In my travels as a performer I have been privileged to meet some amazing guitar builders. Featured on this page are some of the instruments in my collection. Although I've played classical and flamenco guitars for most of my music career, in the past few years I've started adding new and exotic guitar sounds to my stage shows. About three years ago the ukulele started to intrigue me and as of recently the banjo has reached out to me as well. As I continue to explore, the electric, the steel string, and the mandolin have made their way into my sound.
One of my most interesting guitars is by the late Richard Schneider. Richard was a passionate builder who spent thirty years redesigning the classical guitar. He built a modern instrument with innovative bracing and an offset sound hole.
I met Richard in 1994 in Seattle, and he offered me a guitar to use for recording and for playing in a few concerts. I was very impressed with his guitars. We became friends while he attended many of my concerts and Richard invited me to perform at his Lost Mountain Guitar Festival. At the time of his death, Richard Schneider had a guitar he named 'Leslie' in the works for me; his good friend Jay Hargreaves finished the instrument and it is now a cherished part of my collection. Visit Website
David Poplar
Ukulele & Small Instruments
Sequim, WA
Three years ago, ukulele and small instrument maker David Poplar heard me playing a store bought ukulele at a concert in his area. He approached me and offered to make me a custom uke. David builds in an old world style, using no power tools. His philosophy is that these truly unique instruments are rustic and folkloric instruments. Now, three years later we have built a player-builder relationship and Poplar has made several very exotic sounding ukuleles for me, featured here on my site and recorded on my album 'Novella'. I have a Poplar three string, a five string, a couple of beautiful tenor ukuleles, and a parlor guitar. The parlor guitar is a replica of an old Torres from Spain; it's the same guitar that you see Sting using in concert these days. For more information, contact Andre Feriante directly at andreferiante@gmail.com
I'm currently playing a great ukulele by master carpenter and architect Kevin Gillies of OI Ukuleles. Kevin's work is cutting edge, and some of the best pro ukulele players use his instruments. I am fortunate to have a tenor and a baritone by Kevin Gillies. Visit Website
Currently I'm using a nylon string banjo by the very creative and talented banjo maker, Patrick "Doc" Huff, of "Doc's Banjos". My own custom banjo is being worked on this fall. Visit Website
I also have an amazing sounding classical arch-top guitar by a builder from Sand Point ID, Vance Bergeson. For more information, please email Vance Burgeson directly at vancebergeson@earthlink.net
We are just starting to put together a new YouTube channel featuring a large collection of Andre Feriante videos. Come see
Andre Feriante
And The Bohemian Entourage
This latest incarnation of Andre Feriante offers a very unique and compelling sound to the concert stage. You will hear original Spanish influenced music combined with opera, Bach, Leonard Cohen, jazz standards, east Indian rhythms played with Feriante's creative banjo and ukulele techniques, fiery South American songs, early music and improvisations on the Beatles. Improvisation, humor and storytelling are a big part of the concept of the Entourage.
Video Preview of the Bohemian Entourage
Beatles Masquerade
New Album - Available Now
Andre Feriante explores heartfelt improvisations on the Beatles. Read More
I dance the world
on spinning mountain peaks
of sleep
invisible partners glide
to and from my arms falling out
into spacious ballrooms of rose
My sorrow is a cup of blue honey
and I sip the swirls of desire
laughing strong in dance
because I know nothing
Every place I spin
there forms a memory of me
billows of light engulf me
and I am driven by the music
of vibrant abandon
I dance where silence
has not yet formed
beneath the virgin coils of longing
where the wings of angels
are waiting still to move
I dance in the eyes of the dead...
Untitled
I almost put 'I love you'
in words last night
but I held my tongue
and kept it in my eyes
Portrait
I will paint for you
a large guitar with thick black lines
I will fill it with
the fading cities of yesterday
Rome Barcelona Santa Cruz
with the ancient streets
I frequent in my sleep
I will paint the neck
as delicate
as the back of a woman
Along the strings
I will spin invisible strands of joy
and long filaments of moonlight
I will paint myself
as the arms of a tree
slowly embracing the guitar
in gradual surrender
to the heavy beauty of stars
My face will be painted
in the eyes of clouds
drifting yet paralyzed in stillness...
One of my most interesting guitars is by the late Richard Schneider. Richard was a passionate builder who spent thirty years redesigning the classical guitar. He built a modern instrument with innovative bracing and an offset sound hole. 
Three years ago, ukulele and small instrument maker David Poplar heard me playing a store bought ukulele at a concert in his area. He approached me and offered to make me a custom uke. David builds in an old world style, using no power tools. His philosophy is that these truly unique instruments are rustic and folkloric instruments. Now, three years later we have built a player-builder relationship and Poplar has made several very exotic sounding ukuleles for me, featured here on my site and recorded on my album '
I'm currently playing a great ukulele by master carpenter and architect Kevin Gillies of OI Ukuleles. Kevin's work is cutting edge, and some of the best pro ukulele players use his instruments. I am fortunate to have a tenor and a baritone by Kevin Gillies.
Currently I'm using a nylon string banjo by the very creative and talented banjo maker, Patrick "Doc" Huff, of "
Classical Guitar, Spruce Top
Flamenco Blanca
Koa Wood Tenor Ukulele
I also have an amazing sounding classical arch-top guitar by a builder from Sand Point ID, Vance Bergeson. For more information, please email Vance Burgeson directly at 
80's Vintage Electric Guitar
