Manouche in America

valdae · May 2006

For anyone interested, the following is a reply to an e-mail I sent seeking info about the Manouche Modele Jazz guitar:

"Hello Eric, my name is Robert Brochey and I am the North American
distributor for the Manouche guitars. My website is manouchenorthamerica.com
Tony emailed me and sent along your inquiry. I recently returned from the UK where I was fortunate enough to spend an evening with Moreno Winterstein playing these guitars. Amazing is an understatement! I've been playing off and on for thirty years and I have never played a guitar like this. The sustain is unbelieveable.

I am selling the guitars for $1,795 on my website
and that price includes all the import expenses and delivery to you. I also
will set the guitar up however you like (included in the price) but always
recommend the action to be not too low. You may call me toll free at
800-901-7674 if you'd like further information. I do have a demo guitar in
stock and would consider lowering the price if you'd be interested in a
demo. It is the oval hole model. I also bought a D (mac style) for my own
playing and it is nothing short of amazing! I prefer the D for my solo
playing. I will be getting in 6 guitars in about a month. Please fell free
to contact me with any questions, and thank you agian for your inquiry.
Robert"

nwilkins · May 2006

hey there, I don't wish to imply that these guitars are bad, but I would warn you to take the "amazing" comment with a grain of salt, since "unbelievable sustain" is not generally desirable in gypsy guitars (quite the opposite).

frater · May 2006

Interesting point. What about Stochelo-like vibrato on a guitar with little sustain? I'm not kidding: I'd like to hear your opinion on this...

nwilkins · May 2006

one of the keys to this type of guitar is that the sound decays very quickly, particularly for rhythm, so you don't have strings/overtones ringing out. It is possible to cause notes to sustain through technique like vibrato, but you don't really want the guitar to sustain notes by itself.

Elliot · May 2006

nwilkins wrote:

one of the keys to this type of guitar is that the sound decays very quickly, particularly for rhythm, so you don't have strings/overtones ringing out. It is possible to cause notes to sustain through technique like vibrato, but you don't really want the guitar to sustain notes by itself.

I guess I have to chime in here, since I mention this myself in a little review they asked me to write for their site.

There are many guitars, expensive ones, 'of this type' out there that have a raspy Ovation sound (they do make for good rhythm guitars), or a dry barky sound. This guitar does not address the changes or evolution of taste of gypsy guitarists that individual luthiers cited in other threads are mindful of, which produce these guitars. The MG only seeks to replicate a fresh Selmer, nothing more or less. And while the word 'sustain' leads one to think of Taylors and Martins, a more accurate word, 'resonance', does as well. The last chord of the intro to J'Attendrai of the Django '38 film evidences plenty of 'sustain', not to mention all of Django's solo work, and half of the rest of his aesthetic besides. So basically when one discovers a guitar that sings or chirps like, say, Matelot's does where many others bark or bite, it is worth remarking on, however imprecisely. A good guitar allows one some play to control decay, although it is a tough trick to get extra sustain from a guitar after the top quits vibrating.

When Moreno's CD comes out (if ever), you'll be able to hear for yourself and judge how authentically Selmer these things sound. However, to be more subjective, allow me to say at least that at $1795 you're getting a half priced guitar, easy, if things like that mean anything to you.

frater · May 2006

I had a chance to buy a second-hand Manouche for a very good price. Frankly I did it almost exclusively for the look of it ( I couldn't resist those tuning machines!) only to find out it sounds really, really great...They probably hit it right with the stressed top thing , I don't know: fact is the guitar has the proverbial snap, is very loud and really has plenty of the trademark "Selmer tone".

No surprise Francois Charle, a rather picky guy when it comes to Selmer style guitars (being probably the major authority on the subject Worlwide) keeps these Manouche in his shop in Paris.