BERNIE LEHMANN "Roycroft" Model Manouche (Carpathian/Cocobolo)

[Athana]

My wife saw one of his Lute Back Guitars (Model 2000)and she wanted me to get one of those as I was selling my Custom Martin.
There was an ultra ornate one on consignment at a guy who has an online store who is in Staten Island.
He just would not accept us to come by to inspect it as we live near there..he wanted us to buy it first..ship it over & then try it.
Wife had me ask & re ask..no go.
Thats not the kind of seller that would have survived in my era.
Also Bernie had one which he would bring down to a guitar show some 3 hrs from us, but in the end I used the Martin money to buy an 050 koa Lowden & a 1881 English painting of a very nice looking lady that needed a nose job..

So its still a mystery as to how those Lute backed guitars sound compared to more common acoustics.
I sure wouldnt mind one if they sound good cause they are art work & short scale.
Ever play one of those?

[iim7V7IM7]

Bernie lists having one in his inventory (a 2008 model, http://www.lehmannstrings.com/guitars_instock.htm). I believe it is the same instrument listed at Dream Guitars (TBD).

This is what Bernie said about the design:

Model 2000 is my latest concept in fine guitars for the fingerstylist. It incorporates a ribbed, vaulted back that not only looks stunning, but affects the tone in several positive ways.

1) The volume is increased by focusing the sound towards the soundhole.

2) This in turn lends an amazing clarity of tone, which is ideal for recording and amplification.

3) Thirdly, the projection and carrying power of this instrument are remarkably enhanced by the unique design of the back.

The highly arched design of the back makes the guitar very comfortable to hold because the sides are narrowest at the lower bout, right where the player's arm rests. The guitar feels like a thin body instrument, but sacrifices nothing in interior volume. The unique structure of the back provides surprising strength without any bracing being necessary."

Frankly, give him a call. I am sure he would be have to talk about it. I know that it is one of his favorites...

Originally Posted by Athana

My wife saw one of his Lute Back Guitars (Model 2000)and she wanted me to get one of those as I was selling my Custom Martin.
There was an ultra ornate one on consignment at a guy who has an online store who is in Staten Island.
He just would not accept us to come by to inspect it as we live near there..he wanted us to buy it first..ship it over & then try it.
Wife had me ask & re ask..no go.
Thats not the kind of seller that would have survived in my era.
Also Bernie had one which he would bring down to a guitar show some 3 hrs from us, but in the end I used the Martin money to buy an 050 koa Lowden & a 1881 English painting of a very nice looking lady that needed a nose job..

So its still a mystery as to how those Lute backed guitars sound compared to more common acoustics.
I sure wouldnt mind one if they sound good cause they are art work & short scale.
Ever play one of those?

[iim7V7IM7]

Now that the box is closed, We are deciding how the fingerboard terminus, sound hole and rosette are all going to work together. Here is a 3D sketch below.

First, we decided on Ebony vs. some Macassar Ebony. We're going with Ebony...



Bernie has mirrored the headstock end shape and tailpiece end shape. Having it intersect the rosette, tangent to the edge D-shaped sound hole and subtlety overhanging creates a good look. That isn't a real fingerboard BTW, but just a piece very dark BRW Bernie had lying around which serve its purpose. Once the two tulips and Dard Hunter rose in the rosette have black engravers wax, they will "pop" and tie into the ebony elements.



Also, we have decided to change the Ivory inlay in the headplate veneer. It had too much contrast and Bernie was not pleased with his engraving. Sometimes you just have to try something to see that its not working. Look for a solution in Oak, Ebony and Boxwood coming soon (wood is more appropriate to the Roycroft look)...:-)

[iim7V7IM7]

To stay in the all wood decoration theme. Bernie cut a headstock logo by hand in boxwood.



It integrates with the oak and bloodwood design elements.



Onto the fingerboard next...

