Amalio Burguet Model AB (2006)

  

Presented here is the top model of Amalia Burguet,

the so called AB (Amalio Burguet) model. I'm not sure 

wether if every AB model has been equipped with a

so called "Doble Tapa" which means a layer of a softer

wood (spruce) sticked to the back, the way Manuel 

Contreras reintroduced. This one is provided with

this double top (or back). Besides that the sides have

been veneered with a layer of Cypress from the 

inside. Difficult to detect differences between these 

models and a 'normal" guitar but the response of the 

higher notes is beautiful rounded and very even in 

sound and in fact comparable to a Jose Ramirez 1A

which is no surprise as Burguet also built guitars in 

the "Madrid" tradition. Lot's of volume, a bit darker

sounding and a good playability at the same time. 

Scale is 650 mm. Playing action measured on the 

12th fret is 3 mm for the 1rst and 4,5 mm for the 6th

string with about 3 mm of protruding bridgebone to 

even lower the playing action. What is of even more

importance is that the strings are making a steep

angle over the bridgebone so no loss of tone when

altering the height of the strings. List price at this

moment: Around  5900 Euro's for this example 

Now: case included: Price € 2500,-

A question of trust of course but I guarantee a playing action

of 3 mm for the 1rst and 4,5 mm for the 6th string here.

  

The head presented here has the carving "AB" in

the furthermore graceful head design.

A fine grained spruce top with a bracing of its' own.

You can't describe it as a lattice bracing but it is also

far from a traditional fan bracing. More about this

bracing and a slight problem around it further here

The rosette as well as the edges are beautiful executed

regarding inlay work.

Enough bridgebone left to even lower the strings without

sacrificing anything from the tone as the strings are making

a steep angle over the bone.

I've included this picture as you can see a varnish

crack that runs from the bridge to the sound hole

on the left. As a restorer you would like to know

wether it is a crack all through the wood or just

in the top layer of the varnish. Therefore a light

bulb works well, especially with a spruce top as 

this wood shines through. Together with a close

inspection with a mirror the conclusion can be 

drawn: No crack on the inside visible but the 

cause became clear to me:

One of the braces for the soundboard in that area

came loose in the past, thus causing a weak spot in

the soundboard there as a result from the tension

of the strings. Regluing the brace was not a big

problem and strengthening the spot in this way

has been executed. It doesn't' has any influence

on the final sound.

For me a bit of an odd looking type of rosewood though

investigations learned that Burguet uses Madagascar 

rosewood for his premium model guitars.

Great tuners as well and I think we have to be grateful

the older Spanish luthier companies stopped using the 

Fustero tuners as the company no longer exists. They 

made beautiful tuners but mechanically spoken not the 

top. These tuners are the top line of Gotoh 35AR510P.

but also can be found on the internet under "Gotoh

Hauser" tuning keys. (See below)

For more information please click on the picture. These

tuners are far superior to any others I've come across, 

including the Fustero's and other brands.

And with their knobs clinched on the axes.

As can be studied here: No fret wear. In fact a guitar like new!

It comes together with a like new case.

Manuel Rodriguez e Hijos Model FC (early one)

   

Presented here is an early model FC by the Manuel Rodriguez 

company. This is NOT the same guitar as the Magistral series

FC model. It was when launched simply a more expensive guitar. 

You can already determine this by taking a look at the tuners.

On this model the axe holders are clinched on the plate and 

not bowed out of the plate as is the case with cheaper tuners.

Furthermore I would advise people to check the site of

"Reverb" for prices and further description. Price € 700.

This is also what makes them set apart from each other.

Presented here is the Magistral series FC model.

The label in this guitar that shows a picture of Manuel 

Rodriguez himself. Apart from this early number.

     

The body front and back can be studied here. All woods are solid.

  

And the head of this guitar that is undamaged. Together

with the superior tuners this guitar falls into another category.

The same tuners can be found on the Prudencio Saez and 

Cordoba higher end priced guitars (above 1000 Euro's)

A beautiful rosette and by studying the edges of the sound hole

the differences between the FC models can be detected as well.

Furthermore still the same executed bindings around the string

tie block. No playing damage on this particular spot.

As can be seen here, no wear on the frets at all.

This guitar comes in a sturdy polyester guitar case.

All for the same price: € 700,- In fact as new.

 

Alastair McNeill "Hauser" model guitar nr. 204 from 1997

 

 

This special "Hauser / Torres" model Alastair McNeill 

made multiple times as he was already in an early stage 

interested in what the Spanish luthiers did regarding

guitar building. Provided with the genuine Torres 

head, a timeless design in itself, this guitar has been 

provided with a fan bracing of course. Moreover

however it is well known that Hauser stayed close

to the original Torres designs. Segovia played Hauser

guitars for a long time after he proposed Hermann 

Hauser to follow the Spanish way of building guitars. 

Those guitars remain iconic, also the Hauser II ones.

