Guitar Wars

poboxnyc

I was at Birdland Thurday night and both Dorado and Samson were playing Rodrigo Shopis guitars -- 14 fret D holes. Evidently they both purchased the guitars.

MichaelHorowitz

Well...almost a year after this poll was started, it seems like we have a winner:

Dupont was ranked the best with 9 votes.

But the combined forces of the Favino family scored 11 votes.

So I guess Dupont wins the popular vote, but Favino wins the electoral college.

I guess I should have known these two would come out on top...they're the most respected Luthiers and in my experience have produced some of the best Gypsy guitars around.


Interesting that J.P. Favino beat his father 8 to 3. In general, you commonly hear people say that the Jacques Favinos were better. But that's subjective....I have a J.P. Favino which I love. Part of this may be due to the scarcity of Jacques Favinos. You just don't find many around....and the ones you do find are often pretty beat up.

fretburner

ack, who chose Aria, I tried a few of those in the shop.. they were pretty horrible!

:P

Elliot

And a special 'newcomer' award to the Manouche, itself just over a year old and barely more than a rumour at the start of this poll only to roar into the top echelon, easily holding its own among the best guitars!

Now we need the ultimate shootout:

Selmer
Favino
Dupont
Park
Manouche
Gitane

Of course this is partly based on popularity. I suppose you'd need to add Ajl, Eimers, Collins, and Shopis to round out the bunch....

Michael Bauer

I know I love my Manouche Jazz. It beat out the Jorgenson (which I just sold), and I imagine it will be with me at least until the day comes that I decide I have earned a hand-made guitar.

This voting should run like a cross between the NCAA tournament and the French elections. After each round, toss out the bottom half and then vote again until we have a clear winner.

Elliot

I was thinking of the kind of thing the mags do, with separate categories for looks, build, musical ability, bang for the buck...wait, I am still talking about guitars, aren't I???? :shock: :shock:

Oh yeah, and add a Dell Arte on general principle although which one would be the subject for another contest.

rodolphe_toronto

I was absolutely desapointed by all the Dupont I tried (I tried 9 or 10 I think). The price doesn't change anything. Where is the sound? Pffff... I know some crappy crappy ones.... I even know a guy who owns a Md50 and prefers to play his... Gitane!!!!! 8-0

One brand wich is completly unknow in North America is certainely Casellucia. It's a great choice of a guitar that sound warm and authentic. Nice lutherie too.
I tried 4 or 5. I only dislike one (no sound). The others were all good. The good thing with the Castellucias is the price.

About Dell Arte, I'm really not crazy about them. Dry. Very dry. Not very interesting. I tried perhaps 10 of them.

I tried 4 Shelley Park. One was absolutely horrible (sounds like a folk to me. I was one of her 1st guitar I think) but the 3 others were OK. One of the D hole I tried was great. But too much varnish on this guitars in my opinion. That gives a "stiff" and mellow sound. Still a good choice. And Shelley is just adorable.
I have a friend in Vancouver who just bought an oval hole one. He's absolutely happy with it. I will play this guitar in one month during the Christmas time when I will be in Van. Can't wait :-)

In France, people are now all over Bob Holo (I think it's him if I'm correct- the guy from Portland). But it seems that some french players of the new generations bought his guitars and everybody love them :-D Never try any. I would love too. Anybody in Toronto or Vancouver with a Bob Holo?

Perhaps the best guitar I tried was a Stefan Hahl, the same model Bireli played on the album "Move". The guitar was 5500 euros (do the math!!!!!) but it was a dream on earth. Perfection. I should have buy it. I regret to not have done it. I really regret :-(

The Eimers are the new hot thing. For sure. The Antique Model only receives compliments. In France, in Canada and I think everywhere :-D
Obviously, Leo Eimers has found something with this model. The Stochelo manager said to me that he has tried 4 of them and they were all fantastic. And the team who has done the Wawau and the Stochelo DVDs said the same thing. So...

The "guitar war" is not over. That was my 2 cents :-D

RKatz

The question 'which is the best gypsy jazz guitar' can only get subjective responses. For a good awnser you would have to ask a high level player with years of experience playing and trying out different guitars. I wonder what Stochelo's, objective non Eimers sponsored, opinion would be?

No one has mentioned Olivier Marin guitars in this post yet. Guitar of choice for Sebastien Giniaux, Gonzalo and Adrien Moingard. Olivier makes fabulous guitars!

stubla

All this is comletely subjective and depends on each individuals idea of what the ''right' sound is

For myself I've owned a Favino,a Provost, a couple of Olivier Marins and my present guitar by the amazing Godfroy Maruejouls, a frenchman living in London who definitely deserves a place on the list---its the best guitar i've ever played! it sounds very like the guitar used by Django on the Rome recordings;nice and dry but very responsive
But it needs to be said that guitars even by the same maker can vary tremendously
Its a cliche but in the end its the player not the instrument as we all know;i've seen Matcho Winterstein or Samson Schmitt pick up a cheap Aria and make it sound like a 50 year old Busato!
You can have a Selmer but if you're not using that right hand technique it will sound like a cheap ukelele--or even worse.... an Ovation....

marciero

I like the sound of the Marin also. Though I played one only very briefly at Django in June.
People do not seem to talk about the Stefan Hahl. Is this simply because they are so damn expensive? I am also curious about the latest Bireli guitar that Michael has.
Would love to try the Holo also.
I am very happy with my Collins.
Mike