibition DEAR TO ME at the Kunsthaus Bregenz, also a highly praised Zumthor building, we were able to implement his idea of a music box.

The Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth was asked by Peter Conradin Zumthor to compose a new work for a musical clock conceived by Peter Zumthor. The punch card tape extends through the entire hall to the ceiling and is driven by hand. The whole thing is amplified by a spruce wooden corpus... where we came into the game.

Of course, it had to be built with Zumthorpenibleprecision, which was a requirement and, to the delight of us, was implemented by me in this way.

And of course, it was a great success... like the whole exhibition.

Enjoy our booth and shop - have fun!
 Part 1
 Part 2
 Part 3


Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2020

Pierre Journel did a live FaceTime with us. Thank you so much for that. Great and looking forward having the beer (or two) together ;-)

Watch the tour of the workshop and the presentation of the guitars we should have presented during The Holy Grail Guitar Show.

 

Rotary shot and closeup of the guitar

Played and explained by Claudio Pagelli



Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2019

Played by Francis Coletta



Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2018

Enjoy our custommade BOWtop



Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2019

Pictures and playing by Andreas Schulz | www.leftover-visuals.de 



Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2019

Filmed and played by Claudio



Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2020

+41 79 460 98 83 for a call, whatsapp or facetime....

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So, finally back home from our intense trip to Tokyo!

We have been invited from JERSEY GIRLS GUITARS, 
ATELIER REZIKA and Gallery SIDE2 to exhibit at the ART FAIR TOKYO.

Together with Jersey Girls Guitars, Michihiro Matsuda, Spalt Guitars, M-Tone Guitars, Ergon Guitars, Andy Manson Guitars and Malinoski Guitars we exhibited by invitation of Atelier REZIKA, Daisuke Ushiku, at the Booth of Gallery SIDE2 of Junko Shimada.  It is the first time that guitars have been officially displayed at a big international ART FAIR! First not accepted by the jury, they changed their mind when seeing the guitars.

After a walk trough the Fair we understand the concern, since the whole Fair was such a high standard. Hardly found art that was not inspiring. So even more it was a big honor to be a part of it.

Another display of the great works of the builders was at Yamano Music, the biggest store in Tokyo. Our instruments were presented on extraordinary stands, which were already art by themselfes, designed and made by JGHG.

We want to thank all involved people, especially the Jersey Girl Guitar Team (Kaz, Eiko, Akiko), Daisuke Ushiku and his lovely wife Rika, Junko Shimada from Gallery SIDE2, Yamano Music for displaying the guitars, Yoshio Nomura for the demonstration of the guitars and Hiroshi Sekita for the bass playing and Minoru Tanaka from Player Corporation Music Magazine for the nice interview.

We will keep that great time in our heart forever. JAPAN RULES!

We had great reactions on the new Bowtop. Of course first on the overall design, since this is the first thing you see. Then on the new concept and sound. And when we demonstrated the pick up and the attachment... just «WOW’s».

Electric
Guitar: Pagelli Bowtop 2018
Played by: Francis Coletta
Filmed by: Matthias Moser
Recorded with 1 Neumann mic TLM193 in front of an 90' Fender Vibroluxe (2x10“) straight into computer, just added a little room.

Click here for demo 1 and 2

      Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2018

Acoustic
Guitar: Pagelli BowTop 2018
Played by: Francis Coletta
Filmed by: Matthias Moser
Recorded with 1 Neumann mic TLM193 straight into computer, just added a little room.

Click here for demo

 Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2018

The new «Les Petites Naives» is the number 4 out of finally 9 guitars.
All those guitars are «Art brut» inspired and will be very different.
 

The new LPN no 4 is made out of an extremely hard to find, totally black African ebony and then carved by Swiss artist Gian Häne (more info about Gian below), with lines that are often found on African masks. To support that feeling of an old mask we also scratched the ebony very roughly.

The top is made out of the highest-class Swiss alpine moon spruce, the neck is African Padauk.

Inside its very modern built, with carbon rods for stabilization and some more tricks. It is just unbelievable how such a small guitar can produce such a huge sound.
 

To make the whole package perfect, the guitar is sold together with a carved picture PIZ BERNINA from Gian Häne made especially for that project.
 

Gian Häne is a Swiss artist who is very well known for his carved objects and pictures. His work is displayed in many galleries and you find them in homes of celebrities like Joe Biden, John Kerry, Roger Federer and many more.

