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Yes. Helps to have a solid colour on top, like this one.
Originally Posted by Joshk
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01-03-2025 04:09 AM
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Wonderful, a PRÄMUS (Präzisions-Musikinstrument or precision musical instrument)!
AFAIK, the Musikhaus Schmidt (Friedrich Brauns) in Frankfurt/M. was one of the first German importers of Gibson guitars after the war. Probably they didn't sell too much Gibsons at that time, since these were out of financial reach for most guitar players in Germany. But these Prämus models made by Lang must have compensated for this more than adequately.
Schmidt had also been the place where Lang got his DeArmond pickups from.
Only the later semi-acoustic or thinline HMDL model was equipped with a tremolo as standard. In all other cases, the master assembled various makes at the request of his customers, and Lang is said to have been very reluctant to fit a tremolo. Note that the HMDL was just one of two models where Lang used solid pressed plates; in addition, the HMDL features two oversized tonebars which were even glued into the oversized neck block and the end block.
The pickups that Lang favored by far were the DeArmonds 1000 and 1100. Since that imported electric US equipment had hardly been affordable for all, he also offered the known Schaller metal pickup plates. He used the DeArmond 2000 for some late Super de Luxe, the OES / OEL eco and thinline models.
So, neither the tremolo nor the electric equipment is original on this PRÄMUS. Get rid of it!
Well, don't worry! Fill up the bridge pickup hole and all the pot holes, stabilize the cracks on the top, on both sides of the tremolo (trems are quite "crack-efficient" on carved bellies ... ), and the complete binding and purfling, and have a look if the tonebars have been affected, unscrew that scary bridge replacement, then scrape off the whole finish to the bare wood. Spray some clear finish layers, then a couple of black, then clear again; all layers as thin as possible. Lang had a quite time-consuming, accomplished finishing technique, using a ground layer - or filler - and nitrocellulose lacquer because that was the tradition and standard of the 1950s/60s. Well, using today's super sharp and fine sanding procedures we don't need any ground or filler anymore, at least not when it comes to carved acoustic guitars made of European maple and spruce. Talking of most homogeneous finish layers, the least dampening, highest efficiency ... Of course, it's different on more open-grained woods. And today's nitrocellulose lacquer isn't the same as the harder stuff they used in former times - fortunately, we have other options now!
Anyway, a thin, fine functioning, hi-gloss black finish (not heavy-built like on piano furniture) on a guitar is not too easy to achieve. Good luck!
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Below are some additional photos of Prämus. Might as well address other issues if a healing process is to occur. The eyes of others who’ve seen more Langs than me may easily spot items I may miss. Any additional guidance would be very much appreciated. Josh
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Pics can hardly ever tell the whole story of a vintage guitar project.
Nevertheless, some hints:
Unfortunately the original Kolb tuners were replaced; they made some reputable, even high-quality stuff, before Schaller. The early parts for the PRÄMUS models usually featured 10mm bone (galalith or plastic) shafts. Neither are the replacements period-correct nor do they look very trustworthy in terms of functionality: there seems to be some misalignment with the ferrules / bushings. Well-fitting bushings are necessary on tuners of any shaft diameter, but the more the larger the shafts are (friction). For the press-fit bushing you need a drill or better reamer that has the correct diameter to within 0.1 to 0.2mm. Nowadays, toothed bushings are preferred because they loosen much less; Langs are vibrating violently... Beware: German vintage tuning machines used all sorts of different shaft diameters and bushings. As the original machines are hard to find anymore, you have to find something similar. The Weißgerber mechanics (probably the original model for these Kolb parts) can really be recommended for the PRÄMUS, though they have four screw tabs, not two like the Kolbs. The Rubners can be ordered on demand, schedule for some wait, with bone or metal shafts, different bearings, knobs, decoration, engraving, etc.: Thomas Rubner GmbH Markneukirchen - 150-820 150-820 150-820 .
