I am regrettably selling my favorite guitar ever... custom made for me by master luthier, Rodrigo Shopis. I have developed a crippling arthritis in my left hand and can sadly no longer play the guitar... at least the way that I want to.
Although I am the original owner, it was owned for awhile by my good friend Ben Robertson, while I ventured into the land of a costly but amazing antique Jacques Favino, an expensive but enjoyable folly... eventually Ben bought my Favino and sold me back my beloved Shopis. Ben played the Favino for a while, loved it... but eventually commissioned another Rodrigo Shopis guitar.
The instrument is in near mint condition and has an amazing voice as you can tell by the video of Tchtavolo Schmittit playing it in 2009-2010:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wfznW5u3VqU
also a friend of mine playing...:
https://vimeo.com/157655775 (please excuse the poor video quality!)
...and Gonzalo Bergara...:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4XBu8ZA_KXw
Here is Joscho Stephane at Djangofest playing it also:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cQBn1uAnHuw
and Joscho again:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=D24graDGDOU
It has opened up and become more distinctive and mature since. I know Ben played it professionally for a couple of years and treated it lovingly. Attached are pictures... one of them alongside a 1917 Martin parlor guitar to compare the finishes. It is scaled like a Jacques Favino guitar... no fret dots except on the side of the neck. Miller tuners, figured neck with a medium profile. This guitar is a gem. Feel free to message me with any questions via djangobooks.
4000.00 with hard shell case/free shipping in the lower 48.
This guitar is ON HOLD.
Charlie
Comments
-David Mitchell
I later decided to commission a guitar from Rodrigo, and he built me a fantastic Selmer-style D hole. When Charlie decided to let his '77 Favino go, I sent his Shopis back as partial payment and also had to sell the D hole as well. Over time, I came to regret letting the two guitars go, and also decided that I could not justify keeping so much money tied up in one guitar, so the Favino got sent off to Michael Horowitz and I commissioned a new guitar from Rodrigo, which he delivered at Django in June 2014. I will not be so foolish as to let this one go.
Over the years, my severe GAS became a running joke with my friends and bandmates. A lot of it would have been avoided if I had had the good sense to simply hang onto Charlie's Shopis and quit trying other guitars out. I wish I could buy it back from him, but I have no money to spare, and the US-CAN$ exchange is not in my favour. Whoever winds up with this guitar will have a superb instrument.
"It's a great feeling to be dealing with material which is better than yourself, that you know you can never live up to."
-- Orson Welles
As I'm entering my middle age and starting to have these phantom pains here and there in my hands, a thought sometimes occurs what if it got serious to where it would impede my guitar playing. I just shudder and take my mind elsewhere. I can't begin to understand how you feel about it but I wish you good luck.
That Tchavolo clip is so awesome. His musing over the guitar was even musical.
I'm sure it's going to find a buyer soon. I even entertained my mind as a possibility even though I know it's a science fiction.
Charlie