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If you are referring to the US made Dell Arte, are they the ones made by John Kinnard? I know nothing about the Jimmy Rosenberg model but I guess that would have had a 'hand-made' price tag too? The Dell Arte I have is one of the budget ones made in an Asian factory, but at that price it is fine, certainly stacks up well against the Altamira/Gitane competition. I expect luthier made guitars do justify their prices but at the same time they will also reflect variations in the maker's methods and materials and given there will be contrasts and at a higher price, it reinforces what I always thought that a potential buyer really needs to try for themselves to decide; what works for one may not impress another.
Now you have broadened your question to "how do you choose your second gypsy guitar" and not exclusively Favino copies then yes, there is much fun to be had trying different models. Of course, as always on these threads people will offer advice based on what worked for them (or not) but it is the trying for yourself that is the fun part. Particularly when you are used to playing a certain way on a favourite guitar, then trying the same tune, with same technique on, say, a cheap 'grande bouche' or a luthier made 'Chorus' or 'Favino' style, or even branch out to an archtop; each will bring out something else.
It is probably just the subtle differences compared to you regular guitar that spice things up; rather like a bored married man cheating on his partner to see if the grass is really greener elsewhere, but just cheating on your #1 guitar is probably a lot cheaper in the long run.
All of this is very different to wanting to try a particular guitar because 'Player X' uses one and I want to sound like him. That rarely works out and does not translate in to your playing.
Great points all around. It's gonna take some effort and playing and thinking and playing some more to find the right option.
I'm thinking about amplifier options at the moment to really spice things up, instead of getting a second guitar. Then down the road get an archtop and be ready to go for that adventure.
I plugged into the Mesa Boogie California Tweed recently with my Mateos' lc pickup, and holy crap. It's like a ride through the best of the 50s tweeds with its 5-way wattage selector (not an attenuator but actually changes the wiring setup using different tubes), tube driven reverb, and tubey jazz tones galore! It was more addicting than my last Boogie, maybe the most engaging amp I've played, but also sports a hefty price tag of $1,899 (pre state sales tax of 10%). More to come on that front... Stay tuned!
Oh, I just use a Pignose portable, huge tone!
It is my understanding that all of the USA made Dell Artes are the work of John Kinnard.
! Can't say I'd heard of it but that's a tiny amp! Do you have any demos? Curious what types of sounds you can get.
Also going back to your point about getting a specific guitar to sound like someone else, I definitely wouldn't say that's my behind my interest in favinos. My old instructor used to tell me "play each note like it's your last", which while maybe a bit dramatic, I think there's some validity to playing with intent and being true to oneself as they play. I do feel like this genre tries hard capture the sound/feeling/place/experience of a particular period that most of us didn't live first hand, so I guess we're all chasing something in the end, right? I suppose that's the beauty of music, it'll take you places. There's something undeniably satisfying about playing a strat tuned a half step down through a cranked bassman, or playing the first chord of "rêverie" on a fresh set of Argentines...
And this post just backs up what I was saying about what works for one may not work for another. Many on here will have watched the excellent film 'Django Legacy' in which Boulou and Elios Ferré hang out with Jacques and J-P Favino reminiscing about their father and time spent there.
Then maybe many have also watched the equally excellent 'Live in Montpellier' in which the Ferré brothers get some fantastic sounds out of their....................................
yep, Dell Arte guitars.
My Shelley Park Montmarte (#250) is all the guitar I will ever need. I've tried it side by side with top guitars by other makers and there is no comparison. Her guitars are simply the best.