2024 Bertrand Ligier SP/AR

This 2024 Bertrand Ligier is a classical guitar with a spruce top and African rosewood back and sides, built in the Languedoc region of southern France, with a Swiss spruce top aged 30 years and spruce-lined double sides.

Bertrand Ligier's 2024 Body Design

Like every guitar we receive from him, this one has his latest body design, built on many years of constant research. Always seeking to improve, Bertrand has again made slight modifications to give it more aesthetic balance - the proportions of the headstock and purflings have been adjusted accordingly as well. The tie block is inspired by Simplicio - a charming and subtle homage, done in his own way with the central part raised in relief like a carved jewel. New in many ways, yet still unmistakably French school - austere and complex, yet understated.

Six Full-Length Bars and Bouchet-Style Braces

Bertrand always seeks to increase the acoustic capabilities of his guitars while maintaining a beautiful quality of sound. In late 2019 he made the difficult technical decision to leave the French mounting technique for the Spanish method - changing several details of his building process, including making new moulds - to improve the relationship between the neck and body, particularly the soundboard. The result is a more balanced guitar, with strong and lyrical basses and an especially improved first string; the sound is as classy as ever, with perhaps a bit more old-world charm. The bracing has six full-length bars placed symmetrically, three on each side. Instead of a center brace there is a "half" bar from the bridge to the foot, plus two shorter braces fanning away from the soundhole to the bridge, and two Bouchet-style braces - under the front edge of the bridge and just behind it - giving the bridge a very flexible area to move in while staying structurally stable. The sides are doubled, as always with Bertrand - the inside layer is spruce, which Bertrand chose for its lightweight quality and because it was often used for back and sides during the Romantic period (for example in the instruments of René Lacote). A stiffer yet still lightweight body sends more of the vibration into the soundboard, improving projection in concert settings and giving deeper, sturdier basses and more rounded, focused trebles.

Craftsmanship and Sound

Beyond the sound, Ligier has become recognized for his remarkable woodworking skills - the detail in his inlay work rivals the most skilled woodworkers in the trade, and his perfectly executed rosettes are a hallmark of his work. This one has a new variation on the "bean" mosaic inspired by Daniel Friederich's famous rosette. His French polish has a mirror-like, perfectly even sheen over the entire instrument. Great style, delivered with virtuosity. The top is a beautiful Swiss spruce aged 30 years, with an exquisite set of colorful African rosewood for the back and sides, and the tuners are Alessi H1 with black horn buttons. Sound and looks are well matched - precise balance, supreme clarity between the voices, and a sophisticated tone with a very pronounced fundamental and highly controlled overtones. Incredibly satisfying on all counts, and a guitar we recommend to any player, from the advanced student to the accomplished professional.

Photos of this guitar taken after completion

Orfeo Magazine article on Bertrand Ligier

Bertrand Ligier and the French School

Based in southern France, Bertrand Ligier is considered one of the best makers of the new French generation. Since we have been working with him, his work has constantly evolved with each guitar to reach higher levels of craftsmanship and musicality that are now internationally recognized. His attention to aesthetics and his keen sense of sound place him in the tradition of the French school that begins with Robert Bouchet, followed by Daniel Friederich, Dominique Field, Jean-Noël Rohé and now Bertrand Ligier. Indeed, both Dominique Field and Jean-Noël Rohé have played an important role for Bertrand through their helpful advice and continuous support of his work for many years.

A Workshop in Connaux, near Avignon

Before turning to the guitar, Bertrand studied art history and then trained as a cabinet-maker, with apprenticeships in the south of France and in Spain. He works in Connaux, a village between Avignon, Nîmes and Uzès, in a former silkworm house that he renovated himself into his workshop. With a growing wait-list and increasing international demand, we are pleased to have US exclusivity with this fine maker, who provides us one instrument per year.