Vielle Reserve Brazilian #62

a · April 2007

Yes, the Creme de la Creme de la Creme.
This is the award winning Vielle Reserve Brazilian that originally sold for $7000 on gypsyguitars.com. I acquired it a year ago, but now I need money, so...

Anyway, it's probably the nicest guitar I've ever played. It's a little scuffed on the back, and there were some hairline fissures where the neck meets the body, and also under one of the moustaches, but I've had them repaired by master luthier Rodrigo Shopis. Apparently this happens to a lot of Gypsy guitars when the weather changes.

I'm kind of on the fence about selling it. I'm curious to try new instruments, but unless I can find a a suitable replacement guitar, and unless someone makes me a really great offer, i'm probably going to keep it.

Here are the photos that were on Jacques' website. There's also an article in which this particular guitar (VRB #62) beat out the competition in a UK guitar magazine called "Guitar Buyer":

a · April 2007

Here's the video:

Fopa · April 2007

Looks like a great guitar, and at a great price........but, those fissures are a little worrying. My Dupont MC 50 is a couple of years old now, and no fissures, hairline or otherwise. Is it possible to take a photo of them and post it here? Also, could you include a close up photo of the tuners?

a · April 2007

the fissures are very thin, so it's hard to see them with the camera. just to be clear, they run with grain, not against... is say this because there's a clear pickguard on the guitar that looks like some kind of crack in the pictures.

a · April 2007

Also, here is Jacques' original blurb for this guitar:

"This is the first Brazilian VR I get.. and as always, Maurice is using the best materials for the VR series.. 100 year old air dried European spruce, the Brazilian rosewood is gorgeous.. the European walnut of the neck is equally beautiful and figured.. the Ebony is the best he can get.. and so on.. all the knowledge and experience is going into making these guitars... and the result is here.. outstanding in every way..this guitar was entered in a lineup by the British magazine "Guitar Buyer".. the result was that it crushed the competition, coming in as the clear frontrunner.. not just for appearance, craftsmanship and material, but for SOUND... OHSC $7000.00 SOLD"

MichaelHorowitz · April 2007

I'll have to say, this is an absolutely killer deal. I have a Dupont VR, and have played many others as well, and they are the pinnacle of Selmer copies. They sound so good, and play like butter. For $5000 this is a steal...

marciero · April 2007

Are the "fissures" just finish cracks?

Mike A

a · April 2007

They are very fine rifts in the top. I took the guitar to Rodrigo Shopis and he said he's seen them on a lot of gypsy guitars. He also said that they tend to close-up in the summer. Now that the weather's changing, I can barely see them.

He also said that this guitar had a sound that is very close to the original Selmer in it's tone. It cuts through in a live situation and really shines when recorded. It likes low action and is very easy to play...which might have something to do with why Bireli used a Vielle Reserve.

I showed it to Marc Ribot and after a playing a few notes he said "Oh yeah..you can tell immediately."