1973 Hermann Hauser II No. 951 SP/CSAR

This 1973 Hermann Hauser II No. 951 is a spruce and CSA rosewood classical guitar from Reisbach in all-original condition, donated to the GSI Foundation to support music education.

No. 951: All Original, with a Bearclaw Top

Visually this is an incredibly beautiful instrument – it has an old, aged top with a deep, honey/amber quality in the patina and generous amounts of bearclaw. Condition is excellent, with no cracks or damage at all and all original elements in place, including finish and tuning machines.

Sound

It is very powerful for a Hauser II of this period, with excellent projection. Fundamentals are clear and bell-like, with almost perfect separation; basses very strong, steady and precise. Overall a loud and balanced piano of a guitar, with the lyrical charm and sweetness of a great, warm and loose Hauser I – great sounding, looking and playing, and a dream for either collector or performer.

Donated to the GSI Foundation

This guitar was donated to our non-profit charitable organization, the GSI Foundation. Guitar sales through the GSI Foundation raise money to directly benefit music education in public schools. Feel free to contact us for more information.

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