Headstock:
Back and sides:
Neck and assembly:
Hans Van Den Berg Guitar build
Fingerboard and integrated bevel:
What it looks like now (nearly done, just completing French Polish and tuners and strings to go on with final finishes). 
Final spec for this guitar as follows:
MODEL: CONCERT CLASSICAL SUPREME DOUBLE TOP Serial No. CCS ------
SCALE: 650 mm
NUT WIDTH: 52 mm
MATERIALS:
TOP: ------------------- EUROPEAN SPRUCE GRADE AAA OUTSIDE & WESTERN RED CEDAR GRADE AA INSIDE WITH NOMEX CORE BACK & SIDES : --- COCOBOLA ROSEWOOD 1st GRADE (as per picture sent)
DOUBLE SIDES - KIAAT INNER SIDES
AFRICAN BLACKWOOD JOINT STRIP FOR BACK
5 mm WIDE WITH WBW PURFLING EITHER SIDE
NECK : ---------------- SPANISH CEDAR
FINGERBOARD : --- WEST AFRICAN EBONY 1ST GRADE WITH AFRICAN BLACKWOOD BINDING & MOTHER OF PEARL MARKERS
BRIDGE : ------------- EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD WITH INLAY TO MATCH ROSETTE
WOOD BINDING : ---- AFRICAN BLACKWOOD WITH TOP – COCOBOLA ROSEWOOD PURFLING BWB 2 x (3 x 0.3) = 0.9 mm THICK
SIDE AND BACK PUFLING - WBW 3 x 0,3 = 0.9mm THICK
ARM BEVEL: AFRICAN BLACKWOOD ARM BEVEL INTERGRATED WITH THE BINDING 10 x 10 mm MAX.
FACE OF HEAD : ---- AFRICAN BLACKWOOD WITH COCOBOLA ROSEWOOD WEDGE
ROSETTE :------------ COCOBOLA ROSEWOOD AND WITH COCOBOLA PURFLING TO MATCH TOP BORDER
SADDLE & NUT : ---- COMPENSATED SADDLE AND NUT MADE FROM BONE
FINISH : --------------- FRENCH POLISH
FRETS :----------------- SILVER NICKLE – MEDIUM
MACHINE HEADS : -- SLOANES
HUMIDIFIER: PLANET WAVES BY DADARIO (included)
Damn...THAT bevel is a work of art. I know how even the slightest rounding of that top edge makes a world of difference - how I wish more people saw the sense of this design.
And it's a classical. thumbsup!
One noob question - what's the purpose of the nomex inner skin?
This is a double top guitar. The top is constructed out of 2 very thin skins of wood laminated around the nomex core. The nomex gives the structure strength. The idea is that the lightweight top is able to produce more sound.
Stunning stunning stunning!!! PLEASE add a sound clip when she is done! How amazing to follow along with the progress of a custom guitar.
May I ask what you paid for this?
- Edited
thenovice The nomex gives the structure strength. The idea is that the lightweight top is able to produce more sound.
Aha, thanks for that. So the top will move more - for better projection (and volume I guess?). The bracing pattern -
is that a in house design, or something tweaked off other designs?
Gorgeous guitar!
It is radial bracing, which is lighter than more traditional bracing patterns and apparently allows the soundboard to vibrate more effectively. "The radial strutting pattern is lighter and enhances two of the four vibrational modes due its geometry namely long dipole and quadrupole."
wern101 It works out at around R50k, which is a small fraction of what a similar quality product would cost abroad, based on the research I did before commissioning this guitar. Final price can vary according to the woods that you prefer to use and special features (such as the integrated bevel). Although Hans has specialized in making classical guitars, he has also made acoustic (steel string) guitars. I have not played or seen those first-hand, but can only imagine that they would be of a similar quality. Check out the photos of the OM model: http://bergguitars.co.za/instruments.html
wern101 To put this in perspective, a basic guitar build from South African luthiers Casimi or Marc Maingard would begin at USD15,000 (about ZAR180,000 at current exchange rates) before adding extra bells and whistles (as I have done with the guitar that Hans has made for me). I had a very constructive discussion with Mervyn Davis, who is a highly experienced and innovative luthier who could make you a guitar at a similar price bracket to Hans (a bit more realistic for South African buyers). As an entrepreneur myself, I certainly do not begrudge these luthiers selling their guitars to international buyers at whatever price the market can bear - elementary laws of supply and demand, willing-buyer, willing-seller. They all certainly make absolutely beautiful guitars that are world class and quite unique. As South Africans, we often tend to assume that foreign products are better than local, but there are a few luthiers here in SA that deserve a close look. I do agree that, regardless of whether it is a classical or acoustic (steel string) guitar, you cannot realistically compare a luthier-built guitar to a factory made instrument in terms of the craftsmanship.
Another way to see the price is hours: If you pay R50k for 200 hours of work, that's not bad. Way below the average motor technician billing rate. But in terms of "this is a guitar" it sounds a lot. if I could get some work out at that hourly rate I would smile. I would assume that the luthier cannot work 40 hours per week non-stop on one instrument, if that was possible, your guitar would arrive in less than two months. Spaced out over the time it would take to build, it is not such a good money-spinner. Locally. In perspective, 30 years ago a handmade guitar was R2500. And I thought that was expensive!
Beautiful work, I would love to feel and play such an instrument someday.
Also, the convenience of telling the luthier what you might like is handy. Nut width. Fingerboard radius. Fret sizes. Sound characteristics. Not easy to buy those off the rack.
Bridge glued on: 
Machine heads fitted (super smooth apparently!):
I think Hans works on a maximum on 2-3 guitars at a time. Because I am based in Cape Town, he builds the guitar (from his base in Meyerton) in a controlled humidity environment that will replicate the average weather conditions here. Something that has repeatedly struck me throughout this guitar build process is the incredible attention to detail.
Basically complete, just some final polishing to be done:
That concludes my 'berg guitar build post', signing out to go and practice!
Absolutely stunning!
