2026 Jean-Noël Rohé SP/CSAR

This 2026 Jean-Noël Rohé is a new classical guitar with a spruce top and CSA rosewood back and sides, made in Strasbourg, France, from aged tonewoods out of the old stock of the late Daniel Friederich.

A Refined French Classical Guitar with Double Sides

Like every Rohé, this is an incredibly refined instrument, with craftsmanship that is second to none – extremely tasteful and perfectly executed down to the smallest details. Both the spruce soundboard and the CSA rosewood back and sides come from Friederich’s stock, and the sides are built double in the Friederich manner, with Jean-Noël’s usual cypress for the inner layer.

Symmetrical 8-Fan Bracing with Staggered Cross Braces

The bracing on this one has 8 symmetrical fan braces, but the two inner ones are about half the length of the outer ones. There are 3 horizontal braces – two on either side of the bridge, and one midway between the bridge and the soundhole. These are of different lengths and alternate between skewing in length to the treble side or to the bass side. Then the 4th brace is diagonal, in the lower bout, mainly on the treble side.

A Majestic, “Cathedral-Like” Sound

Sound is majestic, with a rich, almost “cathedral-like” presence and a generous overtone content emanating from the box that almost has its own built-in reverb. This is a similar quality to Friederich’s later guitars. Playability is easy, with a very firm and solid neck, which also improves sustain.

A Maker’s Personality, Like a Fine Wine

Jean-Noël often compares guitar making to wine-making: just as the vintner’s personality comes through in the wine, the luthier’s comes through in the guitar, with woods and structure blending much like grape varieties and scents. For the connoisseur of fine guitars, his instruments do for the ears what the finest wines do for the palate.

Among the fine players of Rohé guitars are Pablo Márquez, Vojin Kocić, David Jaggs, Adam Woch, Philippe Mouratoglou and Baptiste Ramond.

Photos of this guitar taken during construction

Orfeo Magazine #7 – French School Luthiery

The Leading French Guitar Maker of His Generation

Based in Strasbourg, France, Jean-Noël Rohé is considered to be the top French maker of his generation – not just by all those who see and play his instruments, but also by none other than the late Daniel Friederich and Dominique Field, who have been among his most avid supporters.

Meilleur Ouvrier de France, 2004

Jean-Noël Rohé receives his Meilleur Ouvrier de France medal from President Jacques Chirac – a photo signed by Chirac “À Jean-Noël Rohé avec estime et amitiés”, June 21, 2004.

Jean-Noël trained in instrument making at Sherwood College in Newark, England, under Tony Johnson and Roy Courtnall. In 2004 he was awarded the title “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France” (M.O.F.), receiving the medal from France’s then-president, Jacques Chirac – with Daniel Friederich as president of the jury and Dominique Field as a member. (We later had the actual prize-winning guitar here at GSI.) With Field’s advice, he established himself as an independent maker that same year.

One Rohé Guitar a Year for GSI

We are delighted to be Jean-Noël’s only dealer in the USA – bringing in one guitar per year, particularly since his private waiting list is now 8 years.