"Just try saying it after a few glasses of Chianti. Neither football team nor line of "Bohemian Rapsody",
it is in fact the name of the man behind Frudua Guitar Works, formerly one of Italy's leading high-end guitars manufacturers". Guitar Buyer, UK.
Hi, my name is Galeazzo Frudua (www.frudua.com) and I am not unfortunately part of the famous lyrics above ;) I am a luthier and amp builder.
I have been professionally building custom handmade guitars since 1988.
Till this day I have built around 400 among electric guitar and basses, bolt on, neck through and set neck. You can see some of them
here.
I was born in 1964, in Albizzate, a small centre in the extreme north of Italy.
I built my first guitar, a copy of the John Lennon's
320 Rickenbacker in 1980, a time when you could not find any of the hundreds of replacement parts that you can find today.
This was definitely the hard way to learn but it truly paid off.
Custom made Frudua Guitar Works GFK.
Next year I made my first neck through guitar based on the design of Brain May's original custom made axe which I built out of a 1100 year piece of oak.
It took to me one year 90 km back and forth every week (had not car license then) to convince that old carpenter to sell that ancient piece of wood
belonging to an old fireplace and this should tell you a lot about my character...
I owe my skills to a
Fender Strat I bought in 1980. I made every sort of custom modification on it until I finally destroyed it in 1984 after that
I had tried almost every kind of job you can do on an electric guitar.
In 1982 I began perfecting my skills at the famous International Cremona Luthery School "Antonio Stradivari" with Masters Vincenzo Bissolotti and Ernesto Vaia, where I was full
immerse into the violins making world for two years.
I left the school after I felt that I had learned all the "classic" wood crafting and applications secrets I could then apply to my electric guitars and basses.
Attending the Luthiery School was definitely the foundation of my career and knowledge.
Some of the handmade custom instruments I built along the years. Left Frudua Octabass. Right Frudua Carved Slave Penta.
I care for each Frudua guitar as if it was my own and I already miss it even before it leaves the shop. There is my name on it.
I'm particularly devoted to three instruments: guitar, bass and piano. My main passions are: music, composition, graphic design,
building websites, history and communication in general.
One of the guitars I built for David Rhodes (former Peter Gabriel's band guitarist) a truly talented and innovative player and composer.
In 1988 I opened my own workshop. The repair service was successful and I was encouraged to build guitars to client’s individual specifications.
Soon I was building a number of 'own brand' electric and semi-acoustic guitars for private clients.
During my now 22 years as a luthier my instruments became well known and admired
across Italy and I had the honor of building instruments for the major italian recording artists as well as for international musicians
the caliber of David Rhodes (Peter Gabriel band) and Jimmy Earl
(Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea Electric band - more below).
A gallery of some of my custom instruments
In 2003 I began working with partners and friends of TBE Bologna on the production of handmade amplifiers for guitar and basses
branded under "The Valve" trademark. In 2004, 'The Valve' was unveiled to foreign buyers at the Frankfurt Music Messe,
where it was rapturously received by public and critics alike.
Today, 'The Valve'-brand amps start being known and distributed across several
countries, the range now including 5 models with sufficient scope to satisfy the needs of just about any guitar player.
Some of the international magazines which reviewed my instruments.
You can listen to my instruments (labeled Frudua Guitar Works) and amps on the records (or live) of the following italian and foreign artists
INTERNATIONAL
Peter Gabriel
Steve Lukather
James Earl - Chick Corea Electric Band, Stanley Clark, ect.
Carlitos del Puerto (Steve Lukather, Bruce Springsteen, etc.)
Carl Verheyen - Supertramp, all major USA artists.
David Rhodes - Peter Gabriel
Gerard Rasta Harris - Cool and the Gang
Ron Wood - The Rolling Stones
Lolo Alvarez
Javi Valero
Ralf Jung
Jan Carlos Marin
Zladu Perica
Ludovico Vagnone
Vedran Mircetic
Laura Pausini
Eros Ramazzotti
De Staat
Zucchero
Ennio Morricone
ITALIAN
Vasco Rossi
Mina
Zucchero
Eros Ramazzotti
Laura Pausini
Celentano
Renato Zero
Claudio Baglioni
Pino Daniele
Franco Battiato
Elio e le Storie Tese
Roberto Vecchioni
Francesco De Gregori
Angelo Branduardi
Stadio
Mango
Enzo Iannacci
Ron
Demo Morselli Band
Nek
Gianluca Gignani
Biagio Antonacci
Antonella Ruggero
Fabio Concato
Alex Baroni
Nicolo' Fabbi
Andrea Braido - Zucchero, Mina, Vasco Rossi, ect.
Saverio Capo - Nicolo' Fabbi.
Giorgio Cocilovo - RAI, Mediaset, Concato, Mina, Zero, ect.
Paolo Costa - Baglioni, Battiato, Biba Band, Mannoia, Zero, ect.
Some of the handmade custom instruments I built along the years. Left Frudua Octabass.
Some of the international magazines which reviewed my instruments.