Benedetto Bravo

wallburg · #1 05-07-2011, 12:38 PM

I'm gassing for a Benedetto Bravo (perhaps DeLuxe) but they are not easy to find in Europe. One of my guitars is an Aria Pro II from 1971 (a L5 copy) made in Japan. It is my favorite and surpasses my Gibson 175 in sound and playability.It (and the Gibson) have to go if I I find a Bravo. I know it's my problem and You can't tell me what to do. But I would like to know if any of You have some experience with the Bravo You will deal with me.

cmajor9 · #2 05-07-2011, 01:58 PM

There's someone here on the forum who's actually a Benedetto dealer in Europe (Netherlands), hopefully he'll pop up sometime soon. He had a beautiful brown Bravo on his site when I looked 1-2 weeks ago. Sorry I don't have the link handy, but with a thorough Google search you could probably locate it pretty quickly.

Bill C · #3 05-07-2011, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmajor9

There's someone here on the forum who's actually a Benedetto dealer in Europe (Netherlands), hopefully he'll pop up sometime soon. He had a beautiful brown Bravo on his site when I looked 1-2 weeks ago. Sorry I don't have the link handy, but with a thorough Google search you could probably locate it pretty quickly.

here's the link

Exxbox Guitars

John Link · #4 05-07-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallburg

I'm gassing for a Benedetto Bravo (perhaps DeLuxe) but they are not easy to find in Europe. One of my guitars is an Aria Pro II from 1971 (a L5 copy) made in Japan. It is my favorite and surpasses my Gibson 175 in sound and playability.It (and the Gibson) have to go if I I find a Bravo. I know it's my problem and You can't tell me what to do. But I would like to know if any of You have some experience with the Bravo You will deal with me.

I've been playing one for about three years, and I love it. My guitar was one of the early ones built in California with the metal tail piece and no binding around the headstock. I bought it used and virtually unplayed. The neck is wide 1 3/4" but even with my very small hands I have no problem playing it. I would rate it as one of the best instruments out there in it's price range. Will it sound better than your Aria Pro II, I don't know. But it will be more comfortable being 16" wide and only 2 1/2" deep. It's one guitars that I plan on keeping.

jzucker · #5 05-07-2011, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallburg

I'm gassing for a Benedetto Bravo (perhaps DeLuxe) but they are not easy to find in Europe. One of my guitars is an Aria Pro II from 1971 (a L5 copy) made in Japan. It is my favorite and surpasses my Gibson 175 in sound and playability.It (and the Gibson) have to go if I I find a Bravo. I know it's my problem and You can't tell me what to do. But I would like to know if any of You have some experience with the Bravo You will deal with me.

i don't see how you can generalize and say something surpasses the playability of a 175. With a proper fret-level you can get a 175 setup at 3/64" at the 12th fret. Hard to get much easier to play than that. When you get up to the $5k range in archtops you are paying for more than the sound IMO...

fumblefingers · #6 05-07-2011, 04:15 PM

Benedeto now deals direct. why not just call them up and place your order?

NiAg · #7 05-07-2011, 04:21 PM

I like the Bravo very much.

Playability is of course far more than action height. Further, pretty much any guitar can be set up with pretty much any action depending on how much work one is willing to do.

As you know, the Bravo is a flatter/wider neck vs. the typical 175 (although 175's have varied quite a bit in neck thickness over the years.)

Regrading pricing of the non-deluxe:

Some Bravos were available mint/used for under $3,000 for a while (I payed $3,100 for mine mint/used). The MAP (when Benedetto used dealers up until recently) was $4,400 and you could get one new from at least one well known sub-MAP source for about $3,800.

I do not know how the used market may be affected by the shutdown of the dealer channel.

Steve Z · #8 05-07-2011, 04:44 PM

I recently sold two Bravo Deluxes to start my daughters college fund (college is not getting cheaper so this is a trade off that made sense). The guitars were great and I miss playing them, but I don't miss worrying about every little bump, etc as they were so expensive. The two guitars you have are great and sought after by many. Unless there is a deep desire that cannot be controlled to buy a Benedetto or any other very high end archtop and you have the expendable cash, I would recommend playing what you have and saving the money. Resale is a killer if you decide you liked the others better, though they are great guitars!

