Description
Hermann Hauser® I is one of the most famous luthiers of classical guitar history. His guitar made for Andrés Segovia in 1937 is seen as one of the best guitars ever made and was described by the Spanish virtuoso as “greatest guitar of our epoch”. Later played by Julian Bream and the Abreu brothers among many other emblematic guitarists of all generations, Hermann Hauser® I guitars are amongst the most sought after and collectible guitars.
Hermann Hauser® I took over the instrument workshop of his father Josef, while the latter was still in charge of the music publishing house, specialised in building lutes and guitars, but also remained faithful to zither building. Within the context of the guitarist movement in Bavaria, Hermann Hauser® I built a large number of different guitars, especially the Viennese models and the Munich models in all kinds of forms, but all in absolute perfection. His tierce-, prim- and the very rare quint-bass guitars, are of the highest quality. The sound of these instruments is still unsurpassed today. Out of his special virtuosity, Hermann Hauser® I developed technical, patented innovations in the construction of the guitar soundboards and the body-neck connections. The Spanish virtuosos Miguel Llobet and Andres Segovia became aware of Hermann Hauser® I’s guitar building skills at the beginning of the 20th century.
This wonderful and rare 1934 Hermann Hauser I is a real piece of history. Built at the peak of the collaboration between Hermann Hauser I and Segovia, it is an outstanding Viennese model with a 63 cm scale. This typical Bavarian instrument is reminiscent of Herman Hauser I’s first epoch. This extremely efficient construction offers an exceptional volume and responsiveness relative to the smaller body size. It also features an elevated Stauffer-style fingerboard. This clever system allows the guitarist to modify the neck’s angle with a simple screw system, enabling a fast and easy change of the string’s action. This particular guitar weir the date 1934 along with Hermann Hauser I’s signature on the label. It is also hand-signed under the soundboard with the inscription “Hermann Hauser, München 1935”. Hence, this guitar was probably built during the winter of 1934-1935.
This guitar is in fantastic condition for its age. It has a lovely patina and wonderful honey color. Playing marks and superficial scratches are noticeable on the overall instrument. Still, it only has one tiny crack on the side and a repair under the fingerboard, which is unnoticeable and structurally benign. The heel has two lines where the varnish sank in the joint of the different heel pieces, yet our expert detected no structural issue there. This instrument is fully original, including the flawlessly functional original Landstorfer tuners.
Luthier: | Hermann Hauser® I |
Construction year: | 1934 |
Top: | Spruce |
Back and sides: | Maple |
Scale: | 630 mm |
Nut: | 49 mm |
Weight: | 1330 grams |
Air body frequency: | C |
Tuners: | Landstorfer |
Strings: | Knobloch EDC 34.0 |
Case: | Hiscox Pro II “Siccas Guitars” Edition |
Condition: | Very good |