HANS VAN DEN BERG - Luthier
		Born in a small town Orkney South Africa in 1960. His full time occupation is design draughtsman with BHP Billiton in Meyerton South Africa where he lives with his wife Ilse and two daughters Cindy and Dominique. He is a self taught luthier since 1996. Studied the work of Jose Romanillos from Spain and Daniel Friederich from France extensively. His initial focus was only on concert classical guitars, but he is taking orders now for flat top steel string acoustic guitars as well and selected restorations of rare instruments. Hans’s dream is to go into lutherie full time and to make a positive difference in the lives of his customers. His motto is “Striving to improve on perfection”

Hans offers the following:

1. Concert classical guitars build with traditional woods of the highest grade i.e. European Spruce
   or Western Red Cedar for soundboards, Indian Rosewood for back & sides, Spanish Cedar for necks
   with Ebony fingerboards. This Guitar features double sides to improve sustain. Other materials also
   available. Machine heads are Irving Sloane. Finished in French polish.



2. Concert classical double top guitar – this is to the same specification as above with the exception
   of the double top which consists of two skins 0,6 thick Spruce and Cedar or any combination there
   off with a honeycomb core known as nomex and a radial brace pattern. This guitar also features an
   acoustic port in the upper bout for the benefit of the player. Finished in French polish.
   
   
3. Flat top steel string guitars – build with traditional woods of highest grade i.e. European, Sitka or
   Engelmann Spruce or Western Red Cedar for the soundboard and Indian Rosewood or Honduras Mahogany for
   back and sides. Honduras Mahogany for the neck with Ebony or Indian Rosewood fingerboards. Guitar
   features adjustable neck angle for the player to easily adjust the string action by the turn of a single
   bolt. Other woods are also available. Machine heads are Waverley's. Finished in Wood lacquer clear natural
   or various sunbursts.
   
   
4. Restorations: Restoration work is offered from a complete rebuild to just a mere refinishing of rare
   guitars.
   
   
5. Custom guitars: Hans welcomes enquiries for custom designed instruments.
   
   
6. Projects in progress: The double top guitar proofed to be a winner and two
   more are on its way. A third is a steel string Orchestra Model with adjustable neck angle.
   
   

Clientele:
Hans has clients all over South Africa and takes pride to serve them with a total commitment to keep
their instruments in perfect working condition. Some best known clients are : Abri Jordaan, Rudi Bower,
Petrus Gous, Amalia Swanepoel, Eon Louw, Werner Retief, Benjamin Bushakevitz, Marc Rontsch,
Jonathan Moolman, Gerrit Roos, Ilse Steynberg, Zohn Genade, Carol Lotter, Wayne Duckham and Francois Droz ……..

Recordings:
Most notably of all is James Grace’s solo album “Latino Café” where he used Hans’s Cedar guitar
to record track 10 “Milonga” This guitar belongs to Marc Rontsch from Cape Town. www.jamesgrace.co.za

Materials:
Hans buys the wood for his guitars from Luthier Mercentile International www.lmi.com and his tools
and hardware from Steward MacDonald’s www.Stewmac.com

GALLERY Double click on the thumbnails for a larger image

CONTACT HANS
Email Phone		hans.jj.vandenberg@bhpbilliton.com 073 394-9055