If desired you could even cut off two of the four tabs - and no one would notice: on the PRÄMUS models, Lang had inlaid the tuners in the back of the headstock, the screw-on plate being flush with the surface:
My good friend Herbert Rittinger has not only described and illustrated Lang's guitars in great detail and thoroughly, but has also given all Lang enthusiasts sort of a cookbook for restoring these guitars. You could hardly ask for more: Artur Lang Gitarren – Herbert Rittinger . It's in German, but hey, what is German in the age of AI?!
To better illustrate some PRÄMUS points, below just a few excerpts from Herbert's work. Anyone interested can and should get much more information directly from the website mentioned.Last edited by Ol' Fret; 01-05-2025 at 07:47 PM.
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Blue arrow: it could be the distortion caused by small mobile phone lenses (much less found with good old macro lenses shot from some meter distance), but it seems to me as if this fretboard sports two sorts of differently wide frets. 1 to 12 are wider (and I bet the neck binding was cut through) than 13 to 21 (these could still be the original ones).
Red arrow: the neck heel was reglued, got a dowel (or screw) from above through the fretboard. Well, uhm, only the very first PRÄMUS run shows an ebony neck reinforcement. These necks are nevertheless stiff. Most later PRÄMUS models show a long metal reinforcement. It's fine to stabilize a neck heel fracture with two added dowels or screws from the side of the heel plate, but beware - the PRÄMUS models have a screwed-on neck! The former owner(s) might have done some incorrect interventions ...
Yellow arrow: what's that on the pic - grime or a strange looking fret?
Green arrow: FYI, PRÄMUS models show six, eight or ten binding stripes; eight being the most common. Lang often doubled the same color of purfling and binding, so the black purfling could be two layers. Often, Lang also doubled the outer binding? Why? It enabled him to smoothly round off the body edges. Langs are not only really well weight-balanced archtops, but also the most snuggling ones, talking about a side depth of 8.5 to 9cm for the PRÄMUS models.
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As already mentioned above: the PRÄMUS models have screwed-on necks - making any repair work much easier. This neck has obviously been altered in some way - the (not-original) markings speak for themselves (red arrows).
Yellow arrow: probably a not so competent black color spot repair, like on some other areas of the guitar. One more reason for a new finish job.
Green arrows: strange purfling widths (the black ones). Definitely not done by Lang. I don't think he took drugs at work; he would have destroyed the guitar when he had been sober again. Either the consequence of a larger repair work around the neck joint or again the fooling by a (too) smart foto lens - who knows?
Blue arrows: hopefully only grime and dirt around the side "bumpers" on a seventy year old guitar that needs some TLC! Some players have never cleaned up their archtops... they probably just buy a new one. Btw., these side bumpers were smoothly rounded off by Lang, similar to the guitar body edges, all along the body. To clean them up you best have to make yourself a suitable litte piece of scraper to meet that little radius.
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Most PRÄMUS models show bridges made by Lang, with a stair-step base in the Gretsch style, though some came with the usual Hofner fret-wire bridge still offered in great quality by the Teller company. Chinese Teller copies aren't bad, though are made of less selected ebony - or mostly Rosewood, I think - and are feeling 'wobblier'.
Finally some PRÄMUS data sheet given by Herbert Rittinger. "TP" means in German Tief-Cutaway (deep cutaway) and Prämus:
Apropos, the PRÄMUS tailpiece... was the regular nickel-plated harp-style piece made by ABM. Probably no longer offered, but still available as a used part here and there.
Apropos, the Lang pickguards... are more special than most would think. Sure, they may reflect the musty postwar German style (you can smile, as do I - though after all, how progressive was design in the USA or, say, in France, back in the early 1950s?). They can be as big as a Chevrolet, covering a large part of the treble sound hole, but in terms of function they are hard to top. Lang would not have been Lang, if he didn't ponder on the function of the pickguard.
