These guitars have been done for a little while now, but I just got around to taking pics and posting them. They’re both made with Oregon myrtlewood back and sides and Port Orford cedar tops. Both great tone woods, from southern Oregon, where those trees are native. Above is a Weissenborn type. More info onContinue reading “New Guitars & Laminated Sides – April 2025”
Tag Archives: Guitars
Persimmon 2
There are many adequate domestic woods to serve as finger/fret boards, as I mentioned in the previous post. Hard & long wearing, but maybe not the right color. Vacuum dyeing is an option, and any color could be used, royal blue or fire engine red..? I’m interested, but haven’t committed or invested in those capabilities.Continue reading “Persimmon 2”
Persimmon 1
When I began making guitars about ten years ago, besides being very enthusiastic about it all, I was trying to figure out which local woods would work as replacements for traditionally used tropical woods. For most of the material used in guitars, i.e the back, sides, neck, bracing and soundboard, domestic woods work well, thinkContinue reading “Persimmon 1”
February 9, 2025
I haven’t worked on the banjos since my last post, but have made good progress on two guitars. One a ‘Plectrum’ guitar and the other a Weissenborn acoustic lap steel. Both made from Myrtlewood and Port Orford Cedar. I’ve written about ‘laminated’ sides or ribs in a previous post, they’re stronger and the idea isContinue reading “February 9, 2025”
Banjo Adventures – 4
After the ‘barrels’ are cut they’re ready to turn on the lathe. My current method is to use 3/4″ plywood screwed to a lathe faceplate, using two pieces of plywood is probably a better way, more stable. I center the barrel on the plywood and drill four holes (or more) through the ply into theContinue reading “Banjo Adventures – 4”
New Guitars – March 2023
It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I will try to do better.. I’ve recently finished three Koa Weissenborn type guitars. Two are all Koa, the top, back and sides, the third has Koa back and sides with a Red Cedar top. Almost all my work is with local/domestic woods, but I went exoticContinue reading “New Guitars – March 2023”
# 11
When I make guitars, I usually make at least two at a time. It doesn’t take twice as long, maybe half as long again as making two separately. I don’t have any inclinations to become a factory, but more then one at a time seems to work well for me. In 2018 I made four,Continue reading “# 11”
Michael Hampel Guitars
I make my guitars in my shop located in the Eastern Foothills of the North Cascades of Washington state. The wood I use is local or regionally harvested. My goal is to make a great playing and sounding guitars using wood from trees grown in the Pacific Northwest.
Hampel Guitars 