Claudio Pagelli I have been building and repairing guitars and double basses since 1977. As head of the biggest Swiss repair workshop (at the time) I was in charge of maintenance of the guitars of numerous musicians and the service point for Gibson, Fender, Ovation and various others. During that period I imported and restored a few hundred instruments, mainly jazz guitars from the US. In 1978 I set up my own business. Longer periods of time I worked as a professional guitar player and sound tech- nician/recording engineer for different studios. The last few years I have entirely devoted myself to guitar building and free- lance designing for leading firms. The business Claudia, my wife, is also my partner in business. She makes major contributions towards the designs and she is also in charge of the administration. Her critical eye is as much loved as it is feared. Last but not least, our daughter Eliya Maria. She is in charge of creating havoc an a loving atmosphere in the business.