Changing specs on the Gitane JJ 300 model...

bjewell

This is my first post here. I've played all sorts of guitars and once owned a Dupont MD-50 and a Gitane 255 that was tricked out. I was going to buy a new DG-300 but they have changed the specs on the wood from Brazilian laminate to another rosewood.

Luckily I found a used one for 750 bucks so I got that. I totally get it on the disadvantages of a poly-coated Chinese guitar, but I can deal with that. But for those who have beefed up your Gitane, I was wondering what you recommend for the 300.

Thank you in advance!

Tom Quinn
Sacramento
aka bjewell

Bohemian

Hey Tom......

Jeff Here.....Another refugee from the Bravenet Cajun Accordion List

How's your buddy Falcon ? : )

Congrats on the 300.... I think that you'll get some valuable replies.. and I think one of them would be upgrading the bridge...

As to the specs on the 300 brazilian

I have my thoughts on this which I believe to be true buit unpopular;
namely that it is possible it never was dalbergia nigra...and likely some stuff that falls in the category of CAVIUNA... anything that wasn;t true brazilain rosewood but looked like it

Some Spanish builders have used this stuff for years and passed it off as the real stuff.... then when the caca hit the fan over some bootlegged logs they simpply called it RIO or Caviuna .. joke is it was the same old NOT brazilian rosewood renamed....

That sounds complicated but it isn't...
bottom line was they had been claiming brazilian for years when it wasnl;t so folks got used to theis erzats stuff as true brazilian...

Nothing wrong with the countless species called Caviuna,, dalbergia sopruciana being one of them....looks a lot like the real stuff but isn't

Given that it's being used in the Gitane guitars as laminates.. I seriously doubt there will be a tonal difference

Particularly since I think is was a name change more likely than a timber change

I see you are back in Sacto.... again welcome

I'm still in So Oregon.. 6 hrs north

Adios or should I say Syanara

bjewell

Hey Jeff-san! how are ya? :- )

I had an MD-50 and a 255 in Tokyo, traded/sold them. I have a slow right hand but a soft spot for these guitars. I also have an incredbly hard time picking with an arched wrist. I must be doing something wrong -- plus I'm left handed.

Hope things are good for you and yours... keep on squeezing! :- )

Tq

Bohemian

If you can imagine

years ago at Gryphon in Plao Alto I nearly bought an MD-50 (back when
Dupont was actually doing all the work himself ) but said no to $2500 because they had laminated backs and sides...I think moron is apt


I also owned one of the first SAGA copies made in the late 80's early 90's.. I think I bought it noew for $400 in 91 0r 92...
It looked the part but never did sound the part.

Have you found a Gypsy Jazz "scene" in Sacto ?

bjewell

Charlie Baty -- ex- Little Charlie and the Nightcats -- is now playing with his own band called Caravan. There is a guy here somewhere who teaches and I saw some pickers last year at an outdoors event.

I have an 05 18A and a new-to-me '79 HD-35 that might be converted into something, at least one of them. I still play pedal steel guitar -- a '73 Sho-Bud Pro II.

Passacaglia

Tom, I also have a DG-300. My luthier did a nice job setting it up, but I still tweak it from time to time due to fret buzz issues as the weather changes.

I also get what seems to me too harsh of a bazz response. I am the first to say that, esp. in my case, "it's the man, not the guitar," but I've read that this kind of relatively harsher bass tone, can be a gitane thing. I discussed a new bridge with the luthier, and found it interesting that he felt a bridge could help with the tonality, but not dramatically so, most likely. He recommended trying out many different strings, as these would most likely result in greater sound changes than the bridge, in his opinion.

Sorry if this is all known to you - I am only a couple of months into the style, and learning all the time - but I've worked really hard to get what I would call a "soft, strong" sound to my rhythm playing (worked like hell on fundamental, flat-four dynamics, smooth attack on la pompe, use the round side of either my red bear or wegen), but as I still am getting what seems to me something of this harsh, bass attack, and as I've seen this discussed re: possibilities with gitanes, wanted to chime in with my luthier's thoughts.

bjewell

Thank you for the heads-up on the bass thing. I just flatout love the guitars and the music. Maybe I'll own a better guitar someday but for now this is fine. Let's all have a great time, and thanks again for you input! :- )

Tq

Squeaky

Hi Gang;
Chuck Botelho aka. Squeaky here!
www.myspace.com/guitarbotelho

Sac has many fine players and there are some Gypsy cats here!
Tom just hasn't met or played with us yet, but hopefully he will learn the tunes and the style and join us soon.

Here is the list of current GJ players in Sac Area;

All of these players are currently gigging GJ players (or very recently)(Most also gig in other styles but have a full gypsy repertoire when needed)

Chuck Botelho (Me)
Jimmy Grant
Steve Browning
Don Price
Ken Billecke (I have not played with)(Don's partner)
Paul Klempau
Mike turgeon
Ben brooks
Nick Righos
Lee Hayashida
Norm Johnson
Tubby Johnson
Jay and Mary Ceballos
Nick Lotze

These folks also play gypsy jazz mixed with other genre
Scott Joss (current whereabouts unknown)
Jimmy Beeler (in Oroville with the Feather River Gypsies)
Charlie Baty (Davis) (I have no idea how he does but he has gigged and I know he plays great blues)(I am including him on this list based on TQ's plug)
there is another project that rarely gigs in Loomis?
Duncan Elledge (has done full GJ in past)
Jon Wagoner
Thom Bentley
Greg Broulette and crew
Olin Dillingham
Wes Swanigan
Tony Martini


I know I am forgetting some so please forgive me if I did not list you.
Please contact me if you are in our area and heavy into GJ!

You can never get enough GJ

Please contact me if you are into GJ and wish to be added to our Sac area list

Chuck(Squeaky)

bjewell

I've seen Don and Ken play at Second Saturday at the corner of J and 18th. Ken totally rocks -- he has the right hand thing totally down, Don doesn't play gypsy jazz per se.

I talked to you on the phone a few weeks ago. Thanks for the tip about players around Sactown! :- )

Shawn

I've only "upgraded" my 255, but I would assume the same would work for any other model. Here is what I did:

-Sanded Poly finish off and applied a Shellac finish, which brought out the sound quite a bit more. Also sanded off the Gitane logo, and took off the label inside.
-Got rid of the stock bridge and went with a high (around 4mm) Dell Arte Ebony bridge
-Installed new Ranier Miller tuners (much better than DR's in my opinion), and still look authentic
-Black pickguard-Only did this because my guitar is beat up and quite worn...I can go through a finish really fast.
-New DR Gold plated tailpiece
-I also have a Stimer pickup which I leave on the guitar.

It's pretty much as beastly as one could get a 255 to sound.

Good luck!

steven_eire

shawn can you post a photo? would love to see it