manouche hand crafted or dupont D-100?

antoine bcn

Hi,
i am a lefty player from Spain and i'm going to buy a gipsy guitar,
i would like to have your opinions about a question:
wich guitar do you think sound better:manouch hand crafted model (2600 euros) or dupont MD 100 (2400 euros).
An another question:what do you like better for a gipsy guitar back and sides:laminate rosewood or solid rosewood?
thanks very much to who ever helps me,because i dont want to spend that much money without knowing what kind of guitar im getting.
Merry christmas!!

a

do the manoucje guitars have imported bodies?

a

it looks like dupont builds them with the original bridge design.

Johan

The solid back and sides must be better than laminated though i am not en expert.

MichaelHorowitz

Johan wrote:

The solid back and sides must be better than laminated though i am not en expert.

Actually, in most cases laminate is better for Gypsy guitars. It's lighter and denser which yields more volume and a bright tone. 98% of Gypsy guitars (including the original Selmers) are laminate. Shelley Park builds entirely from solid woods, but that's rare.

When you do see solid wood from European builders, it's more often Maple, not Rosewood.

Laminate got a bad name because it was used on cheap Asian built flatop guitars. But back in the 30s, it was an innovative technique that really worked for Selmer type guitars. They weren't trying to save $, they were making a better guitar....

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antoine bcn

Thanks very much Michael, im definitely gonna go for the laminate then.
Do you know anything about the brand "manouche guitars"?
Ithink its better to get a top end manouche than a low end dupont but im not sure,both guitars are arround 2500 euros.
do you have eny experience with theese brands?

BluesBop Harry

I was in a similar position a little while ago...
I bought a Dupont MDC 60 and I love it.

Between the guitars you mention I would personally go for a Dupont hands down.
The MD100 doesn't have the fancy cosmetic apointments but has the tone all the way and it's handbuilt in Cognac, France.
Lovely guitar!!!

jmaszle

don't buy a Manouche if you can afford a decent Dupont. There is no comparison. I have a Dupont MCC 50 that I wouldn't trade or sell for anything. Manouche are asian made guitars that are basically puffed up Saga's. Nothing wrong with a Saga but you can get a Jorgenson for half the price of a Manouche and for a bit more you will get a Dupont that you will keep love.
Jimmy

Bob Holo

If you don't find what you're looking for - another option if you're in Spain - you reminded me that there is a Frenchman named Olivier Marin who recently moved to Spain. I've never played his guitars, but the guys in this youtube video came through Portland a while back and Sebastian (guy on the right) played one of my guitars for his concert and so I got a chance to talk guitars with him and with his rhythm player Mathieu (the guy on the left) while I set up the guitar to Sebastian's specs and then afterward at dinner. Both of them spoke very highly of Marin guitars - it's what they play when they're home in France. I think they said the price was in the $2,600 Euro range - but I could be wrong. So - at any rate - you just reminded me of that and so I thought I'd pass it on to you because you're in Spain.

Michael also offers ALD - very "Dupont" sounding guitars - I think a little less expensive than Dupont.

Charlie Ayers

You might also consider Mateos guitars, which are built in Spain. I think they sound great.

Charlie

Michael Bauer

I'd think I'd have to agree that if I am buying a hand-made guitar in that price range, the Dupont would be a far safer bet than the hand-crafted Manouche. But then I have never played the latter. You also might be able to pick up an even better used guitar if you look around.

Jimmy, I have to tell you that I respectfully disagree with you about the standard issue Manouche's. They are nothing like Sagas. I have a D-500, had a Jorgenson, and have a Manouche Jazz (oval-hole) and a Manouche Orchestre (d-hole). They are better hands down. They are much louder, have way better intonation, and get as close to the old Selmer sound as you are ever going to get in a production guitar. While there are always things they could have done better, I think there is no other affordable guitar out there that comes so close. Barry Warhaftig of the Hot Club of Philly played my Manouche and liked it so much he became the importer for the US. I think both Dorado and Samson bought and played the Jazz when they were in the US recently. THEY, at least, thought they were great! Saga makes great guitars for the money, but they in no way compare to the Manouche's, nor are they part of the same family tree.

Please don't think I am some mantra-chanting troglodyte! I do not pretend that the Manouche's compare with the best hand-made guitars. But I do think that they are, hands down, the best mass produced gypsy guitars that I have heard. And frankly, they do sound more authentic than a fair number of hand-made guitars out there.