1961 Robert Bouchet SP/CSAR

Paris-based Robert Bouchet built just over 150 guitars in his lifetime - they are prized for their sound and appearance as well as for their rarity. This guitar is built in his later style, featuring his innovative "lateral" brace which passes beneath the saddle-side of the bridge, notched to accommodate the 5 fan struts - of which the outermost two pass beneath the lower harmonic bar. This design noticeably increases sustain, dynamic range and tonal color/modulation, especially in this particular guitar. It also has a dreamy, elegantly beautiful quality of sound - very hard to describe. It is at the same time also quite powerful and robust. The quality of the sound has an almost "creamy" texture to it - and the sensation of playing a guitar with this sound is very intoxicating and other-worldly. It is certainly one of the most collectable classical guitars in the world today along with Hermann Hauser I and Antonio de Torres and this is a top example of a great Bouchet from this period.