Hermann Hauser (1882-1952) was the son of Josef Hauser (1854-1939), a luthier and zither maker. About 1900, according to Hermann Hauser III, shortly after Hermann graduated from the State School for Violin Making in Mittenwal,  Josef  lost an arm in a streetcar accident, and was forced to sell his workshop to a Mr. Steigenberger. Josef sold Hermann with the shop. The sales contract specified that Hermann was to work for the new workshop for 5 or 6 years. Mr. Steigenberger also had purchased a workshop from Mr. Braun, and so the new workshop was called Braun und Hauser. Hermann was central to the business, and became the foreman of the Braun and Hauser shop. Once Hermann left, the shop seems to have gone out of business. This classical guitar is from the Braun and Hauser workshop. I suspect that Hermann had a hand in its construction as its tone is typical of his non-Spanish guitars -- balanced, rich, complex,  great clarity and separation, with concentrated trebles and resonant basses. It has good volume. The back, sides, and neck are of European flamed maple. The top is of German spruce. It has a rosewood fingerboard. Its string length is 635mm. The original bridge was missing, so a new one was made using photographs supplied by Hermann Hauser III of a Braun und Hauser guitar from his own collection.

1903 Hermann Hauser played by Gonzalo Andrés Molano