This baroque guitar is the creation of Joseph R. Bertet, an artisan born at the beginning of the 18th century who was a member of the luthiers' guild in Paris. His active years in Paris spanned from 1730 to sometime after 1764, at which point he relocated to Nantes. In 1754, he was situated on Rue St-Roch in Paris, while records from 1762 place him at rue Dauphiné A Paris. By 1772, official archives in Nantes listed him as a master luthier and instrument merchant, residing on quai Brancas in Nantes. Joseph R. Bertet continued his craft until his passing, which occurred sometime after 1780. In addition to guitars, Bertet was skilled in creating violins in the style of Stradivarius, as well as crafting violas and mandolas.

The construction of this particular instrument aligns with Bertet's earlier work, reminiscent of the baroque guitars crafted by Nicolas Alexandre Voboam (1634-1704), a style that had fallen out of favor by the 1770s.

Similar to many baroque guitars, this instrument appears to have undergone conversion in the early 19th century, transforming it into a six-string guitar. When I acquired it, it had already been reconfigured as a baroque guitar. In France, I entrusted Matéo Crémades with the task of faithfully reproducing its original parchment rosette, a feature known to be present in other surviving Bertet guitars.

Remarkably, this guitar remains fully playable and retains the enchanting tonality characteristic of baroque guitars, allowing for a unique musical experience.

THIS GUITAR IS NOW PART OF THE COLLECTION OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM IN PHOENIX, AZ