weissenborn makers

Nicolas Guillien · From: France

HI everyone, I'm new to this forum but I have often read it, and I am happy to join you.
I'm going to buy a weissenborn copy and I need your advices about the best makers. I was having an eye on bear creek models, but the waiting time is 1-2 year, very long for me.
Can you tell me who are the makers who build the best weissenborn copies in your opinion. How do sound Bear creek, Micheal Dunn, Mermer and other high qualities weissenborns for you? Tell me about the comparisons between makers you had the chance to do please.

You can see a list of all the weissenborn luthiers I could find on my site, on the "guitare" part ( http://snico2.free.fr/?page=guitares )

Thanks a lot for your help.

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http://snico2.free.fr

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I have a Superior Weissenborn that I like a lot. The only thing I didn't like about it when I first got it was the string spacing, it was a little too wide. However, I got a local luthier to narrow up the string spacing and now I really like it. It is a very attractive guitar with some abalone trim on it and the tone is excellent. I installed a Sunrise and a Baggs pickup on it and run the signals into a stereo amp for a very impressive sound.
Erv

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

I have one hand made by Musikalia, in Sicily. It was imported by John Pearce. Not cheap, but very good workmanship and good sound.
It is played strictily acoustically, no pickups or contact mikes on it or in it.

Thanx,
Jim

Max Laine · From: Pori, Finland

I would recommend guitars built by Fredrik Ã…berg, you have his link listed on your site. Here are pictures of one of his guitars: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxtheman/sets/1099335/show/

Terry VunCannon · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

I am very happy with my Lazy River Weissenborn.

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'49 & '51 National Dynamics, Harmos Model One, Lazy River Weissenborn, Mesa Boogie DC-3, SRV Strat.
http://community.webshots.com/user/keefriff

Nicolas Guillien · From: France

Thanks for your replies, I know the good reputation of the weissenborn makers you just quoted, but I 'de like to know, if the price was not an issue, what weissenborn copy would you buy, what is your dream wiessenborn?
I know weissenborns like Superior or Lazy river are great affordable guitars, good for the money, but what about the highest qualities weissenborn?
Is the price always an evidence of quality?
And what are the different weissenborn copies you had the chance to compare?
thanks.

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http://snico2.free.fr

John Bushouse · Posted 1 Nov 2005 7:53 am

Bear Creek or Michael Dunn.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

If I bought a Weissenborn that cost 3-4 times as much as my Lazy River and it didn't sound noticeably better, I'd be very disappointed.

But, as I wrote in your thread about this over at the IGS forum, I've never had a chance to compare any of the ones I've owned (Superior, Celtic Cross, Lazy River) with one of the "biggies", or a vintage Weiss, so I can't really say how much of a difference there is.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

Like most things there is a sliding scale of cost vs quality. At a certain point to get a modest increase in quality requires a vast amount of cash (fast vehicles work the same way

).
Most of the independant builders who have built a 'name' charge the amounts they do out of necessity. Bear Creek has a huge backlog even though his prices are high, if he didn't the list would be even longer and in the long run his business would suffer.
The other half of that is what the market will bear, one well known steel string guitar maker doubled his prices after finding cutomers selling their brand new guitars, and sometimes even their place on his waiting list for double (or more) what he was charging them.

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Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.

John Bushouse · Posted 1 Nov 2005 10:55 am

My response of Bear Creek or Michael Dunn was in response to "if price was not an issue, what Weissenborn copy would you buy, what is your dream Weissenborn?"

Throwing the price tag out the window, that's who I'd like to make a guitar for me. Of course, price is an issue, which is why I don't have a Weiss copy by anyone.

Actually, if money was no object, there are several vintage Knutsens I'd like to own. Too bad someone else owns most of them...

And I, of course, would refer to all Weissenborn copies, even Weissenborn originals, as Knutsen copies.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

Mark Eaton · Posted 1 Nov 2005 11:12 am

I haven't played a "Weissie" by some of those top makers. I have to admit that I haven't been that impressed with Superior, at least the ones I played at a Shop in Berkeley where they have quite a few.

I will tell you that I have played higher end Weissenborns by my dobro builder, Todd Clinesmith, and they are outstanding!
www.Clinesmithinstruments.com

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Mark

John Bushouse · Posted 1 Nov 2005 12:33 pm

If price is no object, Steinar, I don't have to consider the "collector's premium" on older instruments. I've assumed away your question.

For my needs, though, and knowing I can't afford to collect guitars whose primary value is historical (or the historical value is a significant portion of its $$$ value), I would get a new instrument. Once my lottery ticket (which I never get around to buying) wins, then I could build the collection.

One reason I would pick Michael Dunn over other builders is because I really enjoy his building philosphy. He's got a vision, and he doesn't compromise it. Plus, he's made some pretty darn nice Knutsen-style instuments (my harp-uke included).

For me, I need my acoustic steel to be "the one" or as close to "the one" as I can get. So until I can afford to commission a guitar from Michael (or John Morton for a resonator), my "Spanish style" acoustic with a nut raiser will have to do.

By the way, do you know what they call those nut raisers at Gryphon Stringed Instruments?

