Rainsong Series

[Minstermarce]

Originally Posted by ac

Some photos of past Brunners. I last heard he had abandoned making CF guitars so he could focus his energies on new wood designs. His CF guitars were stellar, most with removable necks that allowed you to change necks to different scale lengths also. I don't know if he has resumed making CF guitars so if you come across a used Brunner, it won't be long before it is snatched up.

His CF guitars always had some portion still wood, but normally wood in areas that would be less worrisome in terms of effects of humidity and where strength was less important.

Everything is made in his home shop in Switzerland.

Great photos AC. Thanks for sharing. I remember looking at Brunner guitars as an option but as you say, he moved away from CF, so it was not an option. That acoustoelectric looks amazing. How was it to play and how did it sound?

[ac]

These were photos he sent me long ago. I had great interest but I had a set limit on what I felt I could reasonably pay. His guitars are true perfection and genuinely worth what he asks, but my own limit was fixed--and it still is. For example, I'd LOVE an Emerald woody someday, but the Emerald that I do have is all I need for now--or maybe ever. So I'm not really a worthy AGFer--I should have no guitar limits!

The only one of the carbon Brunners I listened to was the smaller all carbon (except fretboard and bridge) and it sounded very good for the size it is. Remember, his smaller travel guitars are the size of the Journey or even smaller--12 in or less across the body. It cannot sound like an OM or larger.

I remember him telling me the neck attachment mechanism was unique and had been designed/produced by his uncle.

The multiple neck design with different scale lengths possible is just simply a great idea, but the market likely isn't big for that sort of thing.

He himself plays very well, but making guitars are just a part of his talents and interests. He excels in a number of fields and is always thinking outside the box. A true Renaissance man. He and his lovely family were very gracious hosts to myself and my wife even though we arrived as strangers.

They live in one of the most beautiful mountain settings you can imagine--but it's not the easiest to get to.

Not sure when the last Brunner CF was up listed for sale here. Anyone recall?

[Minstermarce]

Thanks for the info.

Agreed about the cost. They are not mass market to put it politely. I Googled Brunner Guitars and strangely the website doesn't load. Hopefully just a glitch and they are still in business. I don't live so far away - in the same country - and should make a road trip there once.

[ac]

I think the site is down just temporarily, from what I can see. His Facebook is up and strong and current.

Interestingly, he mentions down the page that he had 3 carbon fibers travel guitars he never completed after he quit making them and he just completed them in December. So he has three new guitars waiting to go. There are photos on the Facebook as you scroll down and they do look nice.

https://www.facebook.com/brunnerguitars/

[Barb1]

I just sent Lucas a note asking about the availability of the short scale carbon fiber. I'd be surprised if it is still available but I can hope.
Barb

Thanks for the pictues AC. Brunner also made guitars with interchangeable steel/nylon necks.

The Brunner Compact slim body electric is stunning.

[Minstermarce]

How right you are, AC. Some left over CF guitars! I have two and I reckon that is enough. I like the electric models though...

[pandaroo]

Originally Posted by Barb1

Thanks, Pandaroo. I will check back.
Barb

Firstly, I apologise to the OP and I don't mean to hijack the thread but I believe my experience with Brunners may add value if any members are thinking of ordering a CF Brunner in the future.

I had 2 of these in the past;

• A custom (what they are known now as) Brunner Compact small size with interchangeable steel string & classical (nylon string) neck with Swiss spruce top and EIR back and sides and a custom side soundport
  
• A stock standard (what they are known now as) Brunner Compact full size with Swiss spruce top and Mahogany back and sides

Brunner has been around for a while and from the video link below, my guitar was since 2010. At that time, they were very innovative, with their fancy custom ordering website, the multineck options, the whizbang soft and hard cases & accessories, interesting bracing design plus video endorsements from the great Phil Keaggy, Don Alder and John Doan. Brunner guitars were the hype back then just like how Emerald is now.

