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Rodrigo Shopis - Baroette Review
MinorBlues
New York✭✭✭
Hi,
I don’t post often but I’m a long time lurker here. I recently had a guitar made by Rodrigo Shopis and I’m so happy with the result that I wanted to drop a review for Rodrigo and the guitar. This is my 2nd guitar made by Rodrigo. The first is a 2014 D'artagnan model S (Selmer style) that I still own.
This time around I decided to go with his Baroette model - based on the Di Mauro Special Chorus shape which has a wider 16 1/4” body (also similar to typical Busato body widths). After a few conversations, we decided to go with walnut back and sides and a spruce top. Rodrigo sourced some top quality wood and the result is really outstanding.
This is easily the most well balanced, nuanced, loud, and eye catching of all guitars I have owned. My initial comment when I first played the guitar was that it’s a “rhythm monster”...it has this room-shaking bark that just makes it a joy to play rhythm. The low end is big and cutting, mids are clear with a solid bark but without nasalness, and the highs are round and sparkly. Overall it has a BIG personality and a lush sound that really fills the room. I think Rodrigo has created something very special here. He is still active and making world class guitars. His email is rodrigoshopis@gmail.com
Some specs:
- Model Baroette
- top grade European spruce top
- 16 1/4” width
- walnut back and sides
- walnut neck with maple spline
- light, vintage varnish throughout
- extremely light weight
I’ve attached some pictures, including a side-by-side with my D’artagnan model S just for fun. The pictures don't do justice to how pretty the figured walnut and purfling on this guitar is.
Comments
Sound samples, please! 😊
Congrats on your acquisition!
Sure, I'll put something together this weekend. For now though here is Amati Schmitt playing Rodrigos F hole version of the same exact shape. I believe this one has mahogany back and sides.
https://youtu.be/lJyHJOldaHU
Actually, here's Amati playing the same model, Baroette oval hole, in sunburst. This is the video that got me interested in getting one myself. Some jaw dropping playing for a random staircase improv. That tone though 😯
Made a quick video messing around on Troublant Bolero. Obviously the phone mic is pretty overdriven by the volume but hopefully you get the idea. Recording on a new zoom H4n soon so the real sound will come through once I get that setup!
https://youtu.be/msi8M6eNf6Q
Much cleaner audio with the zoom H4n, playing around (pretty mellow/quiet honestly) on Djangology.
https://youtu.be/9k9QzMirN44
The phone video was neat, I thought for a second the guitar was amplified.
What does it feel like when playing?
The sound is so rich it might seem hard to keep in control of the instrument.
Rodrigo's guitars are some of the best playable you'll encounter. His precision is second to none.
It's up to the player to tame the beast! Amati hits much more of the nuance/range in the 2 vids I attached than I'm capable of. Definitely rich and lush when played that way but equally mean and crunchy on rhythm in person.
Previous guitars I've owned: 1950s Bucolo, 1940s Carbonell, Manouche Moreno model, Dell Arte Favino Hommage, and played a bunch of others. All subjective of course, but this guitar stands out as having a unique projection (atleast towards myself/the player while playing it) compared to my experience with the others. I can't ask for more if that leads to a bit of extra inspiration for me.
As far as the physical feel, I have long fingers and prefer chunkier necks so I asked for a thicker C to V profile (my Dartagnan has a more standard size neck), and minimal coating because I prefer not to feel a polished neck, so it feels pretty amazing to me and faster/easier to play than my others.