One of the last few...

[Hans]

Here's Mike's F5...

http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww234/ivoroid/Mike1.jpg

http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww234/ivoroid/Mike2.jpg

http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww234/ivoroid/Mike3.jpg

http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww234/ivoroid/Mike4.jpg

http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww234/ivoroid/Mike5.jpg

[sgarrity]

Absolutely stunning as always Hans!

[banJoe]

Simple and elegant. Beautiful Hans!

[Dale Ludewig]

Hans,
there is definitely a problem with the inlay in that headstock. And you know what I mean....

Other than that, it looks pretty decent. :)

[SternART]

Looks like you're finally getting your chops down! :))

[PaulO]

Hans,

Wish I could have made my trip work for a visit. All went well in Bloomington so I will most likely be returning. Dang, now I see what I missed!!!

Paul

[usqebach]

Hans,

I realize you may be slowing down due to some physical issues, and perhaps the earned income "trap" that comes with admittance into the Social Security system, if indeed that be the case.

I'll qualify this by saying I have never seen or heard any of your instruments in person, but of course i have admired them from afar as well as heard the many thunderous approvals from your satisfied customers.

What kinda "torques" me is that it seems as if with your latest variants of your Eclipse and Stealth models, that you've really captured something that is truly unique and unavailable from any other builders. I feel badly that that creative input will be lost from the mandolin community should you go into full retirement.

What say ye to the idea of putting out a limited number of instruments a year, in the style and form you want to make, and only to players who accept what you want to make and what you want to charge? No more hassling with knuckleheads (And I would probable be one) who want to incorporate their "creative ideas" (this absolutely does NOT include (in my opinion) Ken Olmstead who created his model of Stealth with you and has enough musical credibility to merit his own prototype).

I realize the hypocrisy in my opinion; should I be pressed for a deposit on one of your instruments I would fall short both in funds available and the ability to justify such an fine instrument for a ham-fisted dullard as myself.

However, I do feel some sadness and loss if you are hanging up the finely-sharpened tools at this point, which seems to be the zenith for both your own creative skills and the renaissance of acoustic and independently created and produced music.

Just my humble opinion.

[Sandy Beckler]

Mike's a lucky guy...beautiful work Hans!

Sandy

[MandoNicity]

Thanks for the pics Hans, it sure is a beauty!

JR

[grassrootphilosopher]

Very cute mandolin, that is!

Fred Keller from this here café does show in his sound-/video-clips that you needn´t be ashamed of your skills.

[Hans]

Thanks folks.
Sorry Jim, but after I finish the last few, I'm done with mandolins. Yes, I am caught in the retirement trap for another 3 years, then I get a little break, but I really can't build these anymore. Any spare time I have will be devoted to fingerpicking guitars.

[Skip Kelley]

Hans, Thats just plain awesome!

[JEStanek]

Excellent, Hans. You're going out on high notes.

Jamie

[JeffD]

Best to leave at the top of your game. An impressive body of work.

[swinginmandolins]

Great as usual Hans!!

[Tavy]

Beautiful, boy are we going to miss seeing more of these!

Like everyone else around here, I wish you the very best in your future retirement, and there's some really good picking to come I'm sure!

John.

[Malcolm G.]

Hans,


That is one jaw-dropper of an instrument.

[robert.najlis]

I had been hoping to be able to afford (and have playing skills worthy of) one of your mandolins in a few years... My loss, but at least I can see that you have made many people happy with your work. Best of luck to you.

[pjlama]

Hans,
You're new instruments will be missed but I gotta say congrats on retirement. This is a great time to start doing exactly what you want to do. Enjoy yourself, we will miss new mandolins but enjoy yourself, you deserve it.

[Mark Walker]

Hans,

BanJoe beat me to what I wanted to say about that beauty: Elegant simplicity!

Regardless, thanks for all the great instruments over all the years, the beautiful eye candy, and for being a friend to all of us admirers! Enjoy your retirement, and all the best to you and yours as you wind things down!

