FRIEDMAN

Star

Each one uniquely its own.

Born from Dave and Billy’s shared passion for the explosive guitar culture of early ’80s Pasadena.

The Friedman Star pays tribute to trailblazing players such as Eddie Van Halen and the Japanese guitar virtuoso Akira Takasaki. Its bold silhouette recalls the home built classics of the era while striking the perfect balance between rock ’n’ roll grit and refined craftsmanship. 

The Star’s shape provides extended upper-fret access, comfortable seated playing, and an unmistakable stage presence. A refined D-shaped neck completes its fast, performance-driven feel.

– HARDWARE –

BRIDGE, PICKUPS, CONTROLS

3X3 HEADSTOCK

SINGLE PICKUP/VOLUME

FLOYD ROSE BRIDGE

Star Specifications

Neck Radius

Star Profile: 14" Radius

Body Wood

Alder

Neck Wood

Maple

Fingerboard Wood

Maple
Rosewood

Bridge Hardware

Floyd Rose - Top Mount

Nut Material

Floyd Rose hardened steel locking nut

Electronics

Pots: CTS
Switch: Switchcraft
Caps: Orange Drops
Jack: Switchcraft

Wire

Vintage Pushback Cloth Wire

– FRIEDMAN PICKUPS, NECK, FINISHES –

Alnico 5 Magnets - 16k DC

Friedman TRIPLE D

The Friedman Triple D Humbucker is a modern high-output pickup. 

It features a carefully sculpted, open voice that gives your tone improved clarity and response. 

Its increased output and midrange focus perfectly cut through any mix without sounding honky or nasally.

DC Resistance - 16k Bridge

– D SHAPE NECK PROFILE –

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

Exclusive 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.

Feels naturally balanced and comfortable

3x3 Headstock

Top Mount Floyd Rose

Finish Checking

Simplicity in its purest form

– 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.