Guitar Wars

vince · July 2006

my vote is for an AJL. granted I've never played one, the craftsmanship is just immense from the pictures!

v

djangology · August 2006

My vote for the best guitar on earth is the "Eimers Relic" for 3850 Euros. You can see the guitar here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 4865361857 . I just feel sorry for all you Yahoos that can touch it.

My second is the standard Dell Arte Hommage models, all of which I think are really good.

chappie · August 2006

Hommage is a mediocre guitar in my opinion. Clumsy and inconsistant. I've played three of them and they all sucked.
A lot of money for a pale imitation of the original. Lots of better guitars out there.
Don't know much about Eimers. Could be good could be just one great guitar. Can't tell much from a video or a picture.
Chappie

MichaelHorowitz · August 2006

That hasn't' been my experience...in fact I've found that the Hommage (and the souped up Jimmy Rosenberg) are the best guitars Dell Arte makes. I have a student who has Han'sche Weiss's old Favino. We A/B'd it with the Rosenberg and you could hardly tell the difference. I think Dell Arte did an awesome job with their Favino copies. Both Dorado Schmitt and Andreas Oberg have used the Hommage on their US tours.

chappie · August 2006

I'm no snob but the three that I played here in NY were mediocre sounding guitars. And a friend who had one here also sold it after a year because it didn't hold up. Maybe just a weak batch.
Just my own opinion.
Chappie

djangology · August 2006

Most likely not a weak batch. Most likely a "weak player" . Honestly though, playing gypsy jazz takes muscle and if you don't use it then you won't ever know what a guitar can really do. The Hommages will perform but not for any weaklings. :twisted:

Before you start arguing, remember who the first person to use the word "sucked" was.

By the way, the Eimers model I think is the best is actually called "Antique" and costs 3450 Euro. If you listen carefully to the video you can hear its "hollowness" because it doesn't have finish on it, and therefore it is way louder because it is not dampened by the extra weight of the finish. It sounds like a tin can but it plays like a dream and cuts through noise like butter.

chappie · August 2006

Djangology,
You keep pumping that iron and shredding on that Hommage! Good on you! Just please don't kick sand in my face and steal my girl.
Charlie javascript:emoticon('

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tommaso · September 2006

As my experience in GJ increases, my judgement changes.
So today my vote is for Gitane DG-310 Modele Lulo Reinhardt.
I have bought one and I find that it has a good sound together with good neck. The plyability is excellent, the voice is loud but balanced. The materials and the finishes are nice. IMO this guitar is comparable with the luthier ones of the same price range and I think that its quality/price rate is very high.
I would be glad if others express their impressions on this model.

Bob Holo · November 2006

I've played quite a few Jorgenson Gitanes. For a factory guitar they're really good. Heck, for any guitar they're really good. I've come close to buying one twice now. This may be an unpopular opinon - but I'd compare them to any factory guitar out there. The factory made Dell Artes have nothing over on the Jorgensons (all things being equal - because no two guitars are alike - even ones made on the same day in the same factory from the same billet of wood) The good Jorgensons are really good and certainly good enough to play professionally - no denying it - no need to. They are darned good. Without playing them side by side against a really top luthier made instrument - you're not going to notice a difference unless you're a fairly experienced player and have played a lot of GJ guitars.

But... honestly... in my humble opinion, they're not in league with a good luthier made instrument. No two instruments are the same - and I would go so far as to say that a great Jorgenson is in league with a "pretty darned good luthier made instrument - and I would say that "not all luthiers are equal" but I'd not go further.

I guarantee that the first time you pick up and play a really good luthier made instrument you will remember it for life. Your reaction will not be "wow - this is really good" it'll be more like "holy sh**!!!" and you will at that moment not need words to describe the difference. The sound just jumps out and you can literally feel the guitar jump when you chop chords.

So, you wanted an honest opinion - there it is - from a person that has played a lot of GJ guitars. Well, there is one opinion.