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  #16  
Old 03-17-2017, 07:18 AM
tkoehler1 tkoehler1 is offline
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Great story glad it all worked out. Great video too I actually watched the whole thing surprisingly. I agree with others it's rare to have a hand built guitar sell for that price. The guitars in the video sounded great and I'm sure yours does as well. I see lots of guitar playing in your future
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  #17  
Old 03-17-2017, 02:34 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by tkoehler1 View Post
Great story glad it all worked out. Great video too I actually watched the whole thing surprisingly. I agree with others it's rare to have a hand built guitar sell for that price. The guitars in the video sounded great and I'm sure yours does as well. I see lots of guitar playing in your future
Thanks! It is really interesting to watch a documentary and actually see my guitar being built. That is also solid proof that it is truly handmade by one person. Yes, this guitar really does sound good. The whole thing vibrates with the sound when it is played. I don't know that I have ever had a guitar like that. It just feels so alive. Looking at Brunton's site, it seems his guitars do sell for that price in general, so mine is not exceptional in that regard among his product offerings.

I suppose that if somebody famous was seen playing one of his guitars, such as James Taylor or somebody along those lines in the classical world, his prices might jump as demand increased as a result. I wonder if James Olson's guitars suddenly got better after James Taylor made them desirable to a lot of folks, or if they were always that good and James Taylor just made people aware of that. I think Brunton's guitars are good too, but am VERY glad that he is still unknown. I would not be at all surprised to find out that there are many fine guitars being built "under the radar" by individual builders, and therefore still quite that bargain.

Tony
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  #18  
Old 03-21-2017, 04:19 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Well, today I finalized my decision to keep the Brunton classical guitar. I have played it quite a lot over the past several days and have done a lot of reading about classical guitars and how to choose the right one. In the process, I discovered why lattice bracing, the side port, as well as the fact that this one has a "12 hole bridge" and what that means, the differences between cedar and spruce tops, why hand made vs factory, etc, etc. But all of that stuff aside, this one is definitely "it" for me. There is just something about it overall that I really musically connect with as with no other guitar I have played. It is all paid for in cash and done, and now mine.

I hope to be making some videos with it in the near future, as well as "thinning the herd" because this is the one I have "bonded with". I don't think I ever really understood that term until now, but I certainly recognize that it has happened to me. That experience is clearly different from the usual GAS cycle of bringing home new guitars. In fact, I suspect that until that happens, we will GAS, looking for that experience. This is nothing more than a working theory right now, so time will tell.

Tony
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  #19  
Old 03-21-2017, 05:12 PM
hesson11 hesson11 is offline
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Congrats, Tony! That's great. I hope it brings you great pleasure. On 6- and 12-hole bridges, I have guitars that have both, and I honestly don't see what all the fuss is over the 12-holers. Yes, they do in effect increase break angle a bit, but I find them no easier to use than the 6-holers. Enjoy your guitar.
-Bob
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  #20  
Old 03-21-2017, 05:24 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by hesson11 View Post
Congrats, Tony! That's great. I hope it brings you great pleasure. On 6- and 12-hole bridges, I have guitars that have both, and I honestly don't see what all the fuss is over the 12-holers. Yes, they do in effect increase break angle a bit, but I find them no easier to use than the 6-holers. Enjoy your guitar.
-Bob
Thanks Bob! I always wanted a classical guitar with a cedar top that is of high quality, sounds really good, AND is very easily playable. This guitar is all that and more.

Well, I just learned about 12 hole bridges so I can't honestly say what the advantages will be for me. All I know is that, in rereading the Brunton site, I saw that he uses them. I had to look at my guitar to verify that it indeed has that, and then did some reading. I downloaded a Youtube video that is 25 minutes long and goes into detail about how to string up a classical guitar with a 12 hole bridge. It appears in the video to be somewhat easier with a 1 hole bridge than with the standard 6 holes.

Regardless, I got a really good (and obvious in hindsight) tip when changing strings. the guy takes a piece of cardboard and cuts out a slot in the middle the size of the bridge and puts that down on the guitar top before changing strings. This prevents a string from slipping and gouging the top. I have not seen or heard of anyone else doing that.

Tony
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  #21  
Old 03-22-2017, 06:36 AM
dkstott dkstott is offline
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The 12 holes are nice and can make tying strings easier, but they seems more trouble than they are worth to me. The same for those plastic things that you can use to loop the string through.

