FS: Gitane DG-255 - No longer for sale

Sickstring

Gitane DG-255. I have owned this guitar since about November of last year and it is in like new condition. Interestingly, this guitar has the lacquered interior commonly seen on the Jorgenson models and the tuners have been upgraded to Jorgenson types, which I feel is a major improvement. The neck is also a bit thicker than the earlier 255's but not at all massive to the point where a thumb wrap might prove too difficult to execute. This would be a great neck for smaller to average hands.

Includes very nice $180 tweed hard shell case fitted for gypsy guitars.

Asking $600 which includes shipping in the US


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Thanks for looking

Sickstring

Reduced: $550

Sickstring

Reduced: $500

Sickstring

This guitar is no longer for sale as it has developed a crack in the top. This is the second gypsy guitar that has cracked on me due to the extremely dry winters here. Attempts at humidifying have proved fruitless. I have placed my Jorgenson up for sale instead, and it will hopefully find a good home before the same fate befalls it.

Thanks

Michael Bauer

I've been having the same problems in New Jersey. This is the driest winter I can rememeber. I tried a couple of humidifiers, but a local luthier recommened a Dampit, and it has worked really well. I think you can order them from Musician's Friend for about $10 each. I went to Sam Ash to buy some, and they had taken all of them to use in their in-store inventory. Apparently, they are in the same boat we are.

Sickstring

Hey Michael ,

Yeah, it's really disappointing. I would freak if I had a really expensive guitar that cracked. Speaking of which, did you get a Favino?!? That's awesome!

Scott

Klezmorim

Sickstring wrote:

Yeah, it's really disappointing. I would freak if I had a really expensive guitar that cracked....

Hmmm, like a really nice AJL? Mine developed a small crack in late October in the upper right bout between the sound hole and the side (below the cutaway). The previous (original) owner had a crack in the same neighborhood. He sent the guitar back to Ari in Finland for repairs. I think I'm going to cleat this one myself. It's only about 3cm long and is closed. I'd be tempted to just work some hot hide glue in, but the wood in that area is t-h-i-n.

The irony is that I live in what is normally humid-as-a-sauna South Carolina, but we too have had a dry autumn and winter. As soon as I noticed the crack, I pulled the hygrometer out of my Martin D28 case and measured a frightening 25% relative humidity. The next day I purchased a whole-house humidifier.

What with 3 mandolins, 5 guitars and a violin, I can't keep up with all of the in-case humidifiers.

Oh, and I'm looking to add a grand bouche to my "family."

Sickstring

Hmmm, like a really nice AJL?

Exactly. However, I have been reading that these hairline cracks that run with the grain tend to close back up in more humid weather.

I would be curious to know how serious these cracks really are. I mean, no one wants to see it happen, but it seems to happen a lot and I wonder how it affects the tone of the instrument.

Scott

Sickstring

Ha. I guess I should point out the I haven't noticed an adverse effect on the tone of my guitars, but were talking gitanes here.

scott

Klezmorim

Sickstring wrote:

...I have been reading that these hairline cracks that run with the grain tend to close back up in more humid weather.

I would be curious to know how serious these cracks really are. ...I wonder how it affects the tone of the instrument.

Small cracks are probably acoustically insignificant. Larger cracks would be liable to buzz when certain notes are struck.

I'm of the opinion that even tiny cracks should receive attention to avoid the possibility of their lengthening into a more serious split.

This reminds me of the little bitty, hardly-noticeable gravel crack I had in my windshield. Then, one hot summer day, I drove my auto through a car-wash....

Michael Bauer

Scott--

I did get the Favino (Care to try her out sometime?). Awesome guitar! No louder than my Manouches, but it has a richer tone.

I have been told that gypsy guitars are prone to cracking because of the thin wood and stressed tops. The Favino was used to that Seattle humidity and was really being affected by the dryness here. It's soaking up a lot of moisture each day. The Dampit really has worked wonders!

Michael