Thames Classical Guitars

René François Lacôte (1785–1855)
France (Paris), 1827
Stamped on headstock: Lacote, / a Paris / PAR BREVETE, / D’INVENTION; printed label: Place des Victoirea, / No. 5 / LACOTE, / Luthier / a Paris / Annee 182 [handwritten: 7]; labels on case: printed: Eugène Peletin / ANCIEN OFFICER DE MARINE / [handwritten: 32, no. du Luxembourg / Paris / 9 Cordes …]. Mahogany back and ribs, spruce belly, 6 stopped strings, 3 open strings. Overall length 920 mm, body length 435 mm, upper bout 232 mm, waist 173 mm, lower bout 300 mm, ribs 79-88 mm, length of stopped strings 625 mm, length of longest open string 733 mm.

Louis Panormo (1784–1862)
England (London), 1830
Printed label: [handwritten: 1820] / Panormo Fecit / Anno 18 [handwritten: 30] London / 46 High Street, Bloomsbury.Maple back and ribs, spruce belly, 6 strings. Overall length 920 mm, body length 438 mm, upper bout 211 mm, waist 163 mm, lower bout 291 mm, ribs 77-88 mm, string length 635 mm.

In the private collection of Michael Thames
This is an anonymous guitar which appears to be French in origin between 1800 and 1820; in particular from Mirecourt, France. The back and sides are a French Buckeye Burl Walnut Veneer in need of some restoration work; however, the action is in perfect condition and is one of my own personal guitars used for playing. Presently strung with gut strings.

In the private collection of Michael Thames

This is an anonymous guitar built approximately 1780. It is one of the first examples of a 6-string guitar. It is widely believed that the first 6-string guitar appeared in the decade of 1780. One can observe a distinct influence of the 5-course baroque guitar in its shape and size. At first, I thought it might have been a conversion of a 5-course baroque guitar to a 6-course guitar; but after taking the back off to repair some loose braces, one can see that everything on it is original.

Interesting to note, that the transverse bar immediately below the sound hole is A-symetrical tilting to stiffen the treble side. A feature that has always been attributed to Santos Hernandez who is said to have invented it as well as influenced Fleta and Ramirez to utilize the treble bar. As we can see, there is very little originality in the modern 20th century guitar that was not done hundreds of years before. Also, the bridge pad in this guitar is made from Maple, another feature that has been attributed in modern times to Herman Hauser I. Hauser is known to originally have built in the style of Panormo and Lacote so one can easily see where he got his ideas.

This guitar has a string length of 648mm. When I first played this guitar, I was struck by the balance and mature tone, a quality that I've never heard before in a modern guitar and must attribute it to the 220 year old piece of Spruce.

Leopold Widhalm 1755 - Schelle? - MI 903
(photos courtesy of David Van Edwards)

Andreas Berr (1650–1722)
Austria (Vienna), 1699
Printed label: Andreas Berr[/] Lauten: und Geigen: / macher in Wienn[/] Anno 16 [handwritten: 99]/ handwritten: 3 ur gr[?]i…[?] (illegible). Ivory ribs, spruce belly, 9 pairs of stopped strings and 2 singles, 4 open strings.Overall length 810 mm, body length 442 mm, maximum body width 283 mm, maximum body depth 135 mm, length of stopped strings 651 mm, length of open strings 720 mm.

Label reads "Martin Bruner, Lauten.und Geigenmacher in Ollmuz 1764" in the collection of Praha, Muzeum ceske hudby 450E. Currently, this lute is being restored and is in the workshop of Master Lutemaker, Jiri Cepelak. Through his kindness and generosity has sent these photos for our viewing pleasure.

The Bruner is a 13-course late-Baroque Lute. A rare opportunity to see the internal bracing (along with the Widhalm and Tielke) shows a transition from the J-Bar bracing to a symmetrical fan bracing which seems to be a feature of the later Baroque lutes, as well as, the triple head design of both Jauch and Bruner. More evidence that Antonio de Torres did not invent the fan bracing and , in fact, fan bracing was in use as early as 1750 in lutes and baroque guitars as well as guitars of the 19th century by makers such as Panormo and later popularized by Torres himself.

From my own experience, having made both types of fan bracing on Baroque lutes, I have found the symmetrical fan bracing strengthens the top much more than the J-Bar bracing. Given that the Baroque lute was a transitional instrument in itself, the later fan bracing might have been used to strengthen and prevent the distortion so common on Baroque lutes due to the additional string tension .

It is interesting to see the similarities between both the Jauch and Bruner triple head designs. The main difference being the Bruner peg-box which is enclosed adding more strength; whereas the upper two peg-boxes of the Jauch are open and there is slightly more clearance -- otherwise, identical. It would be interesting to study the connection between Andreas Jauch and Martin Bruner; hopefully, we can find out more information.