Guitar: «Les petites Naives » no 4 (limited series of nine totally different, art brut inspired parlor sized instruments) 
Played by: Francis Coletta
Filmed by: Matthias Moser
Recorded with 1 Neumann mic TLM193 straight into computer, just added a little room.

Click here for demo 1 and 2

      Copyright: Pagelli Gitarrenbau 2018

So… finally back home from our trip to Woodstock and Manhattan.
The Woodstock Invitational Guitar Show was just as good as everyone promised!Great location, farm-like with a theatre, organized with heart and professionalism, very well attended, very interested visitors, great vibe and great players.
Last but not least: there were sales. One guitar stayed in the USA, another will go to Japan… and the last one is reserved.
 

We want to thank all the guys who made that show happen, in first place Baker Rorick. Then all the players who stopped at our booth. We are very sorry that we did not had the chance to take pics from all of you - actually just from a few. It was just too crowded and always something going on. Moreover, thanks to all the great builders who showed what’s today possible in guitar building.

Of course, it made us very happy that so many of the younger (and some old ones... :-)) came to our stand and told us how important we have been for them when they started building. I still remember well when I was in that position and looked up to the «heavy guys». I hope we treated you well.

Many thanks also to Martin Keith for letting me work in his shop when I was close to a heart attack. Like that, I was able to improvise a new bridge and tailpiece for the missing one.
For your info: I had an extreme busy time to be finished with our new Bowtop guitar to the show. I removed the bridge and tailpiece for the transport and stored it in the case. Then I packed the whole thing for the transport, to realize that I had overweight. Therefore, I unpacked and changed the case with a lighter one. So far so perfect. The day before the show, already in USA, I wanted to set the guitar together… just to realize that I missed the bridge and tailpiece in the other case back home. I was sooooo angry on myself. However, shit happens. Then million calls back and forth to Switzerland. We tried to get them by overnight express… no way… too late.
I contacted Baker who told us that there is a Builder not too far from Woodstock, Martin Keith. We contacted him and he was so generous to lend his shop to us. So - the day before the show, I was working till my flesh felt from the bone to make a new bridge and tailpiece.
Not as beautiful as the original… but good enough to present the innovation at the show. Uff… So finally, we presented the guitar and we were able to breathe again. It's not really what you need before a show… :-)))
 

The presented guitar «Bowtop» is a new invention from us who combines the archtop construction with the Flattop world. It has a new sound and a new and very elegant look. We just recorded a few tracks with Francis Coletta, one of the best players we know, and we will post it in a few weeks on our site, when all is edited.

Our second instrument we presented was the new «Les Petites Naives» no 4, a collaboration with Swiss artist Gian Haene. Gian well known for his carved objects and his work is hanging in the house of people like Al Gore, Bill Clinton or Roger Federer. The guitar comes together with a small artwork by Gian. 

Finally, we showed our archtop flagship, the «Massari» no 9, Cresta Lake Nün. We are so happy that this unbelievable sounding and playing guitar found a great new home in the hands of a great player and human being. It's exactly that guitar the great George Benson played and commented on: This guitar is just perfect!

Following you will see a few pics and impressions from our trip.

Have a great time! Los Pagellis

How cool to win the Recognition Award of a city that has the balls to engage a free impro band! Pez Zumthor, Simon Ambüel and Dani Seiler... all that in front of paintings from H.R.Giger, another son of the city!

Also Recognition Award winners: the great Gaudenz Signorell and oustanding architect Raphael Zuber!
 

Thanks to all involved people, city councilor Patrik Degiacomi for his enthusiasm, Karin Punzi for her great laudatio and to all of you who have congratulated us.

Its a big honour for us! Proud to be Churer..;-)

We are proud to announce that PAGELLI will exhibit at NAMM Show in Los Angeles as part of a group of worlds most recognised luthiers! Find us under the common name LUTHIERS BEYOND LIMITS at NAMM from 25-28. January at Booth 3802.

Luthiers Beyond Limits are a new association of visionary builders who have, collectively, advanced the contemporary benchmark for design. They formed this group to exhibit together based on their mutual respect for and recognition of the innovations they have all made. In the past decade [and more] they have been at the forefront in design thinking and «breaking the mold» of guitar design. It is often said when a group like this assembles [and it is true]: collectively they hold centuries’ worth of hands-on knowledge and mastery, and thousands of years of wisdom.