I am now playing a G&L ASAT Classic with neck humbucker, which is all I need playing at home these days. That stated, I drool and try to figure out how to get some cash every time I see a sweet guitar... it's an addiction of sorts many guitar players have to deal with I guess

.

Here is a pic of the two Bravo Deluxe guitars I once owned... they are great!

Cheers,
Steve

M-ster · #9 05-07-2011, 05:55 PM

Very pretty finish on the one on top, Steve. Is that the "autumn burst"?

jzucker · #10 05-07-2011, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiAg

I like the Bravo very much.

Playability is of course far more than action height. Further, pretty much any guitar can be set up with pretty much any action depending on how much work one is willing to do.

Correct. And any other issues effecting playability are just subjective. Body size, body thickness, balance issues, neck thickness and profile, etc.

Something might be more comfortable for a particular player because everyone has their personal preference but it's tough to generalize and say that one guitar has much better playability than another, particularly since in Gibson's case, the neck profiles have varied over time...Case in point, my son's Samick RL-4 had incredibly low action and was one of the sweetest playing guitars I've ever had in my hands and this includes $25k benedettos and D'Aquistos!

NiAg · #11 05-07-2011, 07:43 PM

>>> just subjective. Body size, body thickness, balance issues, neck thickness and profile, etc.

Well, each of those parameters are objective. The thickness of my Bravo's body remains objectively the same no mater how I feel about it.

Action height is one of many parameters. Most (well, all really) playability factors are objective. Some players have a preference for some particular combinations.

This is not picking nits. In my opinion it is the fastest and most accurate path to a great setup - demystify and get to work. Lower the BS, while lowering (or raising) the action to suit.

If one really wants "correct", then watch and listen to the player (which is yourself if you do your own setup) and translate what you see and hear into simple objective understanding.

When the BS is removed you actually can start using simple objectivity to combine setup factors in a very fluid (but not mystical or fat-head dogmatic) process with the guitar - the great setup.

jzucker · #12 05-07-2011, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiAg

>>> just subjective. Body size, body thickness, balance issues, neck thickness and profile, etc.

Well, each of those parameters are objective.

you missed the point. An instrument's every spec is objective. What is subjective is the term playability.

Sometimes I think you just like to disagree.

NiAg · #13 05-07-2011, 07:58 PM

>>> you missed the point

I'll try harder to understand.

Steve Z · #14 05-07-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M-ster

Very pretty finish on the one on top, Steve. Is that the "autumn burst"?

Yes, it is Autumnburst... a gorgeous finish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzucker

... Something might be more comfortable for a particular player because everyone has their personal preference but it's tough to generalize and say that one guitar has much better playability than another...

Agreed. I once had a Hohner HS35 (335 copy) that was fantastic playing and sounding... a great bargain for under $500 new back in the late 1990's. Not the same quality as a Benedetto or heritage but rather nice and it fit my hands and playing style nicely.

The point for this thread (as the original poster was inquiring about his guitars versus a Brav) is that if the current guitars, which I have already stated are great guitars, fit the player well and fit the tonal needs then perhaps keeping those is a better option than selling two and buying one highend. Bravos are nice though

.

NiAg · #15 05-07-2011, 08:28 PM

SteveZ,

Have you tried an A6 PU as well as the stock B6 (in the Deluxe)?

Steve Z · #16 05-08-2011, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiAg

SteveZ,

Have you tried an A6 PU as well as the stock B6 (in the Deluxe)?

I have only played a Bravo with the B6 pickup.

Cheers,
Steve

kris · #17 05-08-2011, 03:06 AM

Jazz guitar= jazz box plus amp...:-)
I think...

wallburg · #18 05-08-2011, 04:03 AM

Thank You all for the information. Useful as always and I will incorporate it in my considerations.

