One of a kind French Jazz manouche left handed Siro Burgassi Grand model from 1945 Paris

Siro Burgassi Grand Model

Extremely rare Gypsy jazz guitar built by luthier Siro Burgassi in 1945 in Paris!

Siro Burgassi was among the first Italian luthiers to arrive in France after fleeing Mussolini's regime in Italy in the 1920s. He worked for a few years with Chevin and Busato. He then partnered with Gino Papiri, with whom he built guitars under the label "Siro et Gino." Around 1945, Favino joined Gino (whose father-in-law he was) and Siro. Favino opened his own workshop in 1946, and Gino followed suit. Siro Burgassi continued to produce a few guitars at the same address, 56 rue de Reuilly. These instruments are as iconic as Selmer guitars, their history being so closely intertwined with the fantastic adventure of Gypsy jazz in France. Note that Django Reinhardt played a Siro & Gino guitar in the 1930s! Guitars made and signed by Siro Buragssi are quite rare, as his personal production was likely very limited due to his extensive collaboration with other luthiers.

This particular model is therefore truly exceptional! Even rarer is that it's a left-handed model! It's a "grand" jumbo size, although Siro offered a similar but smaller model in his range at the time. Interestingly, this size (43 cm wide) is quite close to what Favino would later offer on their models. Furthermore, the top is made of cedar, which is unusual for a Gypsy jazz guitar made in 1945! Cedar was still relatively uncommon in Europe for guitar tops at that time. Otherwise, it shares common construction features with its competitors, namely ladder bracing (here, a light bracing with three parallel bars and two rungs perpendicular to the center) with a bent top (branded inside). The arched back and sides are made of very thin walnut plywood, the fingerboard of Macassar ebony, and the neck of beautiful mahogany with purfling in the center and a scroll behind the headstock. The tones are typical of models from this era, with that characteristic "grain," but here with an added warmth due to the use of cedar. In short, it's a true piece of history, but also a beautiful instrument with soul and a real sonic personality. If you're left-handed, you'll never see another one! I obviously recommend that you come and try it out in person to judge for yourself (by appointment).

I've included a link in the ad to a video of a similar 1947 model for right-handed users, which will give you an idea of ​​what it looks like.

It will be delivered in a modern hard case.

Specifications:

Solid cedar top, walnut back and sides, Macassar ebony fingerboard, walnut bridge, ebony headstock veneer, maple binding, mahogany neck, bone nut, original Delaruelle tuners with red buttons, original pickguard with the name of its first owner, Savarez Argentine 10/45 strings

Dimensions:

Boot joint at the 12th fret

Scale length: 668 mm

Nut width at the 0 fret: 45 mm

20 frets

Overall length: 103 cm

Body width at widest point: 43 cm

Body depth at deepest point: 9.5 cm

Weight: 1.65 kg

Sound and playability: This guitar has a mature, powerful, dynamic, and warm tone. I recommend you come and try it out for yourself. The guitar is easy to play despite its age. The string height is set low at 2.1 mm on the bass side and 1.8 mm on the treble side at the 12th fret. The neck has a U-shaped profile with a flat back for easy handling.

It's worth noting that this guitar is not new. It's 81 years old! It has been played extensively throughout its life and, consequently, has undergone several restorations. You'll notice signs of playing, scratches, dings, and, of course, traces of previous restorations, including: a repaired dent on the back, a small repaired chip on the edge of a binding, a refinished back, two repaired and stabilized cracks and a filled small chip on the top, some varnish touch-ups on the sides and top, and finally, a refretted and partially filled fingerboard with a new insert. It therefore bears a few visual scars! But apart from that, it's in excellent condition and plays perfectly, in perfect working order, and ready to play.

In short, a rare opportunity for left-handed players to find a vintage Gypsy jazz guitar!

Feel free to ask any questions or request additional photos.

A trial is possible and recommended at my workshop, by appointment.

Shipping to all country is possible! But ask me before buying to calculate it. See you soon!