Took the plunge on a Dell Arte Manouche Oval

Verchacho

I own one also and just love it.
About the strings, itry the guadalupes and notice that the guitar doesn't sound as loud as it did before.
I was using Dell'Arte strings and really liked them and i also like Galli's.
There is a tension difference but the Dell'Arte's and Galli's sound very good.
I've heard John Pearse Nuages sound great also.
Thats my next set.

Bob Holo

Jon - Yep, I'm measuring top of fret to bottom of string - I only lowered it 1/10 of a millimeter as it was 3.6mm / 3.1mm (It used to be 3.5/3.0 - I had shaped & fit the bridge to make it 3.5/3.0 but then increased the neck relief just a tiny bit which increased the action ~1/10mm...) I know it's nitpicking - I just thought I'd lower it to 3.5/3.0 while I had the opportunity as humidity is sort of average now - and so the action can average around 3.5/3.0 and get a little higher / little lower as humidity changes without buzzing... In terms of playing feel - it plays the same except for the stiffer G string (which was a fluke because I just didn't have a full set of 10's at the time)

Verchacho - The tone did get louder when I went back to Argentines from the Guadalupes. I just didn't want to say anything because I thought I was imagining it. $7 a set for Argentines and they're louder and have a tone that I prefer? ... man, I'm sold on that concept!! I might try the DA & Pearse just for grins though, as a person should do everything at least once in a lifetime.