Each one uniquely its own
Inspired by the San Dimas-era guitars that redefined rock performance, the Cali is built for speed, precision, and expression.

From crushing rhythm work to high velocity leads, it is designed to be one of the most effortlessly playable instruments imaginable. The ultimate hot-rodded guitar, the Friedman Cali screams tone, technique, and volume.
It distills Dave Friedman’s decades of tone shaping and his experience working with many of the world’s greatest guitarists into one streamlined, high-performance instrument.
Shop By Pickup Configuration
Shop By Bridge Configuration
Cali Specifications
Neck Radius |
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| Cali Profile: 14" Radius (Floyd Rose) | |
| Cali Custom Profile: 9.5"–12" Radius (Hardtail) |
Body Wood |
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| Standard: Alder | |
| Translucent Finishes: Ash | |
| Cherry + TV Yellow Finish: Mahogany |
Neck Wood |
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| Maple | |
| Roasted Maple |
Fingerboard Wood |
|
| Maple | |
| Rosewood | |
| Ebony |
Bridge Hardware |
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| Gotoh Hardtail, Floyd-Rose |
Nut Material |
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| Floyd Rose hardened steel locking nut | |
| Graph Tech (Hardtail) |
Electronics |
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| Pots: CTS | |
| Switch: Switchcraft | |
| Caps: Orange Drops | |
| Jack: Switchcraft |
Wire |
|
| Vintage Pushback Cloth Wire |
Scale Length: |
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| 25.5" |
Neck Profile: |
|
| C - Slightly Flat Back |
Small-Batch Individuality
Each instrument is individually finished and aged, meaning that even guitars in the same color will have their own character, with unique variations in the finish checking, wear, and aged hardware.

SN 0824-2832

SN 0824-2829
– FRIEDMAN PICKUPS, NECK, FINISHES –

Pure Punch. Pure Clarity.Pure Friedman.
Friedman Pickups
At the heart of every Friedman guitar is a carefully selected set of Friedman pickups, voiced to deliver the punch, clarity, and character that define the Friedman sound. From articulate vintage-style single coils and expressive Classic 90s to powerful, high-output humbuckers, each pickup is designed to complement the guitar and respond naturally to the way you play.
Every note comes through with authority, definition, and harmonic richness, while dynamic response stays intact from clean to driven. Dig in for more bite and output, or roll back the volume and let the guitar clean up naturally. The result is a versatile range of tones that stays expressive, musical, and distinctly Friedman.
– Modified C - Slightly slimmer back with wider shoulders –

Neck Carve
Friedman Ultra Comfort Handshake
The Friedman neck carve is designed around one simple idea: it should feel right in your hand. The comfortable C shape fills the palm without feeling bulky, with smooth, rounded shoulders that make it easy to move up and down the neck. It has enough substance to feel solid, but never gets in the way.
Friedman calls it the Ultra Comfort Handshake—a shape inspired by the natural feel of a great handshake. There’s no exaggerated vintage profile or ultra-thin shredder carve. Instead, it strikes a balance that feels familiar, substantial, and effortless, whether you're playing rhythm down low or working your way up the neck.
It’s one of those details you notice immediately, then stop thinking about. The neck simply feels natural. Pick up a Friedman and the shape settles into your hand quickly, giving you the comfort and control to focus on playing rather than adapting to the guitar.
– ZERO SHIFT. PERFECT ALIGNMENT. MAXIMUM TONE –


Tight Pocket and
Zero-Shift Neck Pins
Neck shifting results in incorrect string alignment and is a challenge for many guitars. A tight neck pocket helps, but in-and-of-itself does not eliminate the problem.
FRIEDMAN GUITARS raise the bar with the exclusive Zero-Shift Neck Pin design; whereby, two military-grade precision steel dowel pins align the body and neck, eliminating shift altogether.
The tonal benefit of this connection is a virtual fusion of the body and neck whereby the transference of vibration is maximized.
– CUSTOM FINISHES –

CUSTOM SHOP QUALITY
Friedman Guitars are built with the kind of attention you notice the moment you pick one up.
The neck feels right, the finish feels natural, and everything fits together exactly as it should. There’s no sense of a guitar being assembled to hit a price point—it feels like every part was chosen and every detail was checked because it actually matters.
That attention carries through to the playing experience. The fretwork is precise, the setup is dialed in, and the guitars have a solid, broken-in feel without losing the punch and authority you expect from a high-performance instrument.
They’re designed to respond to the player rather than get in the way, whether you’re digging in with a pick, pushing an amp, or playing clean.
Custom shop quality isn’t just about how a guitar looks. It’s about how it feels in your hands and how it responds when you play it.
That’s the standard behind Friedman Guitars: carefully built instruments with serious attention to the details you actually feel and hear.
– AGING –

Made to Feel Familiar From the First Chord
Friedman Guitars are built with the feel of an instrument that’s already been played for years. The aging process goes beyond simply making a guitar look worn—it gives the finish, hardware, and overall feel a natural, broken-in character without taking away from the precision of the instrument underneath.
The result is a guitar that feels familiar almost immediately. The neck sits comfortably in your hand, the finish has the feel of a guitar that’s been played night after night, and the small details give it an unmistakable sense of history. It doesn’t feel like you’re waiting years for the guitar to become yours—it feels like it already is.
From the first chord, Friedman Guitars are made to feel lived-in, played-in, and ready to go. The combination of custom-shop construction, carefully aged finishes, precise fretwork, and a dialed-in setup creates an instrument with the character of a favorite guitar from day one.















