do cheaper guitars sound ok when you play chords but when you play solos they sound not good ?

rafapak

Hi guys

I watched this video and I like the way he plays chords. He sounds good to my ears when he plays chords. There is also short moment when he plays single note melody and this sounds terrible to me. Is this true that cheaper guitars sound acceptable when one plays chords but they sound bad when one plays solos ? If yes, why is it like that ?

Buco

He's a pretty good player but not that great for the genre.
That first example of rhythm playing was actually awesome but the way he played minor swing it was almost like a completely different person. His single notes didn't sound that great because he played right over the soundhole so he couldn't get much attack in his tone. The guitar sounds pretty nice to me. Unless the guitar is unplayable POS, a big part of the final sound is in the technique.
To paraphrase VW slogan line "players wanted".

Buco

I found this guy playing DG-255 and listen to the difference. OK the audio recording quality is very low-fi, but he's got the sound, "player found".

Bones

If the guitar has too much overtones you can compensate for that easily on rhythm by damping but for leads it is a big problem

Michael S Harrington

I own that same model and have been using it to gig regularly in a Manouche Jazz duet setting for the past two months. It works, but I think the thin sounding single note lines are somewhat noticeable when compared to rhythm. I figured since I'm playing 5 strings instead of 1, it seemed normal and unquestionable. It wasn't until I played with a friend who owned an Altamira M01, in which I noticed two completely different levels of projection and tone. He generously let me try his guitar, and I was blown away.

The DG cut way more, but the Altamira had a substantial amount of low and mid end response as well as more overall volume in general. The single note lines were easier to keep at a consistent, healthy volume. However, I don't think the Gitane isn't a quality instrument- it may just be harder to work in certain situations such as playing lead, especially if you don't have correct technique. I find I have to work just a little harder to keep the volume up, but if you have an attentive rhythm player, then hopefully they would be conscious of this and bring their total volume down in order to support you.

Here's a recording with the Gitane DG255, playing both rhythm and lead. I think it sounds decent in both aspects!

-Mike

Buco

And to comment on you question from other thread you posted on @rafapak , I think it's always better to save money and buy a luthier built instrument once you can afford it.

rafapak

thanks guys for replies, thanks Buco for checking my other thread

jonpowl

My Cigano GJ-10 sounds fairly authentic on solos but a little muddled on rhythm. My Dupont sounds good on solos and crunchy on rhythm. I highly recommend the Cigano as a starter GJ guitar, if you can find a good one.

rafapak

jonpowl, thanks for reply. I wonder how word ' starter' guitar should be properly understood in the context of gypsy guitar playing. Where in your opinion is this moment when given player should stop using starter guitar and should start using more sophisticated and more expensive intruments ? Why it is not recommended for beginners to buy Duponts , Favinos etc ? I have to admit that to my ears playing simple chords on handmade guitar could bring a lot of fun. Do people think that because of lack of good technique beginners are unable to elicit superb sound from luthier made guitars? I am asking not because I want to be pain in the neck or sth but because it makes me wonder why expensive guitar that sounds awsome can be considered useless for beginner ?

jonpowl

Simply, not everybody has the $$ to buy an expensive guitar when they are starting out in Gypsy Jazz. And not everybody wants to commit to a $3000 guitar, that might not be that easy to re-sell, on a new style of music. I started with a Gitane DG-255 (too many overtones), then a Paris Swing GG-39 (nice sound, not very loud) and ended up with the Cigano, which is the cheapest and best of the entry level guitars I have owned.

rafapak

thanks for reply, do you remember what strings gauge was used in this video ?