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#1
05-01-2011, 02:08 PM
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Brondel D-3, more recordings added
Recently landed. It's an attractive guitar, nice reddish hue to the macassar back.
Nut width is 1 3/16. Laurent does great work on playability, both of the guitars I have seen have had perfect action and a friendly neck profile. The D-3 is a bewitching shape. A hair wider than a 00 in the lower bout, just over 14 inches, but with that dread-shaped wider waist and slopey upper bout. It sounds a little bigger than a 00, more like a 000 size, which is an accomplishment. Binding is bloodwood, rosette and purfling are pretty cool, Laurent's aesthetic is way beyond mine... The build quality is right up there, Laurent is a master. The back and top are pretty arched, so tonally it has more clarity and separation than the typical Martinesque sound, and borrows a little from the Larson/Sobell spectrum, whilst the warmth is of a different quality. I have played archy guitars that I found lacking in warmth, but Laurent manages to keep plenty in there, so the tone does not become tiresome, but continues to tickle the ears... The right tonal qualities we mostly look for are present in good proportion: plenty of volume, nice balance, good dynamic range, sweet trebles, rounded bass etc. The midrange is outstanding, all the way up the fretboard. I've done my fair share of gushing over new guitars, so suffice it to say that so far it looks great, plays great and sounds very satisfying. Without wishing to sound pretentious, I believe I can hear the European spruce tone, which is nice and warm and rounded, with a pleasing sparkle and shimmer. It chimes a little differently from red spruce, and is responsive and awake straight out of the box, which is a bonus. I'd struggle to comment on the influence of the macassar, but it sounds lovely, seems to combine some of the good things of mahogany and rosewood. Overall, a lovely guitar, something a little different, that manages to synthesise various elements into a pleasing whole. I'll try to do some recording soon. Dennis    
Last edited by dennisczech; 05-05-2011 at 02:49 PM. 
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#2
05-01-2011, 02:23 PM
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Congrats. Interesting shape. What's the body depth? Looking forward to hearing the recordings.
__________________
Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above
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#4
05-01-2011, 02:44 PM
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congrats, do you still have you brondel OM?
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#5
05-02-2011, 10:36 AM
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Brian: the OM has gone to a new home. They crossed on their way across the Atlantic, so sadly I couldn't compare them. From my memory, similar tonal ballpark, but pretty different like cedar and spruce are.
Rick: the depth at the butt is 4 inches. The top is quite curved, so where your arm rests on the lower bout is 3.5 inches. Nice and slim, which I like, and a surprising depth in the bass registers considering. Reminds of a good Larson.
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#6
05-04-2011, 04:17 PM
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Brondel D-3 and Greven 00 recordings
Further to the thread below on the Brondel D-3, I have recorded it:
http://www.mediafire.com/?c8nh6w9v9hq8d There are WAV and mp3 files to choose from. I have done a pretty direct comparison with a Greven new vintage lutz/mahogany 00, kinda showcases the different strengths and tonal ballpark of the 2 instruments.
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#8
05-04-2011, 06:15 PM
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I want to hear these, but my Mac requires me to down load software, and I don't want to. If you simply upload an MP3 file to a server and give an address most computers can deal directly with that.
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#9
05-05-2011, 06:04 AM
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Oh, what a gorgeous guitar. I love Macassar ebony, and have no doubt that this is a superb-sounding instrument.
Wade Hampton Miller
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#10
05-05-2011, 08:13 AM
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I love the shape! I want one, and I live in Maine! (LOL)
__________________
Sakazo Nakade Flamenco 1964 Bourgeois D Adi Tasmanian Blackwood 2011 Tom Anderson Strat 1990s Schecter California Classic Strat 1990s
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#11
05-05-2011, 03:22 PM
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OK, try these MP3 recordings
I have also added a 1927 Martin 0-18. These 3 guitars have similar box sizes. The 0-18 is the slimmest in the lower bout but the deepest, whereas the Brondel is the widest in the lower bout and most shallow in terms of depth. So they make an interesting comparison. It may be a bit tricky to hear too many differences, but I think some of the character comes out. I like the clarity of the Brondel, and a nice little shimmer that I can hear.
Here is the Martin: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10605765 The Greven: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10605766 and the Brondel: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10605767
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#12
05-05-2011, 06:50 PM
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Sweet!
Cheers,
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