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Manouche Latcho Drom=Altamira?

spirospiro Zagreb, CroatiaNew
Hi,

I heard some rumors that these guitars are made in same factory, moreover they are same guitars, just rebranded.

Does anyone know more about this?

Thanks
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Comments

  • seeirwinseeirwin ✭✭✭ AJL J'attendrai | AJL Orchestra
    Posts: 115
    Same guitar, per Hansen Yao who told me at the NAMM show a few years back.
  • MichaelHorowitzMichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator
    Posts: 6,152
    The basic guitar is the same but the Latcho Droms have all the final details done in San Diego by Dell Arte. The Altamiras have inferior hardware, fretwork, setup, bridge, and don't have a warranty. So with the Latcho Droms you are paying for all the work Dell Arte does (nicer DR hardware, precision fret work, light weight French style bridge, etc) and the warranty. Other than that they are the same.

    We will have the Altamiras here in about a week so that will another option here at DjangoBooks.

    M
  • anthon_74anthon_74 Marin county, CA✭✭✭✭ Alta Mira M 01
    Posts: 561
    I can attest to what Michael says. There are a few issues with mine that I'm having corrected - The tuners are super cheep. I also noticed that the bridge on the Droms are brown, while mine has a black bridge. I'm not sure what that means but there you go.

    Michael, will a nicer bridge improve the sound at all ? I'll be putting nicer tuners on mine and having fret dots put on the side... Thinking about putting a new bridge on it too if it will improve the sound.

    Anthony
  • MichaelHorowitzMichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator
    Posts: 6,152
    my guess is that a new bridge would help...I'll know more when I get the Altamiras in. I have only played a few in passing so I can't say for certain until I have some here to compare the Latchos to.
  • klaatuklaatu Nova ScotiaProdigy Rodrigo Shopis D'Artagnan, 1950s Jacques Castelluccia
    Posts: 1,665
    anthon_74 wrote:
    I I also noticed that the bridge on the Droms are brown, while mine has a black bridge. I'm not sure what that means but there you go.
    Your bridge is probably ebony, whereas the brown bridge would be rosewood. You'd probably find the latter to be preferable.
    Benny

    "It's a great feeling to be dealing with material which is better than yourself, that you know you can never live up to."
    -- Orson Welles
  • spirospiro Zagreb, CroatiaNew
    Posts: 114
    Michael,

    For how much will Altamira's go in your shop?

    I hope I haven't made a big mistake with a deposit for Latcho :))
  • redbluesredblues ✭✭
    Posts: 456
    For how much will Altamira's go in your shop?

    http://www.gypsyguitar.de/index.php?opt ... =4&lang=en

    Buying from Germany may save you on shipping to Croatia. They are bringing out a model fairly soon with a K&K installed as far as i know, may be a deal worth waiting on. I've played one, frets are fine, bridge is fine, action is fine. Above all else though, the sound is very good quality, MD-50 style cutting high end.
  • MichaelHorowitzMichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator
    Posts: 6,152
    spiro wrote:
    Michael,

    For how much will Altamira's go in your shop?

    I hope I haven't made a big mistake with a deposit for Latcho :))

    Should be less than the European price. I won't know for sure till all the import fees are paid.

    You can apply your deposit towards an Altamira if you'd like. I will have them here any day now. But keep in mind they don't have the upgrades that the Latcho Drom has so they're not as smooth out of the box.
  • anthon_74anthon_74 Marin county, CA✭✭✭✭ Alta Mira M 01
    Posts: 561
    I've played one, frets are fine, bridge is fine, action is fine. Above all else though, the sound is very good quality, MD-50 style cutting high end.

    You will want to change the tuners. I have one and the tuners are cheep dg 250 type tuners. Also, there are no side inlay dots, so if you like having those, you will need to have them installed.
  • spirospiro Zagreb, CroatiaNew
    Posts: 114

    Should be less than the European price. I won't know for sure till all the import fees are paid.

    You can apply your deposit towards an Altamira if you'd like. I will have them here any day now. But keep in mind they don't have the upgrades that the Latcho Drom has so they're not as smooth out of the box.

    Michael, thank you.

    Anyway, if I decide for Altamira, I will take the upgrades, like the rosewood bridge, DR tailpiece, and maybe the tuners. Probably also the installation of K&K pure maccafferi.

    Ill let you know when you get them...

    Thanks!
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