Enorez MFG-D Gypsy Jazz Review!

mistermin88

So first of all i want to thank all the people who made comments on my last post. So heres the deal I was seeking advice about what kind of GJ guitar to get and my budget remained at 300 even though everybody said to get the cigano (400). I trusted my intuition based upon my previous experience with this particular ebay seller. These guys have a store in New Jersey called NJMusic, and in the past I had got a lap steel guitar from them all solid mahogany and it was amazing. I took a leap of faith there because the cheapest lap steel that i found at the time was 600 and my budget was 400 and they had one for 400. I called the guys and just asked them honestly what they thought and i went with my intuition and bought it. Excellent decision. I dont claim to boast but i have a pretty good ear for sound quality (i have been playing guitar for 10 years) and it sounds and plays amazingly. So back to the Gypsy guitar. I decided to make the same move and call the guys up and ask what they thought. They said that its sound was on par with other solid top guitars in the price range. It also comes with a hard shell case ( a would be added expense to the cigano). So after much contemplation i decided to go for it.

The construction is very solid and well made. it IS a guitar made in china, so while all the main important things are good like woods and binding, the tuners are not anything special (but work great) and the sticker on the bridge was kinda cheap (its ok im going to put some leather on it ). But, the sound is... wow amazing. Solid Cedar top - i checked the lines in the soundhole they are solid - rosewood back and sides (probably not so different from the cigano) and the action is really well set up. I actually called the guys and they said they would have their technician set it up and it looks and plays very well. The guitar is beautiful, but most importantly as i said before... sound. They had some light dadario regular acoustic strings, which i pulled off immediately and put some Argentines on (thanks to recommendation). And i love it. I just wanted to write this review so people know that there is a good Gypsy Jazz guitar in the $300 price range with a hard shell case, that is excellent.
I want to make it clear that I have not tried a cigano and it may sound different or better or whatever, but thats not the point of this review, cigano is a little pricer (with no case) and the Enorez IMO is a very viable alternative. Let me know what you think!

Heres a link to the one i bought

http://cgi.ebay.com/Enorez-MFG-D-Gypsy- ... 2655wt_869

TomThumbs

And thank you for this review. I, too, have been eyeing those Enorez guitars for some time as I have been wanting a short scale D-hole without spending a lot right now. May just have to pull the trigger on one.

Thanks,
Tom

silverface

I just received one of the Enorez MFG-D models - I bought it on eBay for $220 including shipping as it had some fretting-out issues on the extended fingerboard; I've been a part-time tech for years and fret work is no big deal. I'd been eyeing the Saga guitars since they first came out, but had to stop playing guitar 6 years ago due to tendonitis/arthritis so I never bought one. My hand recovered last year (I'd taken up pedal steel in the meantime!). I was actually looking for Django CD's when I stumbled on the guitar; I'd just sold some items, had the $$, and figured $220 worth of firewood wouldn't kill me (the stuff I sold cost me $5...).

When it showed I was surprised first at the lightweight but exceptionally sturdy case. IMO hard foam cases are far better than most hardshell cases for any instrument.

Opened it up and was impressed - nice grain on the *solid* cedar top, really nicely-colored laminated rosewood back/sides, mediocre hardware (but, as I'm finding out, quite functional - the cheapo tuners are very solid), a headstock sticker that fooled me at first - it looked like inlay. I'm not usually fooled, so I thought this an unimportant but interesting note; they really try to make these look good. I was missing the center trim on the tailpiece (I knew this from the pictures), but did (I was surprised here) have the leather edge-protection.

...but it had a neck so warped you could shoot arrows with it! Turned out they'd sent the wrong guitar (I'd looked at and passed on this one in another auction). I pondered sending it back, but then decided to really check it out - if nothing else I'd be able to post a review. Used my inspection mirror and was surprised to find neat, clean kerfing with no glue slop, and actual ladder bracing - no gaps, no slop, to loose grains - very, very neat and clean...and precise. Loosened the strings (it had bronze 11-48's on it!), took a deep breath, and loosened the truss rod first...which resulted in a huge sigh of relief as it was barely even snug. Initially I went a half-turn, re-tuned (but down to D because of the gage) and then fine-adjusted to zero relief - dang thing was dead-on straight, even the extension.

Removed the strings and it back-bowed a hair, which is a good sign. Used weight bags to flatten it, dressed the frets (the edges were actually pretty clean/neat/smooth for a budget guitar) and restrung it with bronze strings (all I had on hand) one-thousandth lighter on 6, 5 and 4 than a comparable set of Argentine 10's. With no other adjustments and tuned up to standard pitch I had about 1/32 of relief, and action of 7/64 on the bass and 6/64 on the treble at the 12th fret. No fretting out or buzzes; the bridge was fine as-is, but I may hollow it out later (I've done that on my mandos for decades). The intonation, BTW, was spot-on.