Let's cut to the chase, the small size is about the size of a Baby Taylor. Fuller sounding and much louder of course. Nevertheless, it is still a small guitar, there will always be a hint boxiness. Unlike the OF660 and CA Cargo, they may be small but they sound like a full size guitar but only quieter. The standard scale length of the neck (unless you opt for the full scale neck you will not have the hard cases available) is very cramped. It is a beautiful crafted guitar, no doubt, and the interchangeable necks on mine was ingenious. The back pack and the hard case was also a very smart creation.

Here is my biggest knock on the Brunner - after owning a Voyage Air guitar and the Journey OF660, I think there is a flaw in the neck attachment because I found them not to be very secure. I don't think this is a defect because it was present on both of my Brunners. For example, the Voyage and OF600, when the neck is assembled, they are rock solid attached due to the screw mechanism that allows you tighten the joint. The Brunner neck can still move ever so slightly that is noticeable and I felt that energy is loss and hence losing sustain. IMHO, this negative attribute will still apply even if you order a CF Brunner.

This was my guitar demoed by John Doan just before it was shipped to me. I believe I have shared this before and some of you may have seen this before especially EvanB.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3-oC3PtwjI

Pandaroo;

I did see this guitar and was sorely tempted. My hesitancy was based on the belief that a guitar top would not work for both steel and nylon strings. If the face would take the tension of steel strings, it would be muted with nylon strings. If the face was designed for the lower tension of nylon strings then the face would be stressed with steel strings. That was my thinking.

The demonstration of your guitar makes me second-guess my previous thinking. I can't be sure, but it sounds to me like the demonstration is done with steel strings--is that the case? If so, how was your experience with nylon strings? If the demonstration was done with nylon strings then I have to believe that Brunner has done what I thought was just a dream, a guitar equally proficient with steel and nylon strings.

In any event, thank you for weighing in on this and providing the demonstration.

I see that I, too, have hijacked this thread. I wonder if a monitor could remove the Brunner material from this thread and give it its own thread?

[pandaroo]

Originally Posted by EvanB

Pandaroo;

I did see this guitar and was sorely tempted. My hesitancy was based on the belief that a guitar top would not work for both steel and nylon strings. If the face would take the tension of steel strings, it would be muted with nylon strings. If the face was designed for the lower tension of nylon strings then the face would be stressed with steel strings. That was my thinking.

The demonstration of your guitar makes me second-guess my previous thinking. I can't be sure, but it sounds to me like the demonstration is done with steel strings--is that the case? If so, how was your experience with nylon strings? If the demonstration was done with nylon strings then I have to believe that Brunner has done what I thought was just a dream, a guitar equally proficient with steel and nylon strings.

In any event, thank you for weighing in on this and providing the demonstration.

I see that I, too, have hijacked this thread. I wonder if a monitor could remove the Brunner material from this thread and give it its own thread?

According to Lukas, unlike most guitars, steel string and nylon strings is predominantly between X brace and fan brace. Brunner's guitars are based on a flying brace and it applies to both steel string and nylon string tops, the only variation being applying different top thickness.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=b...w=1920&bih=949

For a Brunner to handle this particular interchangeable neck guitar of steel string and nylon string neck, the top will be thinned to accommodate steel string for the stronger and tighter tension. So you are right in your assumption. Your hesitancy of the top not working for both steel string and nylon string and that the nylon string will sound muted, that was my thinking as well. I took the risk, a very expensive risk and ordered one after lots of discussion with Lukas.

So my question to you;

The link to the video of my guitar which demoed by John Doan as mentioned has top thickness thinned to accommodate steel string because that is the only way to accommodate both type of necks. Forget about our theory for a second, in reality, how did that guitar sound in the video?

When I received the guitar, to my surprise, the guitar seemed better suited for nylon string, it sounded better than the steel string. Lukas proved me wrong. But that still doesn't change the fact that I feel his neck joint is not as secure as I like it to be.

To moderators, feel free to move these discussions to separate thread.