Want to buy: Cheap D Hole Guitar (Under $300)

lukehill · March 2011

Thanks for the tips, guys, but it looks like it's already being bid up.

Unless someone crawls out of the woodwork with a used one sometime soon, I'm thinking my best bet will be to try to scrounge up enough for the GJ-15. We'll see...

fusejaz · March 2011

You might try putting a Cigano GJ-15 in your cart at Amazon and see what happens. I did that and over time(maybe 6-8 weeks if my memory serves me) they dropped the price to $260.. and with free shipping of course. I was really surprised and pleased to see they had dropped the price for me.

Good luck!

lukehill · March 2011

Thanks for the tip - believe it or not, I actually saw your blog post about that and have had one in my cart for about a week. No luck, though... I'll keep an eye on it just in case.

Thanks to everyone for the tips & advice! I'll let you all know what I end up with...

Jeff Moore · March 2011

I've bought 6 Cigano 15s and two D-500s
I like the Ciganos though the 500s look a lot classier.

lukehill · March 2011

Good to hear... It looks like the gj-15 is what I'll be trying to get. That d500 on ebay went for more than I had - and I couldn't care less what the thing looks like!

sockeye · April 2011

I have a GJ-15, mint with brown Golden Gate hardshell case, also mint. The guitar has been upgraded with brown leather under the tailpiece and Gotoh tuners (same model as on the Jorgenson 330).

I would sell it for $350 + shipping (from Philly, around $20) if that interests you at all.

Best,

John

Ollie Pinot · April 2011

I should preface all this with the simple fact that I'd played Aria's parlor guitar and was really impressed with its playability and sound and that my best guitar is a vintage Ventura (Japanese-made) country gent.

Yesterday, I received the Aria MM-10 and have a bit of buyer's remorse. As with the low end Gitanes described here, the action is high. I've tightened the truss rod to the limit, loosened the strings, prayed a little, paced about.

Now I am wondering just how good a guitar I can get for $300. (I actually paid $278 and ordered it from AriaUSA). It may sound superficial but the description on the Aria says it has a semi-gloss: it does not. The guys played them on youtube do have the semi-gloss which leaves me wondering what other corners were cut in the creation of my piece (not that I've decided to keep it). Is the neck REALLY mahogany? I can look inside and see that, yes, they did use rosewood for the back and sides.

Having read the problems and required money to set up the Gitane, I wonder if I should just keep this thing and treat it the way I have my Dean Espana: it's developed beautiful tone and playability over the last six years.

Hmmm.

I'm a finger-picker who wants a nice loud, playable guitar. Thinking about resonator from a guy who sets 'em up for free. Oh, and before my guitar had shipped I called the gran douche at the Aria distributor and confirmed that they indeed are supposed to set the thing up and I'd asked that he put low action on it. Didn't happen.
Thoughts? Suggestions?

"Ollie Pinot"

edit: Well, I really like the design and thought they've put into it. It just seems a little on the cheapo side. Having said that, the sound is good and I think I should be able to completely correct the high action by sanding down the bridge on the slightly arched top (another thing that makes this model on the legit-side). What grit of sandpaper is recommended? It appears to be ebony.

lukehill · June 2011

Hi everyone,

I ended up getting a new Cigano GJ-15 from here @ Djangobooks.com. I've posted a little review of it here:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9306&p=48123#p48123

Luke