Small Classical in progress- Hauser II braces

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estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

Small Classical in progress- Hauser ...

I was telling Tom Blackshear about the current project so here is a look at it. Not intended as flamenco guitar, but certainly has some Torres aspects.

The head stock, which I'll show later, is Torres, but the bracing is a modified Hauser II bracing. Why? Because I wanted to do something totally different from the flamenco patterns I have been building and to develop a small sclae classical model as one of my regular guitars that I offer. There's interest in smaller scales and although I don't think they are great for flamenco guitars they do have a place in classical work.

The Hauser II concept I was using has a Vee shaped horizontal bar under the soundhole. The Hauser II guitars have had that bar separate, so a builder named Dake Traphagen, and possibly others, have modified the bar into a semi circle so it does not have a weak point. I picked up the concept of the curved bar and made a laminated bar out of Port Orford cedar strips pressed into a form.

The fans are parabolic and quite wide and high. 5mm wide by 8mm high under the bridge and they taper to nothing on each end. The top is medium stiff and it 2.5 mm thick all over.

We'll see what happens. I will probably not use this brace system, but as long as I have a chance to try it on one guitar I can't resist. Who knows.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 18 2014 4:41:29

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

A bit more, cello clamps, need to make more of them.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 18 2014 4:43:09

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

It's nice to see your work, Stephen, Thanks for all the information.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 18 2014 13:53:14

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3437
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Cypress back and sides?

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 18 2014 16:04:25

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

This one is Port Orfrd cedar, the last sides set I have. I was saving them to make something else, not a guitar, but for this guitar I wanted it to be really light weight. This guitar is for Yuko to learn how to play guitar. That's why the scale is 640mm and the wood light.

I am going to offer this model with or without the Hauser II curved brace, in Maple, Cypress, Rosewood as a standard guitar in my line. Also can be made with anything else, Black Acacia, Lacewood what ever......I'm just liking the slightly smaller scale right and body size. A 650 mm scale will fit on this body too, looks and feels right. I built it that way first, but by nudging the sound hole a couple MM towards the 12th fret the 19th fret intersects the soundhole in a good place.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 19 2014 1:12:11

Ricardo

Posts: 15153
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Brune told me that he had seen several Hauser II collapse due to that un reinforced V shape. Not sure what my dad's guitar has inside I will check it out.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 20 2014 17:40:59

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Sounds interesting.

Hauers are wonderfully sounding classical guitars, but they feel huge when playing. Hope I am understanding the project right. Constructing the Hauser style in a smaller scale, sounds interesting to say the least...

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 21 2014 14:32:05

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Yep, This guitar is on the small side, yet still more or less full size.

The Body is 18-1/2" long
Upper bout is 10-3/4"
Waist is 9"
Lower bout is 14- 5/16"

Body depth at heel is 3-3/8"

- The plantillas I have been using are usually 19-1/4" long but ti make the 640 scale look more proportionate and intersect the 19th fret in nice spot I'm using this small plantilla.

I'm making another one too, but it's not as far along. It will be spruce top with rosewood Back & sides, but the curved brace will be less of a deep radius and taller. And the top will be a full 3mm thick.

I have assembled this one pictured and put the binding on the front and back. It is light as or lighter than most petite flamenco guitars and the top feel like skin pulled over a frame. It will work fine I'm sure. Whether or not it will sound like a German chord playing machine or not I don't know yet. The weakness or oddity in the design is that instead of being rigid and un-yielding across the waist due to having a solid bar there, it is movable.

I don't know if Hauser II's guitars all do that or have a pliable midsection, but it feels different to me. The top defects a tiny bit under thumb pressure, where normally it would not. I'm not that worried about it however because cross grain and long grain stiffness are proper; the top just moves more near the sound hole. I did use beefer rosette/sound hole reinforcements under the rose and they are keeping that area stiff.

It reminds me of the Keola Beamer model nylon string guitars that have the double sound holes pushed up near the neck and the horizontal bar that is higher on the front so it crosses the top where a regular sound hole would be.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 21 2014 19:46:01

Ricardo

Posts: 15153
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Hauser made guitars scaled down 3/4 size anyway.

