Classical Guitars
My Concert classical guitars are available two different styles. One is Hauser style, based on the famous 1937 Hauser that was once played by Segovia. The other is Santos Hernandez style, based on another 1930's instrument by Spain's Santos Hernandez. I should make it very clear at this point that I do not build "copies" or replicas of the instruments made by these two great masters, I use their style as a basis to produce my own world class instruments. There are qualities in my guitars that you will find in the guitars of these masters, but my guitars have their own unique sound and character.
These two styles of classical guitar differ in their shape and construction details. These difference ultimately effects their sound and the feel of the instrument, especially to the player. The general appearance or aesthetics of the instruments is also very different. The different feeling comes mainly from the fact that the waist is a slightly different shape and in a slightly different position and this places the guitar in a different position for the player and thus ultimately feels different to play.
The sound of the two styles of classical guitar is similar. This is mainly due to the fact they are both made by me, but there are subtle differences and this is why I continue to produce these two models. These models broaden the scope of the instruments that I produce. This is important as each customer has different tastes and requirements. The Hauser model has a bit more clarity and the Santos the more traditional lush Spanish sound. The different styles also produce a different feel and appearance. Both guitars offer superb presence, volume and quality of sound. They are made to the highest standards and suit the most demanding of professionals.
The Hauser model
The Hauser model is styled after the famous 1937
Hauser I that was once owned by Segovia
and now hangs in the Metropolitan museum in New York.
The guitar pictured features a 20th fret, at the
request of the customer. This option is available
on all guitars I produce and does not add any additional
cost. The Hauser shape has silghtly squarer shoulders
and a flatter "bottom" than the Santos Hernandez,
which is more rounded, some would say more "feminine",
but not me, I am no longer that brave.
This particular instrument has a 20th fret, as requested by the customer. The Hauser model has great clarity and separation of the notes which makes it suitable for a wide range of music. The 20th fret is necessary in much of the contermporary music being played by today's guitarists. The dimensions of both style of instruments are fairly similar in the length and widths of the upper and lower bouts. The differences are mainly in the shape of the bottom bout and the shoulders (upper bout). Small changes to these outlines actually produce a completely different instrument in feeling and sound. The waist is in a slightly different position on both instruments and this positions the guitar at a different position on the knee and the right hand thus comes over the lower bout in a slightly different position.
Santos Hernandez
This model is styled after guitars made by the great
Spanish master, Santos Hernandez. These guitars have
a particular sound that is definitely spanish in
origin. It is lush and full bodied, but still retains
a certain clarity and separation. This pictured guitar
has a Spruce top and Brazilian Rosewood back and
sides. The Spruce top has been french polished with
a dark shellac (seedlac) at the request of the customer,
who did not want a pale blonde finish.
The difference in the shapes between the Santos and
the Hauser is obvious in the pictures shown on this
page. The Santos is also finished in a dark shellac.
The darker shellac is slightly harder than the blonde
and gives the appearance of age to a new instrument.
The most noticeable difference in the two guitar
styles is the sound. The Santos has the lush warm
Spanish sound and the Hauser the clarity and separation
that is typical of Hauser's instruments. Because
of the differnce in shape there is also a different
feel when playing the instruments.
