1960 Hermann Hauser II No. 676 SP/CSAR

This 1960 Hermann Hauser II No. 676 is a spruce and CSA rosewood classical guitar from Reisbach – the Hauser II shown in Orfeo's "34 Classical Guitars in Life Size" as a classic example of a superb Hauser II.

Bracing After Hauser I's 1921 Patent

Of interest, the guitar has the traditional Hauser bracing pattern but with a few additional braces following a 1921 patent of Hauser I. It is in excellent condition, with two (nearly invisible) cracks at the extreme edge of the lower bout on the treble side that were repaired (and refinished) by Hermann Hauser III.

Sound

It is also very powerful for a Hauser II of this period, with excellent projection. The fundamental tones are very clear and bell-like with almost perfect separation; the basses very strong, steady and precise. Overall, the instrument is like a loud and balanced piano, but with the lyrical charm and sweetness of a great, warm and loose Hauser I. The old, aged top has a deep, honey/amber quality in the patina with plenty of silk, and playability is easy, due to the slender and very comfortable neck shape.

In "34 Classical Guitars in Life Size"

This very instrument (No. 676) was featured in the Orfeo publication "34 Classical Guitars in Life Size" (see photo in gallery), due to it being a classic example of a superb Hauser II – a great sounding, looking and playing Hauser II, and a dream for either collector or performer.

Orfeo – 34 Classical Guitars in Life Size

Hermann Hauser II: Third Generation of the Hauser Dynasty

Hermann Hauser II (1911–1988) – Hermann Hauser Jr. – is considered to be one of the greatest makers of the twentieth century. Grandson of the luthier Josef Hauser and son of Hermann Hauser I, he learned his craft working alongside his father, and after his father's death in 1952 he carried the family's Torres-based "teutonic" style into the second half of the century from the Hauser workshop in Reisbach, Bavaria. His son Hermann Hauser III (the fourth generation) and granddaughter Kathrin (the fifth) still work there today – see Hermann Hauser III & Kathrin Hauser – with many of the same tools and even woods stocked by the earlier generations.

The Hauser dynasty, now spanning five generations, has produced instruments played by countless concert artists including Andrés Segovia, Julian Bream, the Romeros and many others.

The Hauser II Sound

The sound has the attributes of a great Hauser that have attracted great players from Bream to Segovia to the Romeros and beyond – crystal-clear fundamental tones with almost perfect separation, basses that are steady and precise, and at the same time a lyrical charm and sweetness, particularly in the trebles. At its best, a Hauser II is like a loud and balanced piano, with the warmth of a great Hauser I. Playability is easy, thanks to his slender and very comfortable neck shape.

Books on Hermann Hauser II

Orfeo Magazine No. 4 is devoted to the Hauser dynasty, and a 1960 Hauser II is among the guitars shown in Orfeo's "34 Classical Guitars in Life Size":

Orfeo Magazine 1-5

Orfeo – 34 Classical Guitars in Life Size