I checked out my dad's guitar bracing. It was not translucent enough to use the light inside trick I used with my flamenco guitars in the past. Maybe the top is pretty thick? Anyway, the pattern used (1968 Hauser II) is not like the one you are using, it was more like a normal 7 fan style. The waiste is supported below the sound hole by a bar that is slightly curved, though not nearly severe as the curved brace you are using. The braces are all quite tall.

I have to say soundwise, I would think it could function just fine for flamenco, it's jus the riduculous high bridge and neck angle that is the problem.

Ricardo

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 22 2014 19:33:58

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to Ricardo)

In my neck of the woods I've only seen maybe two genuine grand concerts Hausers in my lifetime. A 3/4 scale Hauser has got to be extremely rare. Were they built with that low nut breakangle and skyscraper saddle too? Those would be features for improvement IMHO.

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 22 2014 20:56:23

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to SephardRick)

quote:

In my neck of the woods I've only seen maybe two genuine grand concerts Hausers in my lifetime. A 3/4 scale Hauser has got to be extremely rare. Were they built with that low nut breakangle and skyscraper saddle too? Those would be features for improvement IMHO.

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Hauser I made a lot of smaller guitars, particularly at the beginning of his career. Of course he was coming out of the Staufer tradition so that type of guitar is smaller that the Spanish guitars of the same era that Hauser was working. And then as we all know the story, he began building a Spanish design.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 26 2014 7:31:27

Ricardo

Posts: 15153
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to SephardRick)

quote:

ORIGINAL: SephardRick

In my neck of the woods I've only seen maybe two genuine grand concerts Hausers in my lifetime. A 3/4 scale Hauser has got to be extremely rare. Were they built with that low nut breakangle and skyscraper saddle too? Those would be features for improvement IMHO.

Sorry, to clarify I was talking about HAUSER II as per this topic.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 26 2014 13:19:17

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Thanks guys for educating me on the smaller Hauser history. :)

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 27 2014 12:48:56

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Following up on this project, happy to report it sounds good. Clear and present all over the fret board. Big sound for a small guitar.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 23 2014 11:28:27

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

It is a mix of Torres and Hauser elements in both style and soundboard bracing.

Outside Torres, inside mostly Hauser II.

From here I will take it with a less curved brace under the sound hole and work on refining the fans braces with the parabolic curves and respective areas of the brace that are stiffest in relation to sound board qualities. I'm going to make more of them in flamed maple, cypress and rosewood.

I'm sending it to Nagoya right after Christmas to be used on a recording od a guitar duet in Nagoya. They are going to use the Requinto and this guitar together to create something.

Onto the next project.....

Here is a fast and dirty sound sample:

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 23 2014 11:34:58

Ricardo

Posts: 15153
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Really nice sounding man. Details on headstock are very cool looking too.

Ricardo

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 23 2014 15:28:48

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Beautiful!

Each note projecting with a gutsy flamenco tone. I must say I really love it.

I always like the clear tone of a Hauser. This is very satisfying evolution of it. IMHO

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 23 2014 16:08:02

rojarosguitar

Posts: 243
Joined: Dec. 8 2010

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

A proper recording please! Looks (or better sounds) very promising...

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 23 2014 18:05:17

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

I'm sending it up to some guys who can play that have real recording equipment. When they get it they are going to record something with it. It will be a week or so and I should have something.

This is the guy who is going to record with it. He played this blanca for me in September.

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=265603&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 24 2014 12:13:44

BarkellWH

Posts: 3464
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Stephen, that is a beautiful guitar with a very nice sound. I particularly like the rosette and the headstock. I really look forward to a video of the musicians in Nagoya playing your guitar and the requinto together. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

Bill

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 24 2014 15:08:06

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Thanks Bill, I'll check back in when I have material.

You what the best thing about making classicals is? You don't have to put a tap plate on them before they leave.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 25 2014 1:23:07

estebanana

Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Small Classical in progress- Hau... (in reply to estebanana)

Here is the follow up on the sound sample.

Credits to Blane Ebersold and Shouhei Osumi Nagoya for recording and playing.
I'll put the sound files on the sound recording page too.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2015 0:24:23