Official Luthiers Forum!

Here it is, after 14 months I've completed my first classical based on the Brune 1937 Hauser blueprints.

For the guitar I very closely followed the Hauser materials list, with a few substitutions taken from the DeTorres guitar. 95% of the wood came from LMI

Top - Alpine/Italian Spruce
Back and Sides - EI Rosewood
Neck - Spanish Cedar
Fingerboard - African Ebony
Soundboard bracing - Engleman Spruce
Back bracing - Mahogany
Tail block - Spruce
Tentellones - Engleman spruce
Back kerfing - Mahogany, reverse kerf
Rosette - all edge grain maple, dyed maple, bloodwood
Binding/purfling - Rosewood, maple, dyed maple
Finish - French Polish

I started March '07 and it was completed Friday, 5-23-08. Part of the time was spent building the solera, a drum sander, binding ledge routing jig (the one with the telescopic arm), and various other jigs and tools.

For this build I followed a combination of the techniques from:
Making Master Guitars by Roy Courtnall
David Schramm's online apprentice
Various GAL articles
and of course all the information, tips and techniques I found on this forum.

Some thoughts on the guitar and why I decided to build it -
I originally learned to play on a classical guitar, had classical lessons and learned the Segovia method from age 12-16. I was later totally corrupted and forever changed by the lure of rock music, Frank Zappa in particular, but I continued to play classical on and off over the years, using my fingerpicking for other types of music along the way. I never owned a nice classical guitar, the only one I have is a 100 dollar Garcia classical I bought with money I saved from mowing lawns as a young teen. I made this guitar as a gift to myself.

The guitar is very light compared to some other classicals I've played, and the sound is just wonderful. The bass notes are full without being boomy and the trebles are clear and full - the overall sound is very balanced.

As for the finish - while I'll FP a top again, I'd probably spray the sides, back and neck with nitro and leave the FP for the top alone. It looks nice, but wow, it takes a long long time.

So that's it - thanks to everyone here for all the info I've been able to pick up, and for answering some of my questions along the way!

It looks like a wonderful build. Congratulations.
Ken

Congratulations Mike. You did a great job on that guitar. It looks perfect to me. You will really enjoy it.

So.........................what's your next guitar going to be?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

What Waddy said!

Settle in for the long run. You will not build just one!

Oh, did I say very nice? Very nice!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Very very nice, well done. Did you copy the top thicknesses exactly, or?

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Build log

Nice work, Mike. It's a wonderful present to yourself. Sounds like it will be put to good use.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Beautiful guitar Mike....

I'm wondering what you've got planned for your next?

You can't stop at just one.

cheers,
Claire

Mike, Wow! Outstanding historical guitar. I really like the original rosette design, headstock, headstock center strip, square ramps--just great. Can't tell from the pictures if you tried the original v-joint or not. Impressive craftsmanship, I'm sure it sounds as nice as it looks. Did you use the newer set of Brune plans?

Congratulations Mike !! Very nice instrument. There is quite a bit of satisfaction and pride when you string your first instrument and play it. Now you are really hooked. You have much to be proud of.... keep up the great work !!

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Peter

Incredible, Mike! You have so much to be proud of. Congratulations on a job well done.

Mike, congratulations on a fine achievement, 14 months was worth it wasn't it! For the finish on your next if you find FP a lot of work for the whole guitar, try Tru-oil for the back sides and neck and FP for the top. The oil finishes are underrated and some very top end classical builders use them.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

It looks really nice Mike. You did a fine job on your first classical !
Congratulations !

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Congratulations on your first! It looks so beautiful. Waaaay better than my first! And a good model, too.

Thanks for the kind words folks.


Well, my first was a D-28 I made in '91, then the dread a few years ago, now I have this classical, next I'll start on an SG, (which will have a neck made to the dimensions of my '79 LP deluxe) while I procur wood for an Archtop (Benedetto plan).


Thanks. I kept it simple and thicknessed the top from 0.90" out to 0.100" at the edges.

Nice job!
Now your addicted!
Just like the rest of us!!!!!!1

Bet ya can't wait to start another!

Mike

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Mike Collins

I didn't use the v-joint, I used a regular scarf joint on this one. I tried a practice v-joint or two and was not satisfied with the results and felt I should work on it a bit more before trying to use it on a guitar.

I have a copy of the older Brune plans, but before I started I bought the new plans and used them with an occasional reference to the old one for clarification of a few details. A poster of the '37 Hauser is included with the new plans which has some good photos of the original instrument. That was very helpful for some details of the bridge and headstock.

Beautiful guitar! Well done

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Reguards,

Ken H

Bravíssimo!!!

Mike buddy once in a while we see a first guitar that is exceptional and this is one of those times. Very well done!!!