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I think I need to be clear about what I wrote. He didn't say WOW I love this guitar, he just said something along the lines of "you know for the price, this is quite alright". When I mentioned that company was based in Hong Kong and we could maybe play their guitars there so we don't have to bring ours, he said it wasn't a bad idea.
Obviously, my luthier made guitar blows the guitar out of the water. There's no comparison, but I stand by what I said, for its price, as long as it's well setup, it's hard to beat.
www.denischang.com
www.dc-musicschool.com
Yes, the F hole design produces a more balanced tone with a strong midrange focus. So the highs are a lot rounder and the bass is fuller, but not as bass heavy as the D holes. So it’s a very versatile instrument that sounds completely at home in regular swing or other styles but still has enough power for Gypsy playing.
Lol, uh oh, just what my wallet feared.
Oh well, time to save up a few pennies...I'll be in touch:)
"Honey is that a new guitar?"
"What, this old thing?"
My response diverges a bit from the main topic of this thread but I thought I'd respond to this but because of the brands mentioned. I originally bought an M30 Antique and played it daily for about two weeks. I returned the guitar due to some concerns of the construction and was planning on replacing it with another Altamira. I was happy with the tone, the feel, the playability, the finish, the look... until I tried guitars in the $2k+ range. I ended up spending the extra $ on a Mateos Jazz B and really couldn't be happier with my decision.
For this guitar in particular, the difference in the cost is nothing compared to the gains you get in overall build, tone, and playability. Lighter, better wood, handmade, etc, and the guitar resonates much more freely without having to push it like I felt I need to with the M30. Don't get me wrong, the Altamira was great, but once you up the price point (for the most part) you really are opening a different conversation in terms of sound & quality (imho).
I would say the moral of the story I learned was if price point is your concern, best not compare to models in higher ranges unless 1) you're open to changing your mind and 2) your spouse really loves you.
Also a side note: Michael was very helpful and patiently had me try 5 or 6 different guitars before I settled on the Mateos. Thanks, Michael!
Matt
This is a constant problem whenever people ask advice on this forum. Which brand works best at a given price is always going to be a personal opinion that will vary according to who you ask. Some will recommend a brand they have had a good experience with, others may have criticisms of the same brand and prefer another. You are lucky in that you could (geographically) get to where Michael is and try before you buy, most do not have that choice and buying an unseen guitar on another's recommendation, however well intended, is always going to be risky.
The moral being always try as many as you can and try to identify the good, or bad, points of each.
And yes, comparing a $1k factory guitar and a $2k+ hand made guitar is always going to be one-sided.
I will add that I did purchase the Altamira after research alone and several exchanges with Michael, and only after that went in person to try a few different guitars. Very lucky indeed to have that opportunity, which was really eye opening. While I'm not new to the genre, I hadn't previously owned a GJ guitar and didn't know what the different price points looked like. But if I lived elsewhere, I probably would have just ordered another M30 and have been happy as a clam with a new guitar.
For all it's worth, it does seem that Altamira's are improving the quality with each iteration, so it's still probably the best purchase in that price range. This is just based on what I found through my own research, videos, reviews, however. Any other anecdotal evidence from the forum? I've always been of the "it's not the guitar that counts, it's how you play it" philosophy, so if it's got the right setup I'm sure most Altamiras would get the job done. Now that there's a model for $650 it's really tempting to go for a second/just-for-fun gypsy jazz guitar. It'd be great to see it as a D hole or with other finishes.
Matt
I still insist something over 90% of the sound comes from the fingers and the player's technique; the luthier, the timber, the exotic Pau Ferro or Ebony extras, the Argie v Galli string preferences, even the Wegen v Guzz arguments are all side issues that can not actually add to talent.
Unfortunately, there are as many label snobs in the guitar world as there are in fashion, cars etc, meaning some are so smitten with having the right name on the headstock they will go to great lengths to convince themselves that they have the best guitar and it has somehow improved their abilities to superstar status.
On the other hand, as Dennis mentioned elsewhere, he had the chance to play recently with Angelo Debarre - a player who surely has had the pick of the best over the years - and he was complimentary (for the price) about the Altamira Dennis had on hand.
How much we want to, (or can afford to) spend will obviously vary due to personal circumstances and there will be some serious musicians out there trying to earn a living who are constrained to working with a sub $1k guitar. There are many more amateurs with more money than talent for whom collecting guitars and playing is just an indulgence, and I count myself one of them although I am still trying to improve and justify the expense!
And that is just within the accepted Gypsy Jazz genre. Why not try some Douce Ambience or Swing 42 on an archtop, or even a Telecaster? Experiment with the tone and the picking and you might be surprised how good it can sound; it is indeed unfortunate that Django died so young, who knows what he might have got into later with the emergence of the solid electrics through the fifties?
Ultimately, unless one goes to a well-stocked guitar shop and tries the whole range whilst blindfolded we are never going to get a truly unbiased buyer's verdict.
There, that has put the cat among the pigeons!