Gitane DG250M (Maple version) What are your opinions?

TenorClef

Hi i'd just like to hear from a few of you who own or have tried the DG250M guitar which is in maple, i notice John Jorgenson plays this model on his instruction DVD 'Gypsy Jazz Guitar' and i also see it featured on his CD 'Franco-Amecircan Swing', would it be right to assume that it is a decent gypsy guitar?

Thoughts.................

TenorClef

Ok so i just did a search on this forum for any comments and their is not many user comments on this guitar, some have described it as somewhat boutique and others as rather thin in comparison to the rosewood DG255 version, their is also thoughts that it is much louder than its counterparts.

As previous post would welcome some feedback if you own one.

TC

drolling

Hi, I do have a maple 250 for the first production run. As your research indicates, it's a LOUD guitar with a dry sound- fast attack & quick decay. If you've seen the Jorgenson video, you've heard the sound that JJ can get from it. Of course, he can make anything sound good! I believe that I read somewhere that he only used the Gitane on one tune from Franco American Swing - can't recall which one. You might want to check the message board on his website.

The neck on the 250's very skinny. Thinner than most electrics I've owned and a bit fatiguing to play. I've read that some Gitanes at this winter's NAMM show have had their neck profiles reworked, but I don't know if this applies to the 250M.

Mine doesn't get played much since I got the DG-300 Jorgenson signature model which has a warmer tone and a much more comfortable neck profile. Many players who've tried them say they're inconsistent, but I'm happy w/mine.

Josh Hegg

I used to have one but ended up selling it for the following:

1. Neck WAY to thin
2. The tone is cutting. That can be good but on this guitar it's a bit much
3. Headstock.. After owning open head stock guitars changing strings on the 250m was a pain. Takes about 3 time longer.
4. tone v.s. action. On the 250m the action adjustments did little for the over all tone. It was always on the thin side in tine.
5. Never really opened up in tone after over a year of hard playing.
6. Way over lacquered top


If I were to buy another Saga I would get the DG-300 or 310. The 255 is okay in tone but the neck is too thin.

Cheers

TenorClef

Josh Hegg wrote:

I used to have one but ended up selling it for the following:

1. Neck WAY to thin

If I were to buy another Saga I would get the DG-300 or 310. The 255 is okay in tone but the neck is too thin.

Cheers

Is neck thinner than the DG255? I read a lot of complaints about necks being to thin. I've made comments about this before, i guess i just don't get it or maybe its just me but i have kinda short fingers and standard size hands and i've never noticed any issues with the neck and my playing, i've played a few gigs with my Gitane and don't notice any fatigue if any thing the thin neck for me is a bonus.

I know the difference between a thick neck like on my classical and the thin neck on my electric. What is it exactly you guys make issue with when it comes to thin necks on guitars? Is it purely a matter of preference? I asked this on another thread but did'nt really see the point the guy was making.

Elliot

The only issue I think anyone has with thin necks is the with the pain. When a neck is too thin, it gets very painful very quickly.

TenorClef

Well i guess this must be case the other way too, i played some double bass for a little while in my community jazz orchestra until we found a real bassist and i found that my hand hurt like hell after 30 minutes of playing, trying to get your thumb grip around a tree trunk is no joke.

SoulShade

I thought our answers in the other thread were pretty straightforward; it looks like you'll probably get the same answers here. One good thing..if you like thin necks their are a lot of DG-255's etc. out there for good prices! -s

Bob Holo

Comments pretty much spot on - except that:

1.) The new D250m guitars have a new neck profile - much better - still not as chunky as the JJ300 Gitane which has the best neck of the Gitanes IMHO. The D250m neck is much improved over first run models.

2.) Tone - mine has started to open up over the last year - I now play it over my Dell Arte. It used to sound a bit reminiscent of a Gibson Jumbo... now it is starting to really have a nice Gypsy thwack/crunch.

3.) Loud as all h*LL. I actually like this because it's nice to have some gas pedal in reserve. Like Nigel Tufnel would say... most blokes are playing along at 10, you know... and where to go you from there? Nowhere, you know? But this one - it goes to 11 !!

I still like the JJ300 - if you have the spare change - and want a guitar at or under $1,000... it's untouchable.

Stringswinger

Different strokes for different folks guys,

I have a 250m that was hand selected out of a bunch of 250m's by John Jorgenson (I won the thing at a raffle, luck me ) I also have a Dupont and a Dunn and lots of very cool archtops.

I like the thin neck on my Gitane. I also like the thin neck on my Pat Martino Custom and my ES 335 (the neck on my Strat, Les paul and ES 175 are also thin and wonderful). In fact I like thin necks. I have owned guitars with clubby necks (1953 Epiphone Triumph, 2001 Dell Arte Jimmy Rosenberg) and sold them because I did not like the fat neck. In the old days they had to make the necks fat to prevent warpage. These days they do not have to.

My hands are not small either. I just like a skinny neck (I like skinny chicks too ) Some guys like fat necks (and some guys like fat chicks, no connection here of course )

While my Gitane cannot compete with some of my other guitars for tone, its pretty good, period. I'm keeping it and do play it out from time to time. There is a lot of variation in acoustic guitars including Gitanes. What works for one guy might not work for other guys. Go play lots of guitars and figure out what YOU like!

Cheers,

Marc

www.hotclubpacific.com

CalebFSU

That last anaology about thin and fat women reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from "Sweet and Low Down" which come to think of it is a good way to describe how I like the necks on my guitars. It is from where Emmet and Hattie have just slept together and he says to her (not verbatim this is from memory) "You got some heft to you, not fat but some heft. Makes a man feel like he's been somewhere"