Macadamia nuts - because they're "Hawaiian nuts." They slay me.

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

I had Rance at Lazy River make me a Weiss using the woods that I wanted...
My Weiss copy is made of very nice Rosewood ( I love the tone of Rosewood)and it has a very high quality Spruce Top on it ....It's decorated with very nice Abalone ....While it is not what I would call in the top 10 price wise, I would find it hard to find another copy that sounds much better .... I would have to agree also with Mike D .....When buying just about anything , you will pay a price for something that is good , and you will pay DOUBLE the price for something that is only MAYBE 10% better .... Sometimes that 10% better makes an already good instrument a GREAT one !!.... I have never heard anybody say " I wish I bought the cheaper model !!" .....It's sort of like an Elder Law lawyer once said to me that when people are on their death bed, there isn't one of them that have said that they wished that they had worked harder, and took fewer vacations !! ..... You only go around once !!.........Jim

Nicolas Guillien · From: France

interesting discussion, I agree too with the fact that probably an instrument 10% better will cost twice the price. I think it is natural that when you succeed in making a good instrument, it's hard to do one even better, so the price goes up consequently.
I have bought many instruments trying to please my banker so I was searching compromise between price and quality, and each time I was happy with my purchases, but at the same time I couldn't help from envying the better ones. For instance I bought a Donmo tricone few years ago, which is great, but I still regret I don't have a national. This time I don't want to make compromise, I want the best I can afford.
Nevertheless, it's hard to know if a high price come from a high quality or a famous name, especially in the world of weissenborn copies where it is hard to compare different model (mostly in France where they are rare), that's why I ask here advices from people who surely have more experience than me.

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http://snico2.free.fr

Travis Bernhardt · From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Definitely a good sounding original, if price was no object. If I wanted a modern custom job, I don't think there's a whole lot of difference between the expensive guitar builders working today. It would be a question of style.

Edited to add: not all the originals that I've tried have been great sounding guitars, but the best sounding Weissenborn I've ever heard (one of the best sounding guitars period I've ever heard) was an original. No question about it.

-Travis

[This message was edited by Travis Bernhardt on 01 November 2005 at 05:08 PM.]

Mark Eaton · Posted 1 Nov 2005 5:27 pm

I've played a couple of real Weissenborns and thought I was going to have this comsic transformational experience.

The modern higher end copies, to my ears anyway, are better guitars.

May have been just the two instruments I have played.

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Mark

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

From what I understand, vintage Weissenborns range from exceptional to ordinary at best, so I doubt I'd dare to buy one without playing it first. Which is why I'll most probably never own one, living in Norway where original Weissenborns doesn't exactly grow on trees...... (even if Knutsen was born a Norski. If his famly had stayed he'd probably built the most far out Hardanger Fiddles ever seen).

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Bill Blacklock · From: Powell River, British Columbia, Canada

I own two Neil Russell “Celtic Cross” weissenborn copies and I’m looking forward to buying a third “Celtic Cross” (don’t tell my wife). If money was no issue I would still by a “Celtic Cross”. High quality at a fair price.I find that celebrity endorsements and abalone do little to improve my playing.

The original weissenborns I’ve owned in the past do not even come close to the quality and sound of my “Celtic Cross” instruments.

The type of wood has a lot to do with the sound,probably even more then who builds it.

ebb · From: nj

i too have an original weiss and a celtic cross bari and can tell you neil is the best bang for the buck by far

Nicolas Guillien · From: France

What do you think about Scheerhorn weissenborns, I know he makes fine resonator guitars, but what about weissenborns? What is his price range?

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http://snico2.free.fr

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I own a koa Bear Creek - the first BC made with wooden (rosewood) binding. I've played several other brands including a handful of vintage Weissenborns & Hilos. With the exception of one incredible Style-1 that was on equal footing, I haven't found any I like better than Bill Hardin's guitar. Steiner is right about never buying a vintage Weissenborn sight unseen. There are just to many variables in that equation.

The BC has a somewhat deeper sound than some vintage axe's but it might not be everyone's tone of choice.

Nicolas Guillien · From: France

This time I took my decision, I ordered a weissenborn to Bill Hardin, from Bear Creek. So Thanks a lot for your advices. I don't exactly know what options I will choose yet (satin or high gloss finish, inlays or not inlays) but I have 1-2 years to choose...

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Slide & Steel

Brad Hollon · From: South Carolina, USA

Hi Nicolas,
Congrats on your decision! You will be very happy with your Bear Creek! I've had mine just about 3 months and I couldn't have found a better sounding weissenborn style guitar. It has all of the deep bass and singing highs that I have been looking for. I went with a satin finish instead of the gloss. The satin finish seems to allow the wood to vibrate a lot more. The satin also seems a bit "tougher" - meaning it is far less likely to show any dings from a dropped slide, etc. IMO, it gives a very vintage feel to the guitar as well. I also went with the style 4 inlays and I think that adds a lot of character. Congratulations again, and I know the wait will be worth it. I know it felt like an eternity for me!
Cheers,
Brad

Nicolas Guillien · From: France

Thanks Brad, do you have some pictures of your Bear Creek so I could take patience looking at it?

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Slide & Steel

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