For the player, in contrast to popular belief, Lang archtops do not loose any loudness by their pickguards - quite the contrary. The secret lies in their special, very flexible suspension at two opposing points. Lang worked in aircraft construction; he "played" with stability in archtops, hefty only, where it made sense acoustically (top and back plates, reinforced sides, etc.). The pickguard function also lies in the special inclination towards the player, which at the same time represents the basically ideal positioning of the pickguard for the right hand. Neither does it choke the treble sound hole nor the (more important) vibration of the top's resonances under the pickguard area. The problem is that Lang's system has not been understood well, and that later almost all pickguards and suspensions were modified in an unfavorable way or made worse.
In terms of functionality, the Lang pickguards could be seen as being remotely based on the known Virzi Tone Producer and/or the oh-so-modern "sound port" that is often found today - with much less construction effort. Just try it out!
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Holy cow, thank you so much Ol’ fret. I’m of the mind you want this restoration to succeed as much as I do.
I’m dumbfounded that from only a front shot of the headstock your observations regarding the tuners. Equally impressive are your thoughts regarding the different fret sizes & the neck base. Your guidance deserves more than a single reading.
As I mentioned in a pm to Hammertone, the guy in Vienna who contacted me about the Prämus, Michael Eipeldauer, has said he can repair the hole & replace the tailpiece. A guy in Austria should also hopefully have an easier time finding parts than a luthier in Portland. Michael's talents as a goldsmith may also be a plus on top of his luthier experience.
Your comment, “what is German in the age of AI?!”, I find entertaining since I’ve been using google translate to communicate with Michael. You soon realize it’s similar to talking to a child in that one needs to choose simple words so as not to confuse any more than necessary both AI or the eventual recipient. This naturally leads to the question how best to convey what I’ve learned on this forum thread to Michael without causing more confusion than clarity. I’ll most likely just send a link to page 6 of this thread & hope any German translation from English doesn’t become confusing. Not a wager I’d put much money on. Josh
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Joshk, I've been checking the actual offer by Michael Eipeldauer. He seems to be a specialist for Vienna contra-guitars.
Some given guitar data seem to be correct: scale 625mm; neck width 45mm at zero fret (hey, that's unusually wide for these models!) and 50mm at 12th fret. Without a doubt Lang's low guitar neck conicity do contribute to the specific Lang tone of his early approx. 425mm wide archtops. They don't quite measure up to the power and projection of his later big-body models made after 1955, but have a unique, incredibly balanced and "silver-bell-like" tone to die for. Well, horses for courses.
Some other statements by Michael have to be adjusted: PRÄMUS Langs were made between 1953 and 1955, not in the early 1960s. And Lang did not engrave the nickel-silver headstock plates himself. He had three different engravers in the course of his career, but specified different, though repeating patterns. Each one representing an individual piece, due to the full hand-crafting, the mood of the day and the engraver's tendency to make variations.
Michael's prices - as well as those by some other big city dealers - uhm, look a bit steep to me. Simply being used to lower figures, except when a complex and expertly restoration had taken place (still hard to find with archtop guitars in Europe), I must have forgotten that Vienna has always been an expensive place. If you add the not inconsiderable cost of a complete repair and overhauling, plus shipping cost, Customs and VAT ... you might end up at a price where you could get a Lang archtop in much better and original condition. If you realize that, just go for it! Just my two cents. I don't want to discourage you in any way, these old wonderful Langs basically deserve a complete restoration.
Apropos, human communication ... Antoine de Saint-Exupery said that language is the source of misunderstandings. On the other hand, we humans cannot cope without communication. I therefore think that we simply have to learn to live with misunderstandings. Or with honest communication. Or we can use music as an extension of language.
Another way of living would be how Michael Eipeldauer once expressed with a dash of Viennese buddhism. A well-mannered: I do my own thing. I don't care what you think. That's fine. (from: Wiener Musikgeschichte - "Gold ’n’ Guitars" – weit mehr als nur ein Laden )
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Just to throw in as an alternative:
Master luthier Joe Striebel also has a lot of experience in Lang guitars.
