Bertrand Ligier – 2021 No. 89

Description

Bertrand Ligier is a French luthier based in Connaux, near Avignon in the south of France. His guitars follow the French tradition and are crafted with great finesse. Particular attention is given to the French polish, and the sound qualities follow those of Dominique Field and Daniel Friederich’s guitars. Bertrand has adopted some aesthetic details from the history of guitar making and has made them his own with outstanding refinement and taste. For instance, the shape of the head as well as the illuminations and the size of the label are reminiscent of those of Robert Bouchet. The rosette is of the utmost delicacy and the intricate mosaic pieces that compose it are assembled with skillful precision.

What a guitar! This instrument, built in 2021 and numbered 89, is as new. Almost no playing marks are to be seen on the glass-like french polish. The French guitar-making school has arguably been leading worldwide lutherie in terms of finesse and elegance for the past 50 years. First with Robert Bouchet and then Daniel Friederich and Dominique Field, followed by Jean-Noel Rohé. Now Bertrand Ligier brings the tradition even further with a spectacular craftsmanship quality displayed on this guitar. In our opinion, this rosette is a sign of genius. Deep in the Bertrand Ligier style with details in the tenth of millimeter size, it displays a hidden hommage to Daniel Friederichs rosette that is truly emotional to us. The colors and shape of the central mosaic are a work of art and a mesmerizing fresco telling the story of the French guitar-making school.

Soundwise, this guitar stands for balance, volume, and elegance. The sustain and equilibrium of each note are impressive. Moreover, the significant color range and texture possibilities give this guitar a multidimensional sound that offers guitarists genuine freedom of expression. On top of this, the double sides make for a very reverberant and stiff guitar body that projects the sound strongly. As a result, this guitar’s volume is more than enough to fill a concert hall. Chapeau.