I was born to make instruments. Literally, my first name is Fabrizio which means craftsman, and my last name is Alberico, which means tree. Most people call me "Fab."
I've been a luthier since 1998, and since 2020 my shop has been in picturesque Ladysmith, BC, Canada.
Music has always been a big part of my life, starting on piano at a young age and then gravitating to the guitar when I went to University. It didn’t take long before I had a custom guitar made for me, closely followed by learning how to make guitars from the great Sergei deJonge in 1998. I immediately went into guitarmaking full-time, and continue that craft today. If you haven’t already, check out my guitar site: www.albericoguitar.com
In 2007 or so, I began playing Old-Time music, and also learned how to play clawhammer guitar. Naturally, I soon picked up a banjo and it was love at first bum-ditty. And so it was a natural evolution of my instrument-making to start making banjos.
I learned banjo-making mostly on my own, incorporating what I know about guitars into my methods, aesthetic preferences, and playability. For example, traditionally, banjo fingerboards are flat. But that doesn’t make ergonomic sense, so I do a compound radius, just like on my guitars. It feels so much more natural and effortless to play. I’m also not a fan of skinny frets. They’re not great for sustain, sliding, or hammer-ons. So I use higher, wider frets with a rounder profile. Again, the difference is remarkable. The first thing people comment on with my banjos is how easy they are to play. I take all the impossibly-high standards from the acoustic guitar world and bring them into banjos. Every instrument I make is heirloom-quality, guaranteed to please generations to come.
You'll find a lot more information about my design philosophy on my Instagram Page.
A note about my company name... King Ashoka, who was also named after a tree, ruled almost all the Indian subcontinent from 268 to 232 BCE, with blood and conquest on his mind. But after being responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths and deportations, he saw the error of his ways, and experienced a remarkable personal transformation. He ended his reign as a benevolent King, ruling his Empire with loving kindness and compassion for all living beings. Music may be a diversion for some, but I have seen it change hearts, including my own. And the banjo has a particular bell-like, clear tone that lends itself to the kind of awakening this world needs a little more of right now.
I've been a luthier since 1998, and since 2020 my shop has been in picturesque Ladysmith, BC, Canada.
Music has always been a big part of my life, starting on piano at a young age and then gravitating to the guitar when I went to University. It didn’t take long before I had a custom guitar made for me, closely followed by learning how to make guitars from the great Sergei deJonge in 1998. I immediately went into guitarmaking full-time, and continue that craft today. If you haven’t already, check out my guitar site: www.albericoguitar.com
In 2007 or so, I began playing Old-Time music, and also learned how to play clawhammer guitar. Naturally, I soon picked up a banjo and it was love at first bum-ditty. And so it was a natural evolution of my instrument-making to start making banjos.
I learned banjo-making mostly on my own, incorporating what I know about guitars into my methods, aesthetic preferences, and playability. For example, traditionally, banjo fingerboards are flat. But that doesn’t make ergonomic sense, so I do a compound radius, just like on my guitars. It feels so much more natural and effortless to play. I’m also not a fan of skinny frets. They’re not great for sustain, sliding, or hammer-ons. So I use higher, wider frets with a rounder profile. Again, the difference is remarkable. The first thing people comment on with my banjos is how easy they are to play. I take all the impossibly-high standards from the acoustic guitar world and bring them into banjos. Every instrument I make is heirloom-quality, guaranteed to please generations to come.
You'll find a lot more information about my design philosophy on my Instagram Page.
A note about my company name... King Ashoka, who was also named after a tree, ruled almost all the Indian subcontinent from 268 to 232 BCE, with blood and conquest on his mind. But after being responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths and deportations, he saw the error of his ways, and experienced a remarkable personal transformation. He ended his reign as a benevolent King, ruling his Empire with loving kindness and compassion for all living beings. Music may be a diversion for some, but I have seen it change hearts, including my own. And the banjo has a particular bell-like, clear tone that lends itself to the kind of awakening this world needs a little more of right now.