Brentrup Guitars and Mandolins

[Haans]

Hi Joe, you building?
Sometimes I drill before, but this time just figured it was easier to make a couple of quick plugs after. Didn't want to put the volute on this one, so made the neck one piece with ears cut off and glued back on after roughing out the slots. Easy to do and just takes a couple of hours to clean up after. Don't care to spend the big bucks for a routing jig, and just don't feature screwing up a neck with a "router accident". Safer this way.

[maurerfan]

Haans, I check every day for an update. Nice to see this these moving along. Lovely work on the inlay. Do you build a 14-fret guitar a la the Larson 000/OM size?

[drive-south]

Just as soon as I win the lottery, Hans will be receiving s call and a check from me. I just love his aesthetics.

[Haans]

Thanks guys!
Maurerfan, the only 14 fret guitars I'm making at this point is the MJ-6 and 12. Just happens that with the scale length and box, the bridge sits in a good place. Haven't really thought about 14 fretters on larger boxes as I probably would have to redesign a box. Most 14 fretters don't have a very ideal placement of the bridge. Never cared much for that chopped off, flat look of the OM shape either.
A 14 fret might be something to consider, though...

[Haans]

Acetone applied to the already scribed inlay to loosen the glue. Inlay is carefully removed with a knife.




Scribe is chalked and then routed. Yes, folks, I still do it the old fashioned way. Inlay is hand cut, no CNC's round here...



Meanwhile, Box is routed for dovetail...



Neck is dovetailed close, then chalked and the last 1/4" is hand fit...



Halfway there...



Flush...



Fingerboard just set on (waiting for T/R shipment) and stock bridge stuck on for a quick peek...



Now that all the major work is done, time to clean the shop!

[Haans]

Time to install the T/R and glue on the F/B.



I like the Allied T/R. It's a two way rod and just works.



Fingerboard glued and clamped. In a day or two I will straighten out the neck. I don't install frets until the instrument is finished and assembled.

[Pat Foster]

Nice work, Haans! Good to see you posting here.

Pat

[Haans]

Thanks Pat, good to hear from you!

[maurerfan]

A little voice told me to check-in .. a good thing. Looking great! Whoever this is destined for is to be envied.

[Haans]

Maurerfan, I'm sure my wife will lay claim to it as I'm building it for legacy. If not, it's mine, then later, hers anyway...
Looks like the next commission will be another GC-6 with Hormigo back and sides. I'll dye the Hormigo, of course. Don't much care for orange guitars. Have a really nice set that I cut the sapwood out. Should be an interesting build.

[ewh2]

Haans,

Do you dye both sides of the White Oak? Or is the 'inside' of the back the natural colour?

A bit of a pointless question really. Love the soundclips. I'm a big fan of the 'neglected' early 20th Century American Guitar makers, eg Larson, Maurer etc, good to see their bodies/shapes still going.

There's a pretty enjoyable version of Maple Leaf Rag on a Brentrup Mandolin.

(I love the Ragtime!)

[Haans]

ewh2, there's a few of us that try to continue the tradition. Most builders are trying to dress up a du.., eh, Martin or Gibson. I mostly go for the neglected, the unpopular. Larson, Holzapfel, Stella, those are my brands. Most folks think of a Stella as a below a Harmony. They don't realize that pre-war Stellas were stellar!
I don't even build a dredd-naught...
I don't dye the insides of oak or any other wood that I dye. Don't know how dying would affect gluing and just don't care to make a "fake" wood.
If you like ragtime, Dakota Dave Hull is very good. He has been translating piano ragtime to guitar and he has just finished a book of 9 ragtime tunes.

[Trevor M]

I just received this amazing parlour from Hans.

[Edbuff]

Someone is getting a nice guitar, I've always felt that mine would be a legacy guitar. Keep posting Haans

[justonwo]

Great looking guitar, Haans!