This is an Oscar Teller Classical guitar from 1971. One of their
highest models then. Fairly well played! This guitar is immediately
recognizable by the double inlay on the head. In a Mason Williams
video, published by Vintage Guitar Magazine, Mason shows the
guitar on which he recorded "Classical Gas'. It was labelled
"Cordova" but as he explains there, it is built by Oscar Teller.
The example here above is newer but the head inlay remained
as did the edge inlay of the soundboard, the rosette and
the inlay on the bridge. The inlay around the back on this
guitar is more luxury done but the double ebony stripes on
the back are not present on this example.
OK. The guitar needs some restorations but all in all it can be done and a lot of things are more cosmetic.
This guitars' own frequency lies on a G# so in Hz that
would be around 104 Herz.
The label, always with the model, year of manufacture and
production number, visible on the next picture.
It is interesting to see how the price of this particular model
develloped over time. Let's take the 1970 pricelist to begin with:
The Teller 8 P was then priced at 830 DM. In 1973 this model
was already priced at 915 DM. A jump to the Euro era learns
us that the price in 2020 was 2850 Euro while ending in
2024 tells us that the price would be 3000 Euro. Wether
if you buy exactly the same guitar (and quality) I simply can't
tell you. Luthiers tend to make you believe that because
of the extra experience built up over time the newer models
simply are better. but as we all know, materials are growing
more scarce and machines took over a lot of hand labour.
The back has some disturbing damage but only in the
lacquer so it will be no problem to fix that properly.
I restored it with French polish and it is beautiful again.
The same thing counts for the soundboard. No cracks
but a bit unrespectfully treated by its' former owner.
The soundboard has been equipped with a fan bracing
but not symmetrical: fewer braces on the bass side and
thus more on the treble side of the soundboard. On
both halves closing ribs have been added. Finely
shaved and securely placed.
Here the mounted tuners can be seen. Good quality
but a better fit is needed to have them work smoothly.
Probably made by Schaller. Rubner claims them not
to be produced by them.
A nicely decorated head, probably inspired by the way
the Japanese luthiers worked at that time and were success-
ful with it. A good cut topnut anyway. The front has been
veneered with an ebony layer.
The Rubner company also made cheap tuners that in fact weren't
bad at all. These are more deluxe tuners that match the further
quality of this guitar, probably from Schaller?
An inner Spanish heel and nice inner woodwork as can be
expected from a German company existing that long.
The rough treatment not only resulted in various needless
scratches but also a (repaired) crack in one side and an
open crack alongside the gluing surface of back and
sides. Some extra inlay work wil be needed.
With a little effort you can see the interruption in the upper
lining. I made the three part lining new as it was broken and
visible in the first picture of the spot.
In fact the most difficult spot to remove the lacquer
properly. With patience, it works in the end.
A freshly sprayed back that "shines" again. About
8 layers of Alkyd lacquer were needed. Only recently
I French polished the back for an even better result.
Also the entire neck and head have been resprayed.
Now it is a kind of a monument for me as Mason
Williams played one when he performed with the
extraordinary harp player Deborah Henson Conant.
Exactly the same model! The guitar gives that
surprising warm lower end though the higher notes
(above fret 5 of the highest string) could have
been a little more convincingly but it is possible
that intensive playing changes this.
Here above, Mason Williams can be seen with the same
guitar in question. Watch the smart move in the way he
carries the guitar.
A detailed picture I've added in order to compare the bridge, edge and rosette with the guitar I recently was able to obtain.
I will come up with a detailed picture of the bridge as somebody
suggested it to be a Hauser copy and indeed the bridge is very
close to the model that can be found on the genuine Hauser II
guitars of that time.
The way the topnut has been mounted is visible here as well as the tuners of which the knobs are riveted.
The bridge form differs from the usual Spanish way of
making a bridge: A bit more square around the bridgebone
and a less wide string tie block not parallel to the sound-
board. I've added these pictures as coincidentally Hauser
guitars of that Era seems to be occupied with the same
bridge model. Good company anyway
Made out of ebony they are very sturdy but in order to have
a near perfect octave pitch I removed the contact area to the right
which in fact is not customary. Problem indeed can be a kind of
rattle coming from this way of constructing. Not present here,
Also the two inlays seems to be identical to the Hermann Hauser
models of that time. Beware and take a look at the first name
as Hermann Hauser is a totally different guitar compared to the
somewhat less interesting Karl Hauser guitars.
Oscar Teller 8/A
The first step in restoration of this Oscar Teller 8/A model was
to remove the lacquer over the whole instrument. As the lacquer
showed some craquele and had a lot of dirty and unprotected
bare wood spots it was a necessary move.
The back that already has been cleaned and is showing the
bare wood. It explains the prefix "A" in the model number:
The "A" stands for Ahorn, the German name for Maple.
Maybe a bit more uncommon but maple has some qualities
of its' own. And let us not forget: Antonio de Torres as
well as Vicente Arias, two venerable luthiers of the 19th
century also made concert guitars with maple sides and
back. To these days it still is a choice of luthiers but
the classical players, being quite conservative, are not
that eager to embrace the use of maple as it doesn't reply
to real tradition in wood use for concert guitars.
Biggest problem here was the purling and the soundboard
itself that was already loose at this spot. The purfling simply
was gone already. Luckily I found an old rosette of another
German built guitar that I've kept in storage.
And after several hours of work this is the result. It has
been composed with a lot of very thin layers and therefore
the only solution is to use some fine veneer blades and
make layers out of that. Do not glue them together but
only at the bottom where they are resting.
As the label attests this guitar is coming out of the same year
(and collection) as the model 8/P presented here beyond.
These two guitars are coming out of a bigger collection
most likely used for educational purposes. But the teachers
should have been more aware of the quality the guitars
provided here. They were not very prudent so to say....
A close shot where you can determine all those layers.
But the back will be brought back in a like new condition.
As the head had suffered some serious injuries there
was a need to restore the back. I used the same procedure
Wolfgang Teller uses for his present 8/P model by using
the same wood as the soundbox to kind of veneer the
back of the head. I could have used ebony but seeing
the picture here below I'm glad I didn't. I used maple.
On a rosewood guitar Mr. Teller uses rosewood for
the back of the head as can be seen here.
Now there is so much harmony when observing
this guitar from the back though still unfinished.
Louis Theress Guitar
Recently I obtained this guitar at an auction in England
I was captured by its' sound and the high degree of work-
manship. Already in playable and restored condition.
Maybe the "LaCote" shaped headform triggered me.
Opposed to many 19th century guitars the sides and
back haven't been veneered on the inside so solid
pieces of rosewood are used here along with a fine
grained table. The neck has been veneered with
an ebony layer while inlay work is meticulous.
Bindings, also on the back, are executed in ivory.
Special attention for these well working tuners as these
can also be found on some Antonio de Torres guitars.
The shape of the knobs on the tuner can be found later
on the Robert Bouchet guitars and ironically keep
popping up, also from Chinese manufacturers.
It is no surprise that the builder although French had his
shop in London and was a successor of Jerome Gerard.
Theress also had a shop in Paris so French after all.
Most likely still the original bridge.
The LaCote style head and slot execution.
Also the neck to head joint betrays skilled
workmanship as this ornament has been
veneered with a layer of ebony afterwards.
The execution of the heel is pointing towards the London
dealer / luthier Louis Theress, a pupil of Gerard who had
a workshop both in London and Paris.
The lining can be studied by clicking on this picture.
And here beyond of course.
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