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About the luthier

This 10-string guitar was built by Swedish luthier Heikki Rousu, who has been crafting classical and plucked instruments since 1990. With a portfolio that spans guitars, lutes, mandolins, bouzoukis and more, Heikki has built nearly 400 instruments for musicians in Sweden and abroad. His guitars reflect both a strong traditional foundation and a deep sensitivity to musical ergonomics, developed over decades of personal playing and ongoing refinement. By keeping one of his own instruments always close at hand, he ensures his building approach is continuously informed by real-world musical practice.

About the guitar

Completed in 2025, Guitar No. 486 is a traditional 10-string model that offers both elegant construction and remarkable sonic presence. The top is made from spruce, paired with a stunning three-piece back in figured bocote with a central cocobolo strip, both visually bold and tonally rich. The sides are also crafted from bocote, while the neck is made of cedar with a striking central insert of flamed maple, giving the instrument a beautiful sense of structural symmetry and visual contrast.

Tonally, the guitar offers a remarkably natural and coherent sound for a 10-string instrument. It avoids the exotic over-resonance sometimes found in extended-range guitars and instead retains a pure classical character. Sustain is notably long, and the overall resonance is lush and immersive, supported by an air-body frequency around F♯/G. The additional strings open up expanded harmonic possibilities while maintaining a balanced tonal identity. With its French polish, peghead tuners, and a scale of 650 mm, this instrument combines responsive performance with refined aesthetic detail.

Heikki Rousu

Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 487 11-string

Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 486 10-string

Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 491 True Temperament fretboard