Patrick2 · #19 05-08-2011, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzucker

i don't see how you can generalize and say something surpasses the playability of a 175. With a proper fret-level you can get a 175 setup at 3/64" at the 12th fret. Hard to get much easier to play than that. When you get up to the $5k range in archtops you are paying for more than the sound IMO...

I see no generalizations in wallberg's post. If you re-read it . . . he said that his Aria played better than HIS 175. That was very specific and not at all a generalization.

kris · #20 05-08-2011, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick2

I see no generalizations in wallberg's post. If you re-read it . . . he said that his Aria played better than HIS 175. That was very specific and not at all a generalization.

Every guitar is differenf like every Gibson 175 is also different.
Good set up is most important!!!
Kris

Tom Karol · #21 05-08-2011, 10:02 AM

I'm fairly good at doing my own set-ups, but now every time I buy a new guitar, I take it to my trusted tech, give him $40 and say, "You know how I like it - make it so!" And he does! (After that, I make minor seasonal adjustments myself.)

NiAg · #22 05-08-2011, 12:12 PM

>>> I see no generalizations in wallberg's post.

Likewise, to me it read like a friendly guitar-talk post from a good guy. And a cool effort at English from a non-native speaker in my opinion. Maybe German from the capitalised "You"?

Wallburg - I'd like to hear what you think of the Bravo after trying one.

wallburg · #23 05-08-2011, 12:45 PM

Thanks for your nice words NiAg and Patrick2. I wasn't generalizing about the 175 but only stated that I prefer my Aria to my Gibson. And I know that a good set-up is essential and besides there are many parameters that determines how comfertably you are with the instrument. I will keep you informed about the Bravo if (when?) I get one.
NiAg you're right that english isn't my native language, actually I'm from Denmark.

pingu · #24 05-08-2011, 02:24 PM

Those Aria PE180's are nice
the Aria Herb Ellis are nice too with a sound post inside

PascalD · #25 05-09-2011, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallburg

I'm gassing for a Benedetto Bravo (perhaps DeLuxe) but they are not easy to find in Europe. One of my guitars is an Aria Pro II from 1971 (a L5 copy) made in Japan. It is my favorite and surpasses my Gibson 175 in sound and playability.It (and the Gibson) have to go if I I find a Bravo. I know it's my problem and You can't tell me what to do. But I would like to know if any of You have some experience with the Bravo You will deal with me.

Hey
I have 3 Bravos in stock in Belgium : 2 Bravo and one Deluxe.
As posted on this thread, Benedetto went for a direct model, so those 3 Benedetto's are the last ones I will get. After that, all interested players will have to buy direct, which is not so easy, looking at VAT, import taxes and shipment costs.

Let me know if you want to come and try them.

I have some high quality video material on my website. Although, I'm not a good player, it should give you a good idea of the sound.

Website. Exxbox Guitars

Pascal
info@exxbox-guitars.net

PascalD · #26 05-09-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiAg

SteveZ,

Have you tried an A6 PU as well as the stock B6 (in the Deluxe)?

NiAG

I tried both pickups. The A6 gets more clarity, definition and more output. The B6 is darker, lower output, and the pots are not adjustable (covered). I find both very good, but different. I found that adjusting the pots was really something that was required when used with heavy strings (.013), where the B string is always too loud compared to the wounded G string.

Pascal

kris · #27 05-09-2011, 10:39 AM

Expensive laminated guitars.
how much Elferink?

PascalD · #28 05-09-2011, 11:23 AM

Expensive? Well it all relative. If you buy the same guitar direct from Benedetto, you need to add 25% (VAT + import tax) and about 220 shipment. So basically, the price is fair.
Pascal

kris · #29 05-09-2011, 12:32 PM

OK...:-)
Regards
kris

cmajor9 · #30 05-09-2011, 01:00 PM

Buying guitars is expensive in Europe! Its tempting to compare the US prices in Euro, but you always have to factor in shipping and hefty customs/VAT charges. PascalD is correct, I've priced it out both ways.