Comments

• M. van de Wijdeven New

  April 2010 Posts: 17

  The tailpiece is new indeed. I bought it like that from a trader from Paris.
  The original tailpiece probably was a standard trapeze-type.
  The guitar looks a bit like the black Busato on gypsyguitars.com
  http://www.gypsyguitars.com/instrument- ... hp?id=1433
  
  The interesting thing is, is that instead of a rosewood strip, there's a white plastic strip to strenghten the neck. You kan see the white stipe also on the fromt of the headstock.
  
  I wish I could film it, cause the Sonora sounds extremely good. It's very bright and loud.
  Firts I'm going to practice another year before I going film or record myself, as I just started to study gypsyjazz since this year.
• M. van de Wijdeven New

  April 2010 Posts: 17

  Is there really nobody who can tell me more about the luthier Henri Miller from Mirecourt?
• SteveG ✭✭

  April 2010 Posts: 29

  If you want to do a bit of research yourself go to:
  
  http://www.benoit-de-bretagne.com/phpBB2/
  
  I did a search there and came up with 57 threads which mention Henri Miller. I use "Google translate" to make sense of it, but your french language skills may be better than mine. There are restorations and a few pictures in those threads. I'd be interested in hearing what you find.
  
  Good luck.
• M. van de Wijdeven New

  April 2010 Posts: 17

  Thanks. I found the same forum with google, but most topics are about the new Miller tuners. In the topics where the name Henri Miller appears, I only find guitars that have a classic schape, with round hole and no cut-away or guitars that look more like the Patenotte's with a horizontal oval hole.
  My guitar is still a mistery...
• Shawn Boise, Idaho✭✭✭✭

  April 2010 Posts: 296

  That headstock just screams Sonora. I wondered where I had seen it before, and then I remembered this on Ebay France:
  
  http://annonces.ebay.fr/viewad/Guitare-Manouche-Sonora-Regarder/5005532569
  
  They are obviously different looking guitars, but the way the headstock is shaped and cut looks almost exactly like this mystery guitar. Food for thought anyhow...
• M. van de Wijdeven New

  April 2010 Posts: 17

  It could be a Sonora, but the headstock is about the only thing that resembles the known Sonora's.
  There's nog logo anywere on the body or on the headstock and I haven't seen a petit bouche-model Sonora before...
  
  I've send an emal with the pictures to http://www.rfcharle.com/
  I hope he can help me.
• crookedpinky Glasgow✭✭✭✭ Alex Bishop D Hole, Altamira M & JWC D hole

  April 2010 Posts: 931

  The body shape is definitely a Miller. There have been about 6 for sale on Ebay france over the last year and the body shape is unmistakable as is the very rough headstock and slotting. The one thing that is totally out of place is the fingerboard - I strongly suspect that it's been grafted on from something else.
  
  Non of the Millers appear to have been anything other than budget type guitars made from plain-ish woods but I bet they sound really good.
  
  Alan

  always learning
• crookedpinky Glasgow✭✭✭✭ Alex Bishop D Hole, Altamira M & JWC D hole

  April 2010 Posts: 931

  Check this out this link - I'd say it closes the book on this one -
  
  http://www.gypsy-guitars.com/modules.ph ... d=46&pos=0
  
  Alan

  always learning
• crookedpinky Glasgow✭✭✭✭ Alex Bishop D Hole, Altamira M & JWC D hole

  April 2010 Posts: 931

  Sorry, didn't realsie two of these pics had already been referenced
  Alan

  always learning
• M. van de Wijdeven New

  April 2010 Posts: 17

  You're absolutely right. Most of the Miller guitars I've seen look like low budget guitars, but my guitar looks totally diferent apart from the rosette and the headstock. It doen't look lowbudget at all and when you look at the back of the guitar, you can see it's not made of cheap plywood at all.
  
  The guitar does sound nice. It has an extremely 'dry' sound and very loud. Completely different then most new GJ-guitars I've heard.