US $14000 Jean-Noel Rohe spruce 2016, Vienna VA, US

[JLV]

Hello Isabelle,

I spoke to Bertrand Ligier 2 weeks ago but couldn't make it to his workshop to see his last guitar before he was shipping it to China!

I will give a full review here and on the french site after the Honeymoon...

Best regards,

[petermc61]

I saved ten years of waiting list and for me JNR reached already the top of french luthiers.
(I already had 2 Friedrich, and 2 Field)
His guitars are superlatives in every way.

Would love to hear your thoughts on how the Rohe compares with Friedrich and Field

The question was not asked of me but I have a perspective. I have played a 1984 cedar Friederich, a 1990 spruce Field, a 2014 spruce Field and a 2012 spruce Rohe. Firstly, they are all built beautifully. The best French luthiers just have this understated beauty in their instruments I love. The second thing is they are all powerful instruments (well, the latter Field is if the earlier one was less so). The third thing is they each have this wonderful cavernous effect, as though they are producing a big sound in a big hall. Not quite lattice loud, certainly not bright, but like a large acoustic space where the sounds ring and ring.

The Friederich has what I call a 'caramel' colour to its sound, typical of the best cedar, but with a lovely first string and lots of nice overtones that stops the sound becoming closed or cloying. Powerful, deep bass.

The Field sounds more neutral to me. I think it is possibly the most 'neutral' guitar I have heard - as if you can make it sound bright or sweet depending on how you play it. It likes to be pushed and has amazingly dynamic abilities. Polyphony is gorgeous. Voice separation exemplary.

The Rohe sounded both sweet and dynamic. Lovely rich, warm spruce sound with great weight but good voice separation. Its tonally luxurious. Really, I found it very, very hard to get a bad sound out of this guitar. It is very forgiving in a 'beautiful' sort of way.

Just some thoughts.

Peter

[ChristianK]

The third thing is they each have this wonderful cavernous effect, as though they are producing a big sound in a big hall. Not quite lattice loud, certainly not bright, but like a large acoustic space where the sounds ring and ring.

Peter, thank you. I had a difficult time choosing the right word to describe the Rohe (and Field that I previously owned) but cavernous is an apt description. I found it unique to the Rohe and Field that I played. I will certainly miss the Rohe but now it's off to my next bucket list (Ambridge).

[souldier]

I saved ten years of waiting list and for me JNR reached already the top of french luthiers.
(I already had 2 Friedrich, and 2 Field)
His guitars are superlatives in every way.

Would love to hear your thoughts on how the Rohe compares with Friedrich and Field

The question was not asked of me but I have a perspective...

Peter

Appreciate the in-depth insight Peter. I may not have a chance to play these guitars nor do I intend to ever own one, but I do find it quite intriguing to have an idea on how these world class instruments sound.

[Tom]

Peter, I really like the word cavernous you used to describe the sound of those guitar.

I have had the exact feel, but just could not find a word to describe it, when I play one of my guitar made by a renowned UK luthier. It is this exact reason I have turned down many offers to sell this guitar.

[JLV]

Hello to all,

First a big thank you to Christian.
The guitar arrived safely and is even more beautiful than what I could expect.
The deal was smooth and Christian has been fair, friendly and professional.

I put my reference set of strings that I used to play on the Field and Friederich which is Alliance and Corum Blue.
I feel at home with these strings!

First impression after a short recovery because I was knocked out in the first round by this guitar!
Cristal clear trebles, deep basses, huge polyphonia.
As my friend Valère who knows very well JNR and his guitars says, "It seems that JNR guitars swallowed the Cathedral of Strasburg.."

More to come later...

Best regards,