- Mark

[Walt Kuhlman]

Hans and Bill in Flagstaff, AZ., it was great being your neighbor for those few day Hans!

Walt

[Larry S Sherman]

Feeling sentimental...

The 'ol Cafe isn't the same without hearing about latest amazing mandolins from Hans. I really miss his work, and hope he's doing great in semi-retirement.

I got into the game too late to place a custom order, but I still feel that he built some of the most incredible mandolins I've ever seen...especially from a design perspective.

I can only imagine what he would do with the latest fan fret & 10-string fashions. Can you imagine a V8/Stealth with 10-strings? That would seriously rock.

Hans...I hope all is well!

And I wish the many Brentrup mando owners the very best!

Larry

[Bill Snyder]

Looking at his website he is concentrating on guitars these days. You could always contact him and see about a custom mandolin, his site says he will still occasionally build a mandolin.

[MikeEdgerton]

I had an e-mail conversation with him a month or so and he said that making mandolins was just getting to be too tough on his body and that guitars were easier for him to build. His workmanship is superb and his guitars look great. I wish I'd bought the snakehead he built when it was available. Circumstances were such that I couldn't.

[Bogle]

I miss his posts here as well.

I'm most fortunate in owning two mandolins built for me by Hans. It was through this site that I learned of his work, ultimately meeting and becoming friends with him. In '03, after a great deal of research, talking to several builders, and playing countless mandolins, I decided to have Hans build one for me. The result, a stunning M21V with tortoise binding, was outstanding in every respect. So wonderful was this mandolin, that in late '04, I asked him to build another one for me, a model 23 with unique "blackburst" back and sides and a natural-color top. After much negotiation with some bickering (all good-natured), he agreed, warning me that if he didn't like the finished product "it's not going out the door". As it turns out, this mandolin, even in his own opinion, was an amazing creation....I picked it up during a visit with Hans and Maureen in September, '07.

It's still a great joy to play these instruments. Much to my delight (and expectations), their tonal characteristics continue to improve with age. In fact, I still "try out" other mandolins when traveling or getting together with other musicians...while many of these mandolins are fantastic instruments, I still haven't played one that matches the tone and "feel" of my Brentrups.

I realize that this is all subjective, but what Hans built for me was a result of his getting to know me, and what I wanted from a mandolin. This is a very special ability that Hans has, and is shared by several other owners of his mandolins that I have spoken to through the years. Although I have not yet played one of his guitars, I'm guessing that they are very special as well.

[sachmo63]

Who's Mike?

[Jim Garber]

Guitars only? I may place and order for a smaller, carved top guitar with 8 strings... :)

[frankenstein]

I miss Hans.

[trevor]

I was also lucky to get one of Han's last mandolins. I posted photos of my Eclipse a while ago. (Photos also on on website). I hope to get a guitar from him sometime next year.

[Wesley]

I'm another lucky owner of one of his mandolins - an A style I received a couple of years back. It's everything I hoped it would be and then some. The guitar world should consider itself lucky to be gaining such a talented builder.

[Big Joe]

Hans and Maureen are wonderful people and a real joy to spend time with. I certainly miss seeing him and his wonderful mandolins. I would love to have one of his works of art. He certainly takes his place amongst the tops in the field. I am very certain his guitars will equal his mandolins. Now I will just have to drool over those. I love the Pink Ivory mandolin he made his wife. What an instrument! Incredible!

[red7flag]

Hans, I will always treasure the times I have spent with you at different IBMAs. I remember one in particular when you put a lovely H4 (not sure of your nomenclature) in my hands (I still morn for that instrument) and was sharing the booth with another lovely intrument (a lovely blond lady playing an F5). I was dually impressed. But, more than that, I simply enjoy your company and conversations. Fingerpicking guitar on a snowy night by a fireplace does sound like you. I wish you the best. I got so wrapped up with you I forgot the instrument. Lovely. Knowing your sound, will have a great tone to go with it.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Very nicely executed Hans. I really like the subtleness of that one