23
Body: 1937 Hermann Hauser
Woods: Master grade Lutz Spruce, Old growth Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Honduran Mahogany neck, Madagascar Ebony fretboard, Macassar Ebony binding, Brazilian Rosewood bridge and headplate.
Construction Details: This guitar is a faithful copy of the 1937 Hauser which Andrés Segovia played for approximately 30 years. Standard Hauser bracing using Swiss Moon Spruce. A few minor departures include my 18 hole bridge which ensures locking in the string ends, and the lack of headstock purfling which I find distracting. Tuners are Rubners from Germany crafted in the Hauser style.
Notes: I had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Segovia a few times in my youth, as a budding classical guitar student, so this particular interpretation of the classical guitar always holds special interest for me. This guitar is well balanced with a fast neck which assures precise position changes. Clear note definition and sweet, nuanced trebles in the upper registers. The bass is profondo yet well balanced against the mid and treble voices.
22
Body: Hauser based
Woods: Curly Macassar Ebony, Bearclaw Sitka Spruce, Spanish Cedar neck with Snakewood and maple laminates, Snakewood Fretboard, Snakewood bridge, Snakewood appointments, Whirling wheel radial rosette in Macassar Ebony
Construction Details: 7 brace Swiss Moon Spruce, Cedar lining and back bracing, Reynolds C Block architecture neck in Spanish Cedar, rosewood/maple laminate bridge plate, progressive heel stack, headstock veneer and backstrap in matching Curly Macassar Ebony, double reverse maple back purfling. Gilbert tuners with Snakewood buttons. Evo fret wire, buffalo horn nut and buffalo bone nut.
Notes: This one of a kind classical guitar employs woods rarely seen in such an instrument. The Classica Negra has a rare set of Curly Macassar Ebony coupled with very stiff bearclaw spruce from Alaska. The appointments are all made from Snakewood including the hand carved bridge, which uses an 18 hole string set which locks the string ends in place and ensures no dreaded string slap. With a well balanced sound, this guitar demonstrates clear projection and note separation one would expect from a rosewood instrument. The asymmetrical neck carve provides very smooth transitions when playing complex Spanish pieces that require quick upper fret position movements. Finished in nitrocellulose lacquer with a French Polish top.
22
Body: 0-21, 12 fret slothead
Woods: Honduran Mahogany with Beeswing figure, Red spruce top, Honduran Mahogany neck, Madagascar Ebony Fretboard, Ebony pyramid bridge, Macassar Ebony binding, Brazilian Rosewood headplate
Construction Details: Based on a 1914 Martin 0, fully scalloped bracing, forward X, Bolt-on neck, rosewood/maple laminate bridge plate, green abalone headstock flower pot, fretboard snowflakes and diamonds, purfling, rosette and end graft inlays. Grover chrome and brass tuners with custom Cocobolo buttons.
Notes: Constructed by Luigi Morelli. The single 0 is an exceptionally easy guitar to play, its size welcomes an afternoon on the sofa with easy reach and comfortable body fit. The trick with these guitars is to get bass out of the small air volume. This is accomplished by careful bracing, top tuning and a few tricks around the air volume and soundhole size. This guitar has fantastic note definition in part thanks to the red spruce top, and well developing bass notes. The addition of a longer 25.34″ scale provides additional power to drive the top and maximizing volume – a consideration with a stiff red spruce top.
22
Body: 000-28, 12 fret slothead
Woods: East Indian Rosewood, Sitka top, Honduran Mahogany neck, Ebony Fretboard, Cocobolo bridge, Eastern Hard Curly Maple appointments, Brazilian Rosewood radial rosette
Construction Details: Lightly braced, forward X, Bolt-on neck, rosewood/maple laminate bridge plate, acoustic water turtle sound port
Notes: The 000 body is the perfect fingerstyle guitar – very comfortable playing size and arguably perfect air volume for creating a very well balanced sound. The trebles are crisp an ever so slightly bluesy when stretched, the mids have strong presence and clear not separation, while the bass is well balanced and tight. This guitar is owned and gigged by musician Joe Bloom.