The primary purpose for those cardboard things is that the trebles if not tied off properly will suddenly slip out of the knot. I've not heard of folks having any issues with basses because of the windings on the strings. The string backlash can cause a "ding" in the guitar top's finish. You can also use an old t-shirt or wiping cloth.

My first few attempts at tying strings resulted in a slow release of the knot as I brought up the 1st string to tune. I never experienced the backlash.

So, I used one of those cardboard things for a few months until I got proficient in changing strings on my nylon.

I play my nylon string guitar 1-2 hours a day, plus weekly lessons, open mic nights, gatherings... Bass strings get changed about every 4-5 weeks. I quite often will change all 6 depending on my mood, etc..

Now, changing strings is like meditation for me. I spend time cleaning the fretboard, cleaning and polishing.. etc....



Once I got the hand of properly tying the strings, I stopped using it.
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  #22  
Old 03-22-2017, 07:56 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by dkstott View Post
The 12 holes are nice and can make tying strings easier, but they seems more trouble than they are worth to me. The same for those plastic things that you can use to loop the string through.

The primary purpose for those cardboard things is that the trebles if not tied off properly will suddenly slip out of the knot. I've not heard of folks having any issues with basses because of the windings on the strings. The string backlash can cause a "ding" in the guitar top's finish. You can also use an old t-shirt or wiping cloth.

My first few attempts at tying strings resulted in a slow release of the knot as I brought up the 1st string to tune. I never experienced the backlash.

So, I used one of those cardboard things for a few months until I got proficient in changing strings on my nylon.

I play my nylon string guitar 1-2 hours a day, plus weekly lessons, open mic nights, gatherings... Bass strings get changed about every 4-5 weeks. I quite often will change all 6 depending on my mood, etc..

Now, changing strings is like meditation for me. I spend time cleaning the fretboard, cleaning and polishing.. etc....



Once I got the hand of properly tying the strings, I stopped using it.
It has been quite a few years since I owned a classical guitar. I do recall having a few "mishaps" with a treble string or two that resulted in acquiring some not-too-bad (but disheartening) marks on the guitar top. This time around, especially considering the quality of this instrument, I intend to be cautious.

I can easily see this instrument becoming my primary guitar, though for playing out I have a 2012 Taylor Fall Limited Edition nylon string guitar. When I change strings on that, I will take the same precautions.

Your idea of making string changes a meditative experience sounds like a very good idea. Thinking of it as a chore or "necessary evil" is certainly not a good way to approach it. For me, because of the tying and the greater tendency for slippage, changing strings on a nylon string guitar takes noticeably longer than does a steel string guitar. However, as with most things of this nature, there certainly is a payoff. Especially as I get older, nylon strings are easier on the fingers and they seem (at least to me...) far more expressive and capable of tonal subtleties than steel strings. I could see myself changing over exclusively to nylon strings. Since I tend to arrange what I play, 12 frets to the body is not a limitation.

Tony
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  #23  
Old 03-22-2017, 09:00 AM
zhunter zhunter is offline
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I really enjoyed the builder video. First time I saw a video of a builder carving a neck heel I was amazed. It still amazes me. So easy to turn a nice piece of wood into firewood. A lot of experience and confidence to carve like that. Sounds like a nice guitar.

Enjoy,

hunter
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  #24  
Old 03-22-2017, 09:55 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by zhunter View Post
I really enjoyed the builder video. First time I saw a video of a builder carving a neck heel I was amazed. It still amazes me. So easy to turn a nice piece of wood into firewood. A lot of experience and confidence to carve like that. Sounds like a nice guitar.

Enjoy,

hunter
It is great fun to watch my guitar being built. Apparently, he builds two at a time, and mine is one of the two in that video. When he signs and installs the label (about halfway through the video), you get a clear view of the serial number, and it is the one in my guitar. Really solid visual proof of the "handmade" aspect of it.

I remember when we had our house (since moved into a condo) and my wife had a darkroom in the basement. I used to sit in there and watch her develop her film. She would hold the paper with tongs and lightly shake it in a tray of film developer mixture and suddenly a picture would appear. For me, watching this video is a bit like that, except for the "suddenly" part. It really is amazing what some folks are able to do, and building a fine instrument is one at the top of my list of amazing things to watch somebody do.