Luthiers Beyond Limits has chosen the first hexagram from the I GING Book of Changes [Ch’ien with its six lines] as the image to represent their association «Beyond Limits».

CH‘IEN THE CREATIVE: «The first hexagram is made up of six unbroken lines. These unbroken lines stand for the primal power, which is light-giving, active, strong, and of the spirit… Its energy is represented as unrestricted by any fixed conditions in space…»

Text by Ed Keller
Ed Keller is a designer of space, image and sound, and professor at The New School, where he directs the Center for Transformative Media. http://ctm.parsons.edu

www.alquierguitars.com

www.beauregardguitars.com

www.matsudaguitars.com

www.kleincommunity.com

www.taoguitars.com

www.pagelli.com

Our home in the Swiss Alps is one of our greatest sources of inspiration.

Our limited «Alps and Homeland» edition of 20 special Massari archtops as a tribute to this environment. As our «top-of-the-line» archtop, the Massari model represents everything that Claudio has learned in 36 years of building instruments.

Each of the guitars will have unique features, all based on and inspired by the common theme of «Alps and Homeland». Examples include colors that represent the region, traditional motifs, use of materials sourced in the Alps, and much more. Like our lastest Massari:

 «GRISCHETTAS», Massari 10 | 20

The distinctive decorations known as SGRAFFITO go back to the 16th century. Found throughout Switzerland’s Graubünden region, the technique was first used by the courageous and the wealthy to decorate their homes. Sgraffitos tell stories of origin and status, but also of fears and trepidation. Certain symbols were thought protect from evil, but at the same time, they proudly called for attention. What would the Alpine valley of Engadin be without this splendor!

We’re very happy that these ornaments are represented so beautifully on our Massari n. 10, and that the story of these decorations are now being told in Spain!

Many thanks to Ulysses Schmid for his co-operation on this project. Ulysses is a talented goldsmith based in Chur, he's very innovative and it is worth visiting his website: www.ulysse.ch

| some more infos and pics about the edition

The Gitane Nouveaux is one of our absolute Pagelli Favourites.

We are happy that our new client and photographer with taste, Stephan Meier, has chosen that model to have built for him. txs Stephan!

After making mostly Archtops and Acoustics, it was a pleasure to make Electrics again. This «lespaulish» Guitar was made for Ueli Weber, a Swiss customer who already plays a Pagelli Acoustic since many years.
His wish was to have a guitar in that «lespaulish» direction, but light, open sounding, night blueish and elegant.

The guitar features the lightest Mahogany I ever used, a spectacular Canadian Maple Top and Häussel PUP’s. Weight is 3.2 kg and the sound is very open, clear and defined.

And yeah…that scratchplate adds the certain something…;-)

Our latest GRINGOBEAT model, with flamed maple body, spruce top, golden hardware, Fralin pups and 24k golden sides, headstock and finger rest delivered to a new happy customer from Russia.

Click on the pics to the left for slide shows.

Our home in the Swiss Alps is one of our greatest sources of inspiration.

Our creativity is fueled by the mountains, the water, the clear air, the forests, the customs, the materials, the people, the language, the food, the colors, and countless other things that surround us every day.

As such, we see our limited «Alps and Homeland» edition of 20 special Massari archtops as a tribute to this environment. As our «top-of-the-line» archtop, the Massari model represents everything that Claudio has learned in 36 years of building instruments.

Each of the guitars will have unique features, all based on and inspired by the common theme of «Alps and Homeland». Examples include colors that represent the region, traditional motifs, use of materials sourced in the Alps, and much more.

We’ve already built several of the guitars, some of which are already in the hands of their happy owners. (see photo gallery)
Number 1 | ais: «LICHEN-SPLASHED ROCK»
Number 2 | zwai: «THUNDERSTORM IN THE MOUNTAIN»
Number 3 | drü: «LA STRADA ALTA»
Number 4 | viar: «LEAVING NATURE TO ITSELF»
Number 5 | füüf: «HERITAGE RED OF THE ENGADIN»
Number 7 | siba: «BLUE SUMMER SKY IN THE MOUNTIAN»
Number 8 | acht: «ONSET OF WINTER»
Number 9 | nün: «CRESTA MOUNTAIN LAKE»
Numbr 10 | zehn: «GRISCHETTAS»

Don’t miss the opportunity to own one of these wonderful one-of-a-kind and highly collectable guitars.

| some more infos and pics