He lives in Wolfratshausen, not far away from Garmisch-Partenkirchen where Lang had his workshop. Hence, in that area you still may find a lot of owners of Lang guitars...
http://www.striebelguitars.com
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Hi Bluenote61,
I appreciate your thoughtfulness in suggesting I keep an eye on Joe Striebel’s website. I’ve added to my favorites. Josh
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Dear Ol' fret,
There's a special place in the heart of the almighty for individuals who show others how to be a good human being & I'm of the opinion both you and Michael have earned a spot.
My prior experience with Michael relating to Langs has proven rewarding & he has earned my trust in his judgment. From you I've learned, even with HR's reference work, information regarding Lang guitars is more of an art form than science. The story of Artur Lang the man gained from your posts & the haunting wonderful tones from his guitars are why I fall in love with these instruments. If a deal on one turns out to better or worse than another, the law of large numbers usually evens things in the end.
That you are concerned I find the best match possible makes me realize how lucky I am & why I've developed a fondness for you. Josh
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Dear Josh,
thanks for your kind words that I can hardly let sink into my mind - feeling that I am still far from being a good human being!
Just being decent or semi-decent, roughly speaking, that would be a small victory for every human being, as well as for myself.
The saints may dwell in heaven ...
It is much easier to talk about music and the guitars, the good ones and the nasty ones ... they take that with equanimity.
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I have just received a warning which I am passing on here - it is most likely an attempt at fraud. The last (serious) owner of this Lang guitar is known. The whole thing smells like complex identity fraud in Germany, so no link. Better keep your hands off it...
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..
Last edited by Ol' Fret; 04-07-2025 at 05:35 AM.
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I apologize for having to delete the last post! It simply contained too many photos of one of my Lang guitars. Foto stealing and scamming involving Lang guitars have become a problem here.
To make amends, here a glance at a modern copy of a mid-1960s Lang take on the Guild George Barnes 'Acousti-Lectrics'.
A successful concept, one whose quality Lang was clearly convinced of. The top and back are still made from NOS Lang plates.
A sturdy mahogany rod running lengthwise inside the body absorbs at least a good portion of the tension (more precise, compression) exerted on the top by the string tension, allowing the top to vibrate more freely, at least in theory. The concept is old, having already been used in the USA and in Germany before the war. Hollow-body guitars with no soundhole opening at all or with only a small opening had already existed as well.
What was new about the Acousti-Lectrics was that the pickups did not impair the top's vibration by being conveniently mounted directly on the internal rod. And what was certainly new back then was the combination of the aforementioned factors in conjunction with a high-quality carved top.
The Lang a la George Barnes certainly sounds fantastic with its own distinctive timbre — as expected. The special Lang carving is generally more laborious to produce, but for me, it represents one of the best possible combinations of playing 'acousti-lectric'.
I have no idea who designed the 10 or 11 original 'Acousti-Lectrics' back then. If I don't misunderstand George Barnes' daughter, her father wasn't involved at the time. Perhaps this was Carlo Greco's most ingenious idea, which didn't come well to fruition due to economic reasons. And perhaps Hans Moust in the Netherlands, who is considered a Guild expert, could shed some light on this.
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Artur Lang’s vision of a peaceful, enjoyable and livable world. The motif of this engraving is very likely inspired by one of the many lakes in Upper Bavaria, near his place of work in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Yet, Lang had previously passed through hell. Trained for the task, he assisted in the construction of German combat aircraft—including the ultra-modern jet fighters of the era—during the war; subsequently, he spent years in Siberian gulags, learning the true meaning of the will to survive. Given that unique and incomparable "Lang tone", one can only surmise that Lang incorporated his experiences in aircraft engineering—such as principles of mass-stiffness relationships and resonance—into his guitar making.
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