Heikki Rousu – 2023 11-string No. 432

Description

This exciting guitar was built by the Swedish luthier Heikki Rousu. Heikki has been building guitars since 1990 and has now crafted more than 300 instruments. This particular instrument is an eleven-string guitar, also known as the alto or Bolin. The Swedish luthier Georg Bolin developed this extended-range classical guitar in the 1960s, and it has been primarily popularized by guitarists Per-Olof Johnson and Göran Söllscher.

This 11-string guitar, number 432, is a true marvel of sound and craftsmanship. This brand-new guitar from 2023 boasts a harmonically rich tone ideally suited for playing lute music with guitar technique. Guitarists will be thrilled by the wide range of sounds this instrument offers, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for their music. With its extensive range, this guitar provides a mesmerizing sound, making it an ideal choice for those seeking an authentic approach to pieces by masters such as J.S. Bach and S.L. Weiss. The guitar is tuned to g d a f c G F Eb D C B, a third higher than a traditional 6-string guitar. This allows for an impressively abundant and resonant sound that will leave you spellbound.

Behold the 11-string guitar, a wondrous creation
Crafted by Heikki Rousu, with skill and dedication
This alto, or Bolin, with extended range
Offers a harmonious sound, a tone so strange

Georg Bolin’s legacy, brought to life
By Per-Olof Johnson and Göran Söllscher’s strife
Now number 432, a guitar so new
With sounds that will leave you in awe and ensue

A wide range of notes, a mesmerizing sound
Playing lute music with guitar technique, profound
The guitar’s tuned to g d a f c G F Eb D C B
A third higher than six-string guitars, oh so free

Bach and Weiss’s pieces, played with authenticity
A true marvel of sound and craftsmanship, a rarity
Heikki Rousu’s creation, a masterpiece of sight
An eleven-string guitar, a true delight.

Watch the presentation video of this particular guitar below, where you will find a lot of additional information about its playability and sound.