This baroque guitar was made by Joseph R. Bertet, a luthier active in Paris from about 1730 to 1770. Bertet later moved to Nantes where continued working, and probably died. Bertet was the pupil of Louis Guersan, (b.1713-d.1770) who eventually became Guild Master of the luthier's Guild of Paris. Guersan, in turn, had learned his craft from Claude Pierray (1698-1740), one of the great Parisian masters. Bertet's workshop at the time this instrument was built was on Rue Dauphiné, near the Comédie Française, where Guersan and Pierray also had their workshops. Built only some fifteen years or so before the first six string guitars were built in France,  this guitar is built in 17th century style. Although the guitar is still playable, it has not come down to us unaltered. As was the fate of most 5 course guitars,  it was converted to six strings probably very early in its history, judging by the simple brass bar frets that replaced the original gut ones. It was also fitted with a pin bridge,  the scale was shorten from 645mm to 625mm, and its original parchment rose was discarded. Fortunately, the headstock was not altered, and sometime also early in its history, it was converted back to its baroque, five course configuration, and a new tie bridge (although not in 18th century style) was fashioned. The present parchment rose was made by Elena Dal Cortivo, and is an exact replica of the rose in another surviving Bertet.

 1762 Bertet  played by Maya Rafajlovic