[iim7V7IM7]

Bernie has been binding the body the last day or so. He came up with a nice wood combo of woods that works with both the top, back and sides and ties into other decorative elements. I have only seen some mockups and will post the real-deal soon. He is also exchanging mockups of fingerboard markers. That will be the next aspect to be done. We also decided to use EVO Gold Fretwire on this one.

I really like this method of luthier-client communication/collaboration. I hesitate to share all of them because being "mockups" are crude and they are just sketches of their final embodiments. I really appreciate him taking the time to do it and collaborating with a client on a custom build.

Pictures soon...

[iim7V7IM7]

Bernie finished the body binding yesterday, but unfortunately forgot his camera (yeah, I know, the "dog ate his homework"). But here are a few shots in the "raw" from the other day.

Here is test strip of binding against the Carpathian Spruce top and the Cocobolo back/sides. Bernie is going with a white oak/maple/ebony binding. The colors should tie well with the rosette and the thin black line with the ebony elements.





This is shout the the bindings being taped in place. He likes to use a masking tape method because it allows him to see any gaps easily.



The next photo is of Bernie's shop inventions that he calls the "Tape Distributor". (patent de-pending :-). I love little vignettes into shop work practices.

[iim7V7IM7]

Bernie sent me two photos of the bound box. The binding is white oak, maple, ebony and I think it will go well with the Carpathian Spruce top and tie nicely into the oak of the rosette and the ebony of the fingerboard and tailpiece.



The binding also pops against the cocobolo and ties into the sapwood to boot. You can really see just how arched the back is in this image.



On to the fingerboard inlays next...

[iim7V7IM7]

Bernie worked on the inlays done today. He cut 3/16" boxwood squares for the 3rd, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th and 19th fret markers and smaller 1/8" bloodwood squares to be placed at the 5th, 12th and at the nut.



They were laid out on the fingerboard and were marked out with light score lines. A Dremel tool with the 1/32" bit took out the center and a 1/8" chisel squared up the pocket in the fingerboard. Because the boxwood frame like is intersected by the boxwood squares they had to be carefully fit by hand. They were flooded with super glue and sanded level. The fret slots had to be subsequently recut through the 1/32" border.



Since the headstock has an oak veneer under the ebony headplate veneer, the fingerboard gets one as well to match. The two way truss rod was set in the groove with a bead of silicone to prevent any rattle. Once the fingerboard is glued on the neck will be shaped.

[Nemoman]

Love the fretboard--thanks for the update!

[iim7V7IM7]

Thanks...

I am very pleased how the project is coming together. Bernie is doing a great job. The design elements of the fingerboard will integrate well with the headplate veneer and rosette. Also the shape of the fingerboard mimics the ebony headplate veneer and mirrors the ebony tailpiece form wise. I also am enjoy the "raw" aspect of seeing Bernie's build process.

[iim7V7IM7]

Today, Bernie got a final fit on the neck joint and glued the ebony fingerboard on to the mahogany neck. While the neck is a bolt-on in design to the body, the fingerboard is glued to the top and everything must be in correct 3-D alignment with the domed spruce top. He prefers to level the fingerboard after it is glued on the guitar before fretting. It needs to cure overnight to insure its stability.



The ebony tailpiece is one of the few guitar pieces that Bernie makes ahead in multiples because there are so many operations in producing it. Here it is pre-decoration.

[iim7V7IM7]

Here is the tailpiece with inlay. Bernie created a glyph using his initials based upon the Roycrofters mark. Bernie found a lovely piece of boxwood with some curl in it. He made it 1/16" thick and it cut beautifully with the Dremel router and the jewelers saw and finally the Exacto knife. It did not break anywhere which He was a little surprised at.





The boxwood is very dense (No comments on the luthier). He may do a little knife work to clean up the inlay before all is done and add a few elements. Here it is with a placeholder rosewood bridge (the real one will be ebony).

[CoolerKing]

Wow! Just fantastic!

[KingCavalier]

Beautiful work, very inspiring.

[iim7V7IM7]

Just some more details to mirror the headplate veneer in the tailpiece...