After paying for the guitar, I sent Mr. Brunton an email asking exactly what strings he uses and recommends. In his response, he told me he will be starting another build of two guitars. Apparently, he builds two at a time. The first 4 digits of the serial number are the year the guitar was built, so mine was built in 2015. Then, comes the build number. Mine is # 022, so he really has not built a large number of guitars. Being a one person shop, I am sure his output is quite low. It takes him time to build because of his attention to the small details, which one can certainly appreciate when looking at and/or playing one of his guitars. When you see the lattice bracing he used in my guitar (seen in that build video), it is apparent that such work takes more time than straight fan bracing too. You can really see that attention to detail in the video, such as when he is clearing any glue spots from the inside of the guitar. The guitar is as clean inside as it is outside. With the side port, you really have a cool view into the guitar.

Tony
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"Alexa, where's my stuff?"
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Last edited by tbeltrans; 03-22-2017 at 10:01 AM.
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  #25  
Old 03-22-2017, 09:22 PM
pandaroo pandaroo is offline
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I'm glad you are finding what you enjoy, classical guitars if built well are simply amazing instruments and just like our steel string counterparts can be tweaked for our own playing preference.

I am originally classically trained and have transitioned to steel string. Although I rarely play classical anymore but I still keep my luthier built (also not well known) German spruce/Brazilian RW classical to remind me of my roots and a nice heirloom for my children. My classical has mods done on the neck as well to be more comfortable to me but not a significant departure from the standard. The neck width is only 2 mm less wide (sorry for the Australian metrics used) and the neck copied the flat profile of a flamenco guitar. Everything else is kept traditional.

Congrats and would love to see some pics if you can post them.
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  #26  
Old 03-23-2017, 05:29 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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The nut on this instrument must be similar to yours, since it is also 2 mm less than the standard (50 mm vs the standard 52 mm). string spacing at the 12th fret is 60 mm, which I believe is standard. The overall feel of the guitar is slightly smaller than a standard classical, and therefore much more comfortable for me to hold and play.

As you can see in the pictures, this guitar has a side port, which really enhances the sound from the player's perspective. Also, it has a cedar top, which is my personal preference for a classical guitar, both for sound and appearance. The sound is very balanced all over the fretboard.

There is just something about a guitar built by hand by one person, as this guitar is. It is really alive, with the entire guitar vibrating as it is played. I have several nice acoustic instruments, and none of them feel or sound as alive as this one does. It is truly exceptional in that regard.

On Brunton's site, you can see Tom Johnson performing "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" on my guitar. It sounds just like the arrangement that Earl Klugh did on one of his solo guitar albums. Here is a link to that specific page. It is the first performance on the page:

www.bruntonclassicalguitars.com/gallery/


Here are some pictures from Brunton's site:









Tony
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  #27  
Old 03-23-2017, 10:53 AM
Jabberwocky Jabberwocky is offline
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Congrats, Tony. What a beautiful guitar. And thank you for your introduction to Dr. Brunton. Clearly, these guitars are a labour of love for him. He is a retired academic and probably is not too dependent on selling guitars for a living. In other words, you are getting great value for your money.

Is it French Polished? You may want to get a Sageworks Kris Barnett Guitar Support or a Neck Up for it. I recommend some kind of support for good posture that can only help you to enjoy playing more.

12-hole bridges make stringing up a guitar a cinch as there is no need to make loops that don't slip. If you are going to use fluorocarbon treble strings be aware that they are very slippery and are likely to slip and cause whiplash marks in the top. Ugh!! Cedar is a soft wood.

With French Polish, you may want to be careful about your forearm and abdomen contacting the guitar. It takes about a year to harden and even then remains delicate. Wear a sleeve when you play.

I hope you have years of joy with it. I consider myself a jazz cat but classical guitar is always close to my heart.

Last edited by Jabberwocky; 03-24-2017 at 07:08 AM.
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  #28  
Old 03-23-2017, 07:57 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by Jabberwocky View Post
Congrats, Tony. What a beautiful guitar. And thank you for your introduction to Dr. Brunton. Clearly, these guitars are a labour of love for him. He is a retired academic and probably is not too dependent on selling guitars for a living. In other words, you are getting great value for your money.

Is it French Polished? You may want to get a Sageworks Kris Barnett Guitar Support or a Neck Up for it. I tecommend some kind of support for good posture that can only help you to enjoy playing more.

