A tricky question about Professional Set-Up

MichaelHorowitz

pawaya wrote:

Thanks, Michael!
It's OK with your explanation. But can you give some guarantee? For example, if i order all these features (setup, bridge, frets), what action will without buzzying.What amount you guarantee. And what if it will be some higher then promised when i receive guitar ? I spend certain amount of money, instead of getting certain amount of mm's and buzzls! ))

P.S. Please, don't mention, if it seems that my tone is some rough, it's all about my bad english ))

Are you in Europe? We've never had trouble in the past but it would be difficult to gurantee the guitar would have abosuletly no buzz as there will be climate changes in shipping it over there which could move things around a bit. You may have to make some small adjustments. But we've done lots of these setups for European customers and they've always arrived playing perfectly.

MichaelHorowitz

pawaya wrote:

Michael Horowitz wrote:

The bridge is a French style one (ultra light weight) and replaces the very, very heavy Saga bridge which mutes tone and projection.

Does it mean that replacing bridge give as result more loud sound ?

Almost always!

MichaelHorowitz

pawaya wrote:

And if i order "Set Up Special" what it exactly means? What it consist of? Fret level, custom bridge, and setup including aligning of neck and setting action level?

Yes, Josh will do everything to get the guitar playing and sounding it's best including a full fret level, custom bridge, and setup.

asd123321

I wouldn't know how much those setup changes improve it but I doubt they would make as big a difference as enlarging the soundhole as I did. To me this is essential and made it something I feel like playing a lot more, being louder and more bass. Here is how:

Cigano GJ 10 with enlarged soundhole


viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7613&p=39248&hilit=harbor#p39248

blindjimmy

Hey pawaya, i had a gitane 300 jorgensen , and i bought a new bridge from josh at this website, that bridge made a huge difference in the sound of the guitar. i was asked a couple of questions by josh, and the new bridge fit perfectly. Good luck with your new guitar !

pawaya

Michael Horowitz wrote:

Are you in Europe? We've never had trouble in the past but it would be difficult to gurantee the guitar would have abosuletly no buzz as there will be climate changes in shipping it over there which could move things around a bit. You may have to make some small adjustments. But we've done lots of these setups for European customers and they've always arrived playing perfectly.

I'm in Russia. Country where always been many good musicians and few good instruments Fortunataly now is much much better with it. I live in big city, where we have two or three high level music school, music academy, many theaters and concert halls (one of the biggest in Europe theater of opera and ballet for example). And many small or medium sized clubs, cafe and other places pretty much adapted for some gigs. BUT i guess will be first jazz guitarist professional level playing jipsy jazz in Samara (my city)! This style is bypassed our jazzmans, i don't know why. No demand - no offer. I mean there are no GJ guitars in our music stores. So it's not usual event for me - buying GJ guitar.

Jeff Moore

Thanks for your story. I live in Minneapolis USA. Its not possible to shop for these guitars here but I lived in Seattle where I was able to get my hands on amazing examples. Good Luck

As regards your Cigano:
I don't think people usually know whether they are going to keep a guitar for a long time and play it a lot. If you really think that you'll keep it and play it, then its a real good idea to get the set up so that sound and playability are good.
But if you suspect that you will be buying another guitar soon, maybe don't get the set up. The Ciganos can be made to play decent (not great) without too much work, but if your not at all good at wood work, you may be troubled because you will almost certainly need to adjust the height on the bridge. It's fairly easy to shim the bridge higher, but to lower the action is tricky and should only be done by someone with experience.

If you can afford it, and if your going to play the guitar a lot, and if you have no experience with this work --- get the set up done by Josh.

The Ciganos are an amazing value, but if your dedicated to this music you have probably dreamed of getting a Dupont. They terribly expensive, but also a good value if you know what I mean.

The fact that no one can guarantee a guitar during shipping is because they are made of thin, light, pieces of wood and wood will move with humidity (water in the air). But the chance of this is low, whereas the chance that your Cigano will not come from the factory perfectly ready to play is very very high.
Even if the wood moves while its traveling across half the planet, the set up that your paying for will still be very close to perfect and you'll still be better off than without the set up.
If you know someone where you are who will do it where you live, that's also a good option.

I get the idea that all of this is new for you. I've bought MANY guitars from these guys (and many Ciganos) and had Josh, and others work on them. You don't need to be afraid just because your new. Your on the right track.
I'm not working for these guys nor do I need to please them for any reason. They sell the best guitars at the best prices and do good work. You'll be happy.
A small business in this country has to perform or they won't survive. The level of dishonesty is very low. I just came back from Kenya and they are also honest but sometimes the level of need is so great that it makes people do and say things they probably wouldn't otherwise. I suspect that may be true where you are?, but not here at least. Other than the problems with shipping such a great distance, your pretty safe.

pawaya

Thanks, Jeff.
Indeed, something I'm painfully suspicious :?
Of course cigano is not the ultimate dream. (Original selmer may be :roll: )

pawaya

That's what I thought up! After a month of waiting (actually it's may be a little more) there is thing that i'll want least to do ls to give my new guitar to the service for one more week! (I was going to do this if guitar would have been not OK without Josh setup ) Because i decide to order full Set-up special and pray all the gods for delivery services. It will be more expensive than the local repairman, but the temptation to get good instrument that will be OK and ready just for playing and not require nothing adjustments... Try - not torture.

B25Gib

......Interesting post that asd 123321 enlarged the sound hole to get more sound/bass! I'm going just the opposite to reduce the "tubby" bass response of my mid 90's SAGA Gitane D-500. I'm going to use maybe balsa wood cut in two pieces (mounted under soundhole) to shape of D-hole to reduce hole size by 1/8" all the way around which would reduce hole size by 1/4" top to bottom and side to side.
......I'll let you know how it turns out!
......Rocky