The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 06-15-2019, 11:08 PM
CoolerKing's Avatar
CoolerKing CoolerKing is offline
FKA matthewpartrick :)
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Havana
Posts: 5,344
Default Brondel A2c Smoky Red Spruce over Pernambuco

Hi guys and gals, hope you like this thread as much as I'm going to! This will be my second Brondel, having purchased a 2014-ish A2c essential from Juston a few years ago. We both foolishly sold it to fund another guitar, and both of us wanted it back. It did eventually make it back to Juston, and I think this really tells people how Impressed we are with Laurent's work. His tone is absolutely singular, and the playability is peerless.

Here are the specs

Brondel A2c Essential
Pernambuco back/sides
Smoky Mountains Red Spruce, Master Grade
ebony fretboard and bridge
german celluloid binding
Waverly Tuners
1 3/4 nut
2 3/8 bridge
long scale
cutaway
light fingerstyle setup
Oil varnish finish
hot hide glue

Some minor other mods TBD depending on rotation of the Earth's crust etc.

So without further adieu, here are some of the build photos:

Smoky Mountain Red Spruce, Master grade



Pernambuco Back set







Pernambuco side sets





















Thanks for following along folks!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-16-2019, 03:19 AM
j. Kinnaird's Avatar
j. Kinnaird j. Kinnaird is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,969
Default

Very nice shop pics. Thanks for sharing the process.
__________________
Kinnaird Guitars
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-16-2019, 03:20 AM
colins's Avatar
colins colins is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 3,522
Default

Nice one Matthew!

Your fantastic collection is about to get fantasticer!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-16-2019, 04:32 AM
iim7V7IM7's Avatar
iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: An Exit Off the Turnpike in New Jersey
Posts: 5,152
Default

I always enjoy watching Laurent work (congrats)...
__________________
A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-16-2019, 05:16 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,510
Default

Matthew, is that a smoky Adirondack top as in one of John Arnold's smokies tops? It sure looks like a really fine adi set whatever its source.
__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-16-2019, 06:55 AM
TomB'sox's Avatar
TomB'sox TomB'sox is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: The Lone Star State
Posts: 13,445
Default

Everything looks great, the top is especially tight and straight grained isn't it? Does Laurent build without a mold like Bruce does?
__________________
PS. I love guitars!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-16-2019, 07:03 AM
iim7V7IM7's Avatar
iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: An Exit Off the Turnpike in New Jersey
Posts: 5,152
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
Everything looks great, the top is especially tight and straight grained isn't it? Does Laurent build without a mold like Bruce does?
Laurent builds with molds Tom...

Quote:
Originally Posted by gitarro View Post
Matthew, is that a smoky Adirondack top as in one of John Arnold's smokies tops? It sure looks like a really fine adi set whatever its source.
I suspect the top came from the Hampton brothers who harvest, process (with John Arnold) and sell red spruce to luthiers (Matthew can confirm)
__________________
A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-16-2019, 09:33 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,510
Default

I believe the term was applied to 2 fallen logs harvested by john Arnold as a result of hurricane opal in 1995 which were particularly exceptional - kind of like the adi equivalent of Lucky Strike redwood. Given its tight grain, I was curious if this set was from the second of those logs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/umgf.co...t=137497&amp=1


Quote:
Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7 View Post
Laurent builds with molds Tom...



I suspect the top came from the Hampton brothers who harvest, process (with John Arnold) and sell red spruce to luthiers (Matthew can confirm)
__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference...
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-16-2019, 09:50 AM
Guitars44me's Avatar
Guitars44me Guitars44me is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mountains east of San Diego
Posts: 7,370
Smile This will be KILLER

Enjoy the process! Looks to be a fantastic axe...

Cheers

Paul
__________________
3 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS:
Big Maple/Cedar Dread
Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC
Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC

R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro
96 422ce bought new!
96 LKSM 12
552ce 12x12

J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut

More
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-16-2019, 10:12 AM
justonwo's Avatar
justonwo justonwo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 7,120
Default

Laurent’s work is outstanding. You’re going to love this guitar. I have its cousin - a red spruce and pernambuco A-1c. Looking forward to seeing this one come to life and then needling you in the coming years that mine is better.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 06-16-2019, 12:32 PM
TomB'sox's Avatar
TomB'sox TomB'sox is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: The Lone Star State
Posts: 13,445
Default

Well, I asked because I don't see any molds in any pictures except for side bending molds and it appears he is gluing in the neck and tail block outside of any molds and usually that is done whilst the sides are within a mold if I am not mistaken.
__________________
PS. I love guitars!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 06-16-2019, 01:29 PM
iim7V7IM7's Avatar
iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: An Exit Off the Turnpike in New Jersey
Posts: 5,152
Default

Tom, Laurent uses a Fox Bender and hot pipe to rough bend his sides and uses his unassembled side molds with clamps to ensure the sides a shaped. He does assemble his sides to his neck/end blocks and installs his side ribbons outside of the molds. When he glues in his kerfed linings, he uses his body molds and spreading clamps to further refine them to their final shape. Have a look other build threads and you will see this process illustrated...

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
Well, I asked because I don't see any molds in any pictures except for side bending molds and it appears he is gluing in the neck and tail block outside of any molds and usually that is done whilst the sides are within a mold if I am not mistaken.
__________________
A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 06-16-2019, 09:59 PM
Cocobolo Kid's Avatar
Cocobolo Kid Cocobolo Kid is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Posts: 1,015
Smile Brondel

Congrats Matthew! Can't wait to see more.
__________________
John
Tucson, AZ

2020 Kraut 00, Swiss/Brazilian, build
2018 Eady EG Pro Electric, Redwood/Mahogany
2013 Baranik Meridian, Blue Spruce/Cocobolo, build
2008 Baranik CX, Blue Spruce/African Blackwood
2008 Breedlove A20 Masterclass 12-string, Adi/IRW
2003 Thames classical, Euro/Brazilian
Fodera Standard 4 Fretless bass, figured walnut
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 06-17-2019, 02:34 PM
CoolerKing's Avatar
CoolerKing CoolerKing is offline
FKA matthewpartrick :)
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Havana
Posts: 5,344
Default

The top is indeed from Hampton Brothers.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 06-17-2019, 03:24 PM
justonwo's Avatar
justonwo justonwo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 7,120
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewpartrick View Post
The top is indeed from Hampton Brothers.
The pernambuco is from Home Depot.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=