Just purchased a Gitane D500

Stackabones

Should be here Friday! My first Selmac-style guitar!!!

I've already ordered two packs of Argentine 11s, another Wegen ( I have one and thought I'd get a backup), and the JP Sarod picks from Djangobooks.

I've been working out of Gypsy Picking and the first Nolan playalong. I read standard notation, so I've also been knocking around tunes in the fake books also.

Part of my purchasing decision was this site and what forumites had to say about that guitar. Thanks!

Next step ... Big Tone, Schertler, hmmm?

Heretic

Congratulations!

I bought one about a year ago, and think that it's wonderful. I use Argentine 0.11's as well as Newtone gypsy jazz strings with either a Wegen 3.5 or an AK pick.
Eventually I replaced the bridge with a Dupont bridge. I like to change my sound from time to time, and these things allow me to do so.
Happy playing!

V-dub

I got one last month as well.

To be quite honest, I haven't really touched my other gypsy jazz guitars since. Not my Dell Arte Anouman, Pigalle, or the Hono Winterstein "Sonora". It plays and sounds better than all of them. To the skeptics: don't be fooled by the low prices of these Gitanes.

At first I thought I wouldn't be able to live without the 13th and 14th frets, but it's really not a big deal after a while.

BluesBop Harry

Congrats!! It's a really good guitar, my father owns one and I love it.
You might want to upgrade the bridge soon. This will help with obtaining proper Gypsy action and helps the sound of the guitar a lot.
After you have spent about six months on gypsy picking, I recomend ypu get Gypsy Fire,

Bob Holo

Great stuff. it's a killer budget rig - no doubt about it. I've only played one that I thought was bad - and it was because the guy had it set up to do fingerstyle ?!?!?! (yes... really) I hope it is a freakin tone machine and louder than the hounds of hades. 11's are a good choice for that short scale length - it still plays silky but has more volume.

Stackabones

Ok, you guys are making even more excited and now Friday will never get here!

Heretic mentioned the DuPont bridge ... is that what you went with BluesBop Harry? I've been thinking about Gypsy Fire, but Gypsy Rhythm looks really cool.

V-dub -- have you done any mods on yours? Bridge, pickup, etc?

Bob -- set up for fingerstyle? Was he going for Oscar Alemán thing?

BluesBop Harry

Yes...I know how you feel...great ain't it?...I'm sure you won't be disappointed...I've played two D-500 and both were great, really loud too.

I went with a rosewood Dell arte bridge www.**** if you write to **** and ask for it they will make one for you Rosewood (you can ask them to paint it black) or ebony and any height you want without extra charge.
My Gitane now sounds much, much better with the new bridge but I believe any one of the replacement options will be an improvement on the stock one, the Dell arte is just the cheapest and I'm real happy with mine, you can even get a couple in different heights.

Gypsy Rhythm looks like it's gonna be a real killer, I've ordered mine already. Gypsy fire is for when you're done with the Gypsy Picking book and it is a really cool book.

Cheers!
PS. Friday will come!! Enjoy!

Stackabones

Just got it yesterday!

Beautiful guitar. Sounds like a cannon. Love the neck. Scale feels good. Jamming with GJ confreres in a couple of days!

Me jamming on my new guitar--



Sharp eyes will notice that the git in the pic is not the git I got.