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gitane dorado schmitt model

after much thought i realized that for me to spend 4000 plus on a shopis custom, or other high end guitar is really not practical for me right now....i have a gitane now, a d500 and i am very pleased with it, and i was thinking about upgrading to the dg370 dorado schmitt model. it has the 14 fret d hole body im looking for and i like the idea of the maple back and sides...seems like it would add volume..just wondering if anyone has played one of these guitars, any feedback would be helpful.
right now i can get this guitar from djangobooks for 2000 bucks which includes a full set up, fret level, custom bridge and tailpiece leather, with a fibreglass case....seems like a good deal...and i can charge that b@#@h right on the credit card....lol....
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Comments

  • PassacagliaPassacaglia Madison, WI✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 1,471
    Jack, if your budget is around $2000, personally, I'd recommend the Dupont Nomade. I know several top-grade players who own and play on them, and they sound great. It's a bolt-on, which may or may not be a deal breaker for you aesthetically. It's got the rap as a "player's guitar," and I'd say it succeeds.
    -Paul

    pas encore, j'erre toujours.
  • andmerandmer New York✭✭✭
    Posts: 92
    I have one. its a nice instrument. the neck is very very fast and easy to play, the scale is very long, I believe 680mm? so the tension is probably quite a bit higher than you might be accustomed to on a 650mm d500, not a problem to play though. You might want to use 10s and/or silk and steels to ease it up bit, that's what I wound up on after noodling with different setups.

    The neck angle is crazy severe, so you are best off getting a nice custom made bridge from Josh's shop, because finding and fitting a standard Dupont replacement won't work. The bridge that comes with it is not horrid if you shim it up a bit.

    It's got a good volume to it after it opens up, The tone is pretty good in my opinion, every once in a while i get a favino'ish vibe to it.

    decent sound sample here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGsUeETDxDU

    The main question is does it still hold up comparatively 3 years later in the current market with whats available for that price and below. Michael can speak best to that.
  • MichaelHorowitzMichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator
    Posts: 6,152
    I'd agree with Paul that for the same price you could get a Nomade D Hole:

    http://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com/Ite ... e-2012-d-3

    I know on paper the Dorado model looks nice, and it is by far the best thing that Saga makes. However, the precision neck geometry, high grade materials, and expert workmanship of the Dupont put it on a whole other lever in terms of performance. It doesn't need any setup work out of the box...plays easy with low 2.5mm action and more importantly, it has the classic dry, clear tone of a superior Gypsy guitar. Anything Asian made will invariably be a lot wetter and ringier sounding and also usually much too dark in tone.

    'm
  • Jack NYCJack NYC New
    Posts: 18
    What about the altimiras with the solid wood....was looking at the solid rosewood m30 i believe...
  • MichaelHorowitzMichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator
    Posts: 6,152
    Jack NYC wrote:
    What about the altimiras with the solid wood....was looking at the solid rosewood m30 i believe...

    The Nomade is still a much better guitar but if you only have $1200 to spend than the M30 is the best Asian guitar you can get.
  • bopsterbopster St. Louis, MOProdigy Wide Sky PL-1, 1940? French mystery guitar, ‘37 L-4
    Posts: 513
    I have a Dorado Schmitt model and gig with it regularly. Here's how it sounds in a radio spot I played with high quality mics:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSWYc4_XCGU

    and live with amplification:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ily-Y8skeZI

    Paul
  • anthon_74anthon_74 Marin county, CA✭✭✭✭ Alta Mira M 01
    Posts: 561
    I've played the dg 370, and I own an alta mira M01 (with tuners upgraded to schaller gold).

    I almost bought the dg 370, as it sounded great. I played it during a workshop in Marin with Lolo Meier, and it was the loudest guitar in the room (including the dupont one guy had). It played good, but needed a set up as the action was a bit high (for my taste), which I hear is a drawback about gitanes, as they are inconsistent in terms of out of the box set up (and I think in many cases, Michael has them shipped to you directly from Saga).

    I've also heard that they used really high quality wood for this model.

    Most "serious" players are really down on the Gitanes in general, especially if there is a comparably priced dupont available. I don't know.

    Frankly, Until you're ready to drop 3 or 4 grand on a nicer dupont md 50 or something, go with the Alta Mira. It's loud as any dupont I've heard, sounds as good as many of them, and plays great (it has a neck that's in between the classic thick selmer neck, and the newer thin "players necks), and it's just above a grand.

    I know this may be blasphemy, but if you want a dupont, rather than buying the Nomade, you may as well wait until you can afford an MD 50 or 100. Just my opinion, but from what I've heard, the stigma attached to buying a bolt on neck guitar is similar to the stigma attached to buying a gitane.

    cheers !
  • HereticHeretic In the Pond✭✭✭
    Posts: 230
    Bopster:
    That was fantastic. If the proof is in the pudding, then you have a fine guitar. I loved the arrangement and your playing.
  • DuozonaDuozona Phoenix, AZNew
    Posts: 159
    Yeah, Bopster, great band man, I totally dig your sound, playing is tight and bouncing, and I love her voice, that radio broadcast was a great 'Joseph Joseph'!
  • PassacagliaPassacaglia Madison, WI✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 1,471
    Bopster, fantastic, man! Great playing, and agreed, too, on the arrangements - really, really wonderful!

    Will hope to catch up fireside again - nice to play with you this last late summer-autumn, bro.

    Paul
    -Paul

    pas encore, j'erre toujours.
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