Price (case included) was 1500 Euro's being less 

than half of the price asked for another Hauser copy 

(Nr. 203 on the Reverb site.) SOLD

Nice attention to details like the rosette pictured here. This 

guitar has been French polished which is a sign of utmost

care on an instrument like this. Do not expect hughe

volumes coming out of this guitar but a perfect balance 

and beautiful rounded higher notes supported by a great

bass response as well. Funnily enough number 203 in

the Alastair McNeill serie is offered for sale on Reverb.

That is also a Hauser model. Same as this guitar equipped

with a 7 fan soundboard bracing but that is not different

from what Antonio de Torres did. Remarkable however

are the extra braces on the back in the lower bout that

are forming a cross and that way of constructing is 

pointing towards the Hauser method of building.

Also the inlay work is there on both back and front.

Quite typical are the braces that make a cross in the 

lower bout. That makes me think this guitar to be a 

Hauser copy. The brace that runs through this cross 

is scallopped in this guitar and more tiny executed 

than the other transverse bars on the back. This picture

of course is then from a genuine replica built one,

found on the internet.

The knobs are clinched to their axes and though 

not executed in "gold" these tuners work very well.

But being apparently Lansdorfer / Reischl tuners it 

is another confirmation of the guitar being ment as

a Hauser model as that dynasty of builders almost 

exclusively used these Lansdorfer tuners.

A special word can be said about the tuners used as they

are genuine Lansdorfer / Reischl tuners, among the worlds 

best and they were also used by Jose Romanillos,  Robert Ruck 

and Edmund Blochinger among others. They can be had in all 

kinds of varieties, plastic or pearloid buttons but it all  starts 

at about 350 Euro a pair! 

The back has been provided with a straight grained piece 

of indian rosewood which isn't a bad thing so to say. 

Moreover, these straight figured pieces of wood are less 

prone to cracks in the future. Same thing counts for the 

sides as well.

The guitar makes a somewhat smaller impression and 

regarding dimensions that is indeed the case. Moreover

this guitar has been provided with a 640 mm scale.

The purfling around the edges can be studied here

by clicking on this picture.

The Torres shaped head. Simplicity at its' utmost.

The topnut measures 50 mm in width.

The signed label by mr. McNeill living in Wiltshire.

The outer heel has been decorated with taste as well.

This picture has been added to be able to study the sides.

As can be seen: No fretwear what guarantees years

of playing pleasure as this guitar has a beautiful

voice apart from a perfect balance and good volume. 

And another plus is its' playability.

Even the rosette on the Alastair McNeill guitar is close 

to the original where in the inner and outer ring inlays 

seem to "move" in the opposite way, Take a look here 

beyond where an original 1960 Hauser is presented.

Melchor Rodriguez guitar (Estudio)

  

A guitar that surprised me a lot sound wise. It is in fact 

a bit of a Jose Ramirez 1A concert guitar clone: The

soundboard has been equipped with a 7 fan bracing

and the small individual hardwood glue blocks simply

do resemble the Ramirez construction a lot. The great

concert guitar player and composer Jose Luis Merlin

also plays a Melchor Rodriguez "Merlin" model and 

the two even became friends. Melchor Rodriguez has 

retired now though the two still have regular contact.

 Being a quality instrument, the addition "Estudio" on the

label surprised me as this guitar can compete with other

high level instruments. SOLD

Therefore I also made this picture where you can observe 

the beautiful rounded inner heel. Also the way it has been 

done in the Jose Ramirez clase 1A guitars. In fact every

detail of the inner work shows a high standard!

The body has its' traces of normal use but being almost 

50 years old that is understandable. The sides have been

strengthened with extra braces the way Jose Ramirez

did in his 1A models as well. The damage on the lower

bout on the right in fact was only lacquer loss but the

former owner kept on using the guitar without protecting

the bare wood. As a result that became dirty. I cleaned

that spot and colored it matching with the rest of the

soundboard. I used a water based stain for it: CLOU

You can get it in all sorts of colors in powder.

The back is still in a remarkable shape although I might

give it an extra layer of varnish to make it like new.

A much fresher look and it gives more cosmetical value to

this guitar. Rosewood can be lacquered and polished quite 

easily. The problem is there most of the time when you are

varnishing the bare wood as it contains often oil residues 

that are slowing down the hardening of the lacquer.

As with a lot of other Spanish makers the luthiers sometimes 

stick to the use of the same model name or number while

changing several things regarding the components. Here the

gold coloured tuners can be seen while on other Estudio

models they appear to be silver coloured. I've seen about

the same tuners on the Melchor Rodriguez Grand Concerto

guitars, a bit surprising as the axe holders were also bowed 

out of the base plate on those tuners. Another Madrid based

luthier, Vicente Perez Camacho is using exactly the same

tuners on a guitar I have in my collection.

Good fretwork and a very nicely executed rosette,

And a bridge where the string tie block has been

provided with harder edges to prevent damages.