Michel Brück, 2019

This 2019 Michel Brück (No. 276) was built with a single instruction: use the finest materials available, no matter the cost. That meant one of Michel’s best cedar tops, an exceptional set of Brazilian rosewood for the back and sides, a Brazilian rosewood bridge, and what may be the most beautifully engraved set of Rodgers tuners we have ever seen on a guitar.

Michel Brück is a maker we have come to know well over the years, and his attention to detail is second to none. He is first and foremost obsessed with sound, but like any great luthier, he is also deeply connected to the extraordinary materials he has collected over a long career. His instruments are played by some of the most important guitarists in the world, including René Izquierdo, Tatyana Ryzhkova, Peter Graneis, and many others.

This is a rare opportunity to own one of the most special Brück guitars we have encountered.

Specifications

Luthier: Michel Brück
Year: 2019
Number: 276
Top: Cedar double top (Nomex core, 7 spruce fan braces)
Back & Sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Construction: Doubletop
Bridge: Brazilian Rosewood
Scale Length: 650 mm
Nut Width: 52.5 mm
Action: ~3.5 mm (6th string), ~2.75 mm (1st string)
Weight: 1,435 g
Tuners: Rodgers (engraved, ebony buttons, white rollers)
Strings: D’Addario XTC45FF with normal tension nylon first string
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Condition: Structurally sound, no cracks or repairs, with honest playwear

Construction & Design

The rosette is one of the most elegant we have seen on a Brück guitar: simple, classic, and perfectly proportioned against the cedar soundboard. It does not compete with the top; it frames it. The tie block carries the same palette, with a small mother-of-pearl center piece that catches the light beautifully, and the fingerboard is raised, making upper-register playing effortless.

The headstock features Michel’s distinctive sapwood figure running down the center, a quiet personal detail that adds real character, and the Rodgers tuners are among the most striking we have seen: hand-engraved, fitted with ebony buttons and white rollers. One small detail worth knowing: the decorative engraving on the center strip of the back depicts the view from outside Michel’s home. The guitar weighs 1,435 g, toward the heavier end of what we have seen from Michel’s double tops, which seems connected to something notable in the sound: a degree of control, warmth, and evenness that can be harder to find in the lightest examples of the type.

Sound

Our first impression is simple: this is one of the finest Michel Brück guitars we have played. The trebles have a dark, almost mysterious quality that sets this guitar apart from what we typically expect in a Brück. They are warm and forgiving rather than piercingly bright, which makes the guitar feel generous and expressive across a wide range of right-hand approaches. Sustain is excellent, which is not always guaranteed on a guitar this open and responsive.

Chords are especially satisfying. The overtones bloom and resolve in a way that can sometimes elude the most hyper-responsive, featherweight double tops in smaller rooms. This guitar works in any setting. The basses are deep, open, and immediate; the sixth string in particular fills the room in a way that involves the whole body of the instrument. There is tremendous clarity across the register, with speed and depth working together rather than trading off against each other.

Playability

The setup is low and comfortable, with the quick, lively response that Michel Brück guitars are known for. Action sits around 3.5 mm at the sixth string and 2.75 mm at the first, allowing real dynamic range without sacrificing ease, and the raised fingerboard makes upper-register playing completely effortless. The neck is a well-rounded C shape that feels immediately natural under the hand. Michel is an accomplished guitarist himself, and we think that shows in how intuitively his instruments are set up to play.

This guitar has been played extensively, and the top shows it. There are light scratches and nail marks across the soundboard, along with one string ding behind the bridge on the treble side. The guitar is structurally sound, with no cracks and no repaired cracks. From a few feet away, the wear is much less apparent than up close, but we have photographed it honestly and highlighted the marks so there are no surprises. This is an instrument with real playing history and real musical character, and the two feel connected.