12-hole bridges make stringing up a guitar a cinch as there is no need to make loops that don't slip. If you are going to use fluorocarbon treble strings be aware that they are very slippery and are likely to slip and cause whiplash marks in the top. Ugh!! Cedar is a soft wood.

With French Polish, you may want to be careful about your forearm and abdomen contacting the guitar. It takes about a year to harden and even then remains delicate. Wear a sleeve when you play.

I hope you have years of joy with it. I consider myself a jazz cat but classical guitar is always close to my heart.
Jabberwocky,

Thanks for the informative response. I d wear a long sleeve shirt when playing so as not to hurt the finish. It is French polish, but the guitar was built in 2015, so it has had two years to settle in. I was reading a site of a high end French builder earlier today. His guitars are apparently played by a number of well known concert players. He talked about the French polish process and said that it takes about a year for the finish to "stretch", and that when it does, you will see an uneven surface that isn't shiny like the lacquer spray used by factories. He said that because of that, he doesn't guarantee the finish. It comes out as it does.

The finish on this guitar is like that. It isn't as if there is anything wrong, but it is certainly not thick and shiny like the factory built guitars I typically see. As with that builder's guitars, you can see the pores in the wood on mine. The builder made the point that the finish is not supposed to be thick at all, as that inhibits the vibration of the wood. I suppose that is at least in part why this guitar feels so alive compared to any other I have played.

I figure it will be at least a month or two before I have to restring the guitar. I could go up to Fargo and Bill Brunton can show me how he does it. He told me today in an email a bit about his process and offered to show it to me. My wife and I are going up to Fargo to visit a friend of hers this summer, and will be able to visit Mr. Brunton in his shop.

As for the Neck Up or other such device, I never really got along with that sort of thing for some reason. There is one that uses magnets, but I would be concerned about what it could do to the finish too. So far, I seem to be holding the guitar myself reasonably well, but time and experimentation will resolve any issues.

This is the guitar for me. I have played fingerstyle on steel string, and have a couple of fine instruments. I have played chord melody on a fine archtop. But I have always felt that my guitar "home" was a fine classical. The problem has been finding one that is a comfortable fit for me, and now I have found that.

Tony
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  #29  
Old 03-23-2017, 08:06 PM
tkoehler1 tkoehler1 is offline
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He has another guitar for sale that looks exactly the same???

http://www.bruntonclassicalguitars.com/instruments/

Is this the build in twos thing? Or he sold it and hasn't removed it from the website yet?

Just curious that's a good price!

TK
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  #30  
Old 03-23-2017, 08:52 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by tkoehler1 View Post
He has another guitar for sale that looks exactly the same???

http://www.bruntonclassicalguitars.com/instruments/

Is this the build in twos thing? Or he sold it and hasn't removed it from the website yet?

Just curious that's a good price!

TK
I looked at the last picture in the line, and that is my guitar. The serial number is mine. I don't know why it is picture on his site. He brought that guitar and a couple of others to The Podium, according to Jim. All they have at The Podium right now is one built in 2011 with a spruce top and fan bracing. I played it, ad it is a nice instrument too.

Also, I believe Mr. Brunton says somewhere on his site that each guitar is individual. So even if he builds two at a time, they come out different instruments. That makes sense, even if he used the same types of wood, because as the video shows, he really does build them by hand, by himself, rather than a couple of guys using machines as the "small shop" builders seem to do.

Edit: I should add that the individual instruments may be different, but the quality of the build is consistent, so there won't be one that is a dud and another that is great. Each is built with the same care as seen in the video. Since it is just him building, and doing it carefully by hand, he only builds a few per year.

As for price, it seems to me that it is when somebody famous is seen with a builder's guitar that the price suddenly starts to go up and the builder gains traction in the marketplace. Did Jim Olson's guitars suddenly get $10,000 better as soon as James Taylor started playing them? So that makes me wonder how many "undiscovered" builders are around and making fine guitars at a really reasonable price. Mr. Brunton said that Christopher Parkening came to NDSU and did a master class a few years ago. Several students were performing with Brunton guitars. After the master class, Parkening complimented Mr. Brunton on the beauty and sound quality of his guitars. So he definitely has something going on here.

Tony
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“The guitar is a wonderful thing which is understood by few.”
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"Alexa, where's my stuff?"
- Anxiously waiting...

Last edited by tbeltrans; 03-23-2017 at 09:00 PM.
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