Build Thread: Brondel A2c

[lclyman]

Originally Posted by bdm0509

Larry-

I'd love to hear more of what you think about regarding the differences in your Pernambuco Sexauer and your Rosewood Brondel. I'd imagine that description would start with "the biggest difference is between the builders." I don't recall you saying you'd played additional examples of either Bruce's or Laurent's guitars... but if that's wrong, all the better, and I'd love your thoughts.

Pernambuco is certainly part of what I'll be asking Laurent about. I have some good ideas of how we'll start our tonal conversation, but let's see how those play out once he gets back from vacation.

-B

The differences between the 2 guitars in very broad terms is minimal. They both sound full and articulate, with the OM sized Sexauer Pernambuco model having a stunning clarity unlike any other guitar I've played...and the Brondel 00 sized A2 having note separation and sustain to die for.

Cosmetically the Brondel is drop dead gorgeous with beautiful Madagascar back and sides and a tight grained Carpathian spruce top. Laurent is a true artist with the design of his guitars...leaning more to the subtle side...but the closer you look the more you're knocked out..

My Sexauer guitar is one of Bruce's WRX series which is essentially a completely bling free build aimed towards the working musician...all tone, no fat..but that being said, the look and feel of this guitar is sublime...fantastic neck..plays like a dream...and at gigs without exception elicits oohs and ahs on a sonic and visual level.

I've been lucky enough to play a decent number of both Bruce's and Laurent's guitars...and it's like this...There are a handful of builders who knock it out of the park with every swing...the only difference is how far over the fence it goes.

Both these guys bat 1000.

LC

[lclyman]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Larry's involvement with my work precedes his involvement with Laurent, so I tremble at the possibility of being overshadowed in his mind. But I did communicate with Larry a few weeks ago and he is still playing the guitar he got from me, so it can't be too bad! I've possibly had too much coffee. . . That would explain the trembling.

We did a concert together at Schoenberg's shop way back then, and I offered half off admission to anyone who would bring my old work along and let us play those guitars on stage. In all, 18 of my guitars showed up and I played every one of them. I don't know the exact number Larry played but it was a good percentage of them. My daughter video taped the show as I thought many others would be interested in the comparison, but I am no longer sure where the master of that is. Too bad, I'd find it instructive to hear that again!

Bruce...perhaps a switch to decaf is in order..!

That was a fun night at Eric's shop..if I recall it was a rainy night...but like you said..."18 of your guitars showed up.."...and I'm pretty sure they were all accompanied by their owners...some of whom were darn good players...

We were pretty ambitous repertoire wise, but I think we managed to pull it off without too much bloodshed...and I remember playing some pretty spectacular builds of yours...including one of your first builds..a dread...that was hanging in Eric's shop...kind of the equivalent of looking at an old high school yearbook photo...except in this case the subject showed up at the 25 year reunion in impressive shape...

I've got a copy of that video on cd somewhere...I'm going to wait until you're up for that presidential medal of honor and then release it on youtube..!

LC

[MikeD]

Well, the swap has officially been made. Thanks Brett! I just go off the phone with Laurent and started the ball rolling with the build. He plans on starting the guitar in the next 3 weeks, so we had to iron out all the finer points of the build. Sticking with the "less is more" philosophy, the guitar will have his basic appointments on a non-cutaway A2 body. The basics will be ebony fingerboard, bridge & binding, quartersawn pernambucco with a "no runout" German top, cocobolo headstock overlays on both the front and back, Waverly tuners and his standard long scale length of 25.6". I was hoping to visit his shop before he starts the build, since he is only about 2 1/2 hours from me, but it looks like that might not happen since I leave on vacation next week for 12 days and when I return I go right back out a few days later on a 12 day business trip, so I will probably have to pick the wood based on pictures and Laurent's expertise... which is probably a better idea anyways! I will try to keep this thread going with pictures and updates while I'm traveling, but I cannot guarantee regular updates because of my hectic schedule next month.

A special thanks to Brett for selling me his slot and a very special thanks to Laurent for being accommodating. I have not done a custom build in a few years, since all my attention and efforts have been focused on vintage guitars, so this should be a fun process.

[MikeD]

Here is the set of Pernambucco I chose for the build. There are two worm holes on each side of the set in the upper bout. One from each side will definitely be cut out of the wood, but the second two that are closer to the center might just catch the guitar inside of the binding. Worms always seem to like the best woods, huh? Anyways, I'm not too worried about it since he can fill them and make them all but disappear. They will just add a little more character with the beautiful color and grain of this set.

[Berf]

This is bound to be a corker... looking forward to following the build. Cheers, berf

[iim7V7IM7]

We'll definitely need to have a Pernambuco guitar "sampling" at Woodstock next October. I look forward to watching this one come together!

[billgennaro]

Looking good Mike. I have a Brondel and it is the single most resonant guitar I own. I have never auditioned a Pernambuco guitar but its sounds intriguing. Best of luck with the build.

[steveh]

Originally Posted by billgennaro

I have a Brondel and it is the single most resonant guitar I own.