Now - I'm NOT an expert by any means, and bought this to learn to play things I'd been noodling on with the wrong tone (on Martin dreadnoughts) for years. I've played a few G-500's and a 14-fret (I think) Jorgensen model over the last year or so, and WAY back in the...gulp...70's played Selmers that Raoul Reynoso and John had (we ran in some of the same bluegrass circles and they usually did a "Hot Club" mini set using the Selmers. I will not say this Enorez matches a Selmer - my memory isn't THAT good...but IMO it's better than the D500 as far as tone, volume, and projection. It has a huge midrange bark wen you dig in a bit, but responds very well to a lighter touch. It has more bass than the Gitanes I played - picking more towards the bridge brought out more mids and volume.

I've been playing 40+ years and although most of my playing nowadays is electric I have Martin acoustics and have had Gibsons, Mossmans, Guilds, and must have played a thousand different acoustics at least. I'm REALLY picky about my instruments and setup (not aesthetically - I'm not a clean freak, but I AM a tone freak) - I am constantly tweaking everything I have to get the best setup and tone possible. If this Enorez was junk I'd also say so, as I'm a little outspoken (to put it mildly). I'm really impressed with it. I'll try to remember to post a followup in a month or two as it hits equilibrium here (I live near the beach and the nearly constant 45%RH can change a lightly-built acoustic's setup and tone pretty noticeably over the first month or so (so I always keep new axes on stands so they can "breathe").

I hope this was useful. If any of the members here are also decent guitar techs the $220 damaged/second models njmusic is selling on eBay could be a great buy...but if you are NOT a tech, do not take a chance as a semi-qualified do-it-yourself'er could screw up a lightly-built guitar like this in 2 seconds. Non-techs should only buy a new or used one in good shape and set up with the strings you want on it.

TomThumbs

So you're the one, huh? :-) I was watching that one, too. Glad it's worked out for you, and thanks for the review. Maybe I won't sit on the fence so long next time. That is a heck of a deal for a solid top guitar, gypsy or otherwise.

Tom

silverface

Quick follow up after a couple weeks.

Absolutely no issues. Didn't come with a tailpiece trim piece, I casually mentioned it - got one in the mail two days later!

I put a set of Gitane 10's on it (only thing I could find locally except for D'Addarios - bought a set of those and will try them. I want to stay with 10's until I'm absolutely sure the neck is stable.

After about a week of out-of-the-case environmental equilibrium (I've found light guitars are especially prone to humidity/temperature "settle-in" time) it's become rock steady tuning wise (surprising with the relatively cheap Kluson knockoffs). The sound, especially with better strings, is astounding. Volume is about on a level with my '71 D-41 Martin, and it actually projects better. Very clear, dry-but-full tome that works as well for rhythm as soloing. And when you hit it hard, it REALLY responds.

The neck adjustment has needed no other work In fact, all I've had to do is play it, which is a real joy.

I have no idea what factory these cone out of, but either I got REAL lucky or they do a great job!

TomThumbs

I finally sprang for one of these. Just arrived yesterday, so too soon to review. Not real impressed with some of the little finish details, but it is a $200 guitar, so I'm ok with it. I have it restrung with Argie 11's and sitting in my humidified cabinet for now to acclimate. It seems to be very dried out....the fret ends are poking just a bit.

FWIW, so far it sounds a heck of a lot better than the cheap Cordoba I bought......a much broader, fuller sound. I'll give it some time to adjust to its new home, and then put it through its paces.

I feel pretty confident that it will serve its intended role as a rhythm guitar to my DG-300.

Tom

silverface

Well, it's been over a month...

The Enorez MFG-D is rock-stable now.I's even had the horrid experience of being knocked off a guitar stand onto a hardwood floor THREE times - on the face, one side (and stayed there) and the other side with a roll to the face. No dings at all - the light weight undoubtedly contributed to the lack of damage.

The sound is improving incrementally as it's being played (by me, my sons and other who happen by - it's getting at least an hour a day.). My 28 year old, an incredible prog-rock player, was absolutely entranced (this kid owns nothing but absolute top-end equipment.). He wants me to keep on the lookout for an MFG-0 so we can work up some songs, trading guitars back and forth. Caveat - he *hates* most guitars, and finds flaws in almost every one he touches, so I was pleased he had the same reaction I did. OTOH, he's never played any Selmer - but has quite a collection of GJ, so he's familiar with the tone.

I expected to be on my third or fourth set of strings by now (my sweat eats phosphor bronze, nickel and stainless) and am amazed the Gitanes I first put on it are still fine. I have a D'Addario GJ set of spares, but my order some Argentines for the first change.

Just wanted to keep this commentary going. I'm quite surprised with the guitar. There IS a fixer "0" model on eBay - so stay away in case I decide to do some heavy repairs!!!