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Altamira M01D vs M10D vs M30D vs Antique Finish
Brunerd1489
VA (southeast)New Altamira M01D
For someone getting more into gypsy jazz who has just been playing on a newer Epiphone archtop, would it be reasonable to go for the M01D in my ventures into GJ world? Would it make more sense to chip in some more money to go for one of the higher models with solid sides or thinner finish like the antiques?
My thinking is to go for the M01 and if I actually start gigging with GJ music then I possibly upgrade in a few years.
Just to be clear I’ve been playing rock and blues for like 22 years, have been slowly learning some GJ stuff amongst the hustle and bustle of life so I’m not a novice by any means but am just trying to be pragmatic here.
Thank you for any advice!
Comments
I'm sure @MikeK will chime in here. He's owned several Altamiras and just sold an M-10 recently. I had an M-10 and sold it about 2 years ago. Very much enjoyed it. I have more comments here:
They make nice guitars for the price point. If you are just dipping your toe into the water, I don't think you can go wrong with one. They'll serve you well as you grow. At some point after playing a bunch of others, you may decide you want to change to a slightly different sound or you may just decide you like the one you own and stick with it.
He’s really pushing for an M30D Antique (which is the most expensive one) because I mentioned to him I like cedar tops better in regular acoustics and classical but with shipping and tax that’ll be getting close to $2k.
My gut says just do the M01D but I guess I need some reassurance on how the sound compares first.
In my view, Billy hit the nail on the head here with his usual solid advice. I've owned 5 Altamiras (an M-01 D that I bought new from Michael, an M-10, an antique M-10, an antique M-30 and an antique M-30-D with a cedar top). I've loved each one of them. I play around 130 gigs a year, and they've delivered (and continue to deliver) for me over the last 8 years or so that I've been doing this. Here's my take on Altamiras and why I think they're great as entry level GJ guitars as well as gig workhorses:
They're relatively inexpensive but you get tremendous bang for the buck. As long as you have a trusted luthier who can initially set the guitar up to your liking (and to keep it maintained), I don't think you can go wrong with any of these guitars that you're considering. The other thing is, I've had very good luck getting most (if not all) of my $ back when it's time to move on to the next level with them. So you could do what I did & start with an M-01D (or an M-01). You could buy it new from Michael or used, they tend to pop up from time to time on this forum, and go from there. You'll know more about your preferences as time goes by (oval hole vs D-hole, laminate vs solid wood, spruce vs cedar). If you end up jumping in & making the purchase, keep us posted on how it's going for you.
You are probably the best person to ask to comment on this, having had all of the versions so far. @MikeK what's been your personal take as a participant and listener of sessions regarding soundhole? I know the whole yadda yadda about oval projecting a more focused sound further out into the audience but I think I would like the slight higher amount of warmth that a 14 fret D has. Also it's got more frets, I can easily get things out of it that my 4 year old will drop in, and I just like the look of it more
Do the volume differences 20-30 feet out make it so that an oval hole is necessary?
I don't have a ton of experience with Altamira's but I can say that the M10 is a decent enough upgrade over the M01 to warrant the higher price. Should add I love my M10 and I probably play it the most while at home practicing out of my 3 mains (well, I also have a Gitane DG-250M that's collecting dust...if anyone's looking for one, hmu!).
If I was buying a new "step up" Selmer-style, I'd have a real tough time right now choosing between an Altamira M10 and an Eastman DM1, the latter of which I just noticed Michael has discounted for about $100 less than the former - they're the two highest quality, most affordable "bang for your buck" production guitars out there if buying new, imho.
Here's my take on the sound hole dilemma, others may disagree with me: it's really more about the look and vibe of the guitar than anything else nowadays. My gigs are all amplified, so I seriously doubt that the audience will hear any difference between an oval hole or a D-hole. But I will say that when I'm on the bandstand, I feel like my rhythm playing on a D-hole has a fuller sound to me acoustically than an oval hole, and that's favorable to me these days. It may be all in my head, but when I hear the full chordal sound that my D-hole makes acoustically, it's inspirational to me while I'm chunking.
^hot take about the soundholes and I agree that the differences in tone and volume exist but are rarely worth considering for those of us playing in a room by ourselves 90% of the time. While it’s good to plan for recording or gigging in the future, if you’re just starting out, any gypsy jazz guitar will give you the “woohoo a real gypsy jazz guitar!” feeling and (from what I know/have experienced) Altamiras are a great, great start.
i’m playing an M20 and, if I’m not mistaken, Christian Van Hemert uses an M01 for most of his instructional videos.
Christian Van Hemert uses an M01 for most of his instructional videos
I think he might be sponsored by Altamira or at least I know he's cut promos for them.
Well I done did it. Made the responsible decision to go for an M01D. If after completing my Doctor of PT degree I feel I want to upgrade then I'll likely go European.
Now, with an M01, how did changing the tailpiece affect the tone? I happen to already have a tailpiece from LMII on hand (I've gotta look later but I think it has DR stamped into it). How necessary was changing the tuners?
Changing the tailpiece of my M01f from original to Killy Nonis made the instrument sound noticeable louder and a bit more "sonor". (And look really charming.)