Wow - quite a statement given some of your guitars - yours must be fabulous.

I've played several Brondels, but there has been quite a bit of sonic difference between them all. All of them were great guitars but difficult to pin down which I preferred most,likely due to a wide range of body sizes and wood mixes. I'd definitely like to spend a lot more time with some. I do hear some (distant) relationship to Sobells, which I know Laurent admires, but the Brondels I've played have bees far more "mainstream" than those.

Will enjoy following this!

Cheers,
Steve

[ChuckS]

Mike,
Congratulations on the Brondel commission. I've always admired Laurent's work and am looking forward to a build thread. That's a really nice looking set of Pernambuco, and I would think that it, along with the German spruce, would enhance Laurent 'signature' tone (from what I can tell from recordings). I've only experienced one guitar with Pernambuco, so I enjoy hearing other players/builders impressions.

[billgennaro]

Originally Posted by steveh

Wow - quite a statement given some of your guitars - yours must be fabulous.

I've played several Brondels, but there has been quite a bit of sonic difference between them all. All of them were great guitars but difficult to pin down which I preferred most,likely due to a wide range of body sizes and wood mixes. I'd definitely like to spend a lot more time with some. I do hear some (distant) relationship to Sobells, which I know Laurent admires, but the Brondels I've played have bees far more "mainstream" than those.

Will enjoy following this!

Cheers,
Steve

I agree that Laurent gets quite a variation of tone/sonics with the different woods he uses. I've tried his guitars in Brazilian, Madagascar, African Blackwood (now mine), EIR, and Mahogany. Out of all of them, my little 00 was a bit more resonant/responsive than the others (at least to my ears). Also, a bit warmer sounding, which I like. But, overall, Laurent's instruments are quite lively and the notes seem to just pop out of them.

I also agree that there is a resemblance to Stefan's and Laurent's guitars (more so visually but sonically a bit as well), with the Brondels being more "mainstream" as you say.

[MikeD]

The first guitar of Laurent's that really captivated me was a pernambucco/German A2 he had at Woodstock a few years back. I had never played a pernambucco guitar before, nor had I played one of Laurent's guitars at that point either, and that guitar simply knocked my socks off. I have since played a number of Laurent's guitars, all of which have been phenomenal, but none has quite approached that pernambucco A2 as of yet... which is why I settled on pernambucco rather than another tone wood. I figured that it was much smarter for me to spend the extra money to upgrade to the tonewood of my choice, rather than spending it on some bling and/or fancy appointments.

I have played one other pernambucco guitar since then, which was an Olson SJ in pernambucco/German that a friend of mine owns in Italy. That Olson was simply the best Olson I have ever played, and I have tried to buy it from him on numerous occasions without success. So, based on those two data points, it was really a no brainer for me to order up a pernambucco/German A2 with Laurent.

Although his aesthetic and basic design concept is similar to what Stephan Sobell does with his guitars, I find them to be completely different sounding, feeling and playing from one another. I find Stephan's guitars to be very tight and constricted, whereas Laurent's guitars are extremely resonant and responsive and feel much lighter in my hands. Both builders make guitars that lend themselves better to different styles of playing and music, and for me and my style, Laurent's guitars are a better fit. I should have this guitar by late May/June, so it is going to be a whirl-wind build over the next 3 months.

[Burton LeGeyt]

This is going to be an awesome guitar! I remember his pernambuco guitar at Woodstock, it was exceptional which was no surprise.

[MikeD]

Burton,

Yes, I remember you playing it at the place we rented up on top of that crazy winding mountain road! Laurent brought the guitar over after the Luthier dinner because I didn't really get a chance to play it much that day at the show, and he wanted me to get a chance to hear it in a quiet place. BTW, are you going back up to Woodstock this year?

[billgennaro]

Originally Posted by MikeD

The first guitar of Laurent's that really captivated me was a pernambucco/German A2 he had at Woodstock a few years back. I had never played a pernambucco guitar before, nor had I played one of Laurent's guitars at that point either, and that guitar simply knocked my socks off. I have since played a number of Laurent's guitars, all of which have been phenomenal, but none has quite approached that pernambucco A2 as of yet... which is why I settled on pernambucco rather than another tone wood. I figured that it was much smarter for me to spend the extra money to upgrade to the tonewood of my choice, rather than spending it on some bling and/or fancy appointments.

I have played one other pernambucco guitar since then, which was an Olson SJ in pernambucco/German that a friend of mine owns in Italy. That Olson was simply the best Olson I have ever played, and I have tried to buy it from him on numerous occasions without success. So, based on those two data points, it was really a no brainer for me to order up a pernambucco/German A2 with Laurent.

This is very intriguing, Mike. I certainly will need to get my hands on a Pernambuco instrument to try. Sounds like you know what you want, have heard what you want, and are going for it. I hope it turns out to be everything you envision in your mind's eye.

[justonwo]

I've played one or two Sexauer guitars - one of which was at the last Healdsburg - with pernambuco back and sides. It is an outstanding tone wood, so far as I can tell. I wouldn't hesitate to use it in a build.