How about the Robert Conti Guitar

[Big Ron]

Conti's videos blow me away, but what about the guitar. Anyone have one, played on one, like them, dislike them etc. Looks like all the great guitar ideas rolled into one darn nice Jazz or whatever guitar. It's even a 24 fretter with an ebony fretboard.

What do you think?

Ron

[derek]

I think you can do better for the price. For $2k, you can get a solid wood guitar, instead of just a solid top. At that price point, there are quite a few options. However, that combo of features might be just what someone wants. YMMV.

[Meggy]

I looked at it and thought it looked pretty good. The 24 fret neck is nice in some ways, but I worry that you have to compromise the neck pickup position a little as a result. No one guitar can do everything though!

[Big Ron]

My Mention of the Robert Conti guitar got picked up by a Conti customer, who shot it to the Conti office and a nice lady named Ann in Customer Service sent me the following message. I think that it is a gold star for the Conti organization when their customers and the Customer Service folks are alert to what's happening in the world. This was in a response to someone who wrote that for this kind of money you could get an all wood guitar, as if the Conti was made from plywood or something. I don't know-anyway I think the guitar is really neat and stand AMAZED at Robert Conti's playing skills and teaching method.

My question is if I am advanced enough to be considered a beginner with his method of instruction. Right now I doubt it.

Here is her message:

Hi Ron,
One of our customers saw your question and he sent us a link to your post in the forum. The Conti Guitar IS Solid Wood, Top, Sides and Back. It is unfortunate that a small group of people in those newsgroups continuously try to discredit others with misrepresentations of fact, especially against successful artists. As you will discover, the people who dispense opinions in an attempt to appear as knowledgeable actually have no verifiable credentials as to the ability to play or teach. For accurate information, please visit the Conti Guitar page to see the actual specs, and numerous customer testimonials. Also, see the viewer comments on the You Tube NAMM videos that were just posted yesterday. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Kindly,
Ann, Customer Service

Website:
The Conti Guitar

Video Clips From 2010 NAMM Expo
Part One:
YouTube - Pt 1 - Robert Conti - NAMM 2010 - Jazz Guitar

Part Two:
YouTube - Pt 2 - Robert Conti - NAMM 2010 - Jazz Guitar


Have a nice day,

Ron

[JohnW400]

Originally Posted by Ron Vermillion

Here is her message:

Hi Ron,
One of our customers saw your question and he sent us a link to your post in the forum. The Conti Guitar IS Solid Wood, Top, Sides and Back. It is unfortunate that a small group of people in those newsgroups continuously try to discredit others with misrepresentations of fact, especially against successful artists. As you will discover, the people who dispense opinions in an attempt to appear as knowledgeable actually have no verifiable credentials as to the ability to play or teach. For accurate information, please visit the Conti Guitar page to see the actual specs, and numerous customer testimonials. Also, see the viewer comments on the You Tube NAMM videos that were just posted yesterday. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Kindly,
Ann, Customer Service


Ron

Ron ,

Tell Ann not to be dissin' senior members here. Bob Conti and his method get's plenty of 'love' on this site by some. (some like it , others..... not so much)

No need to spew all that nonsense about who can play and who can't just because somebody made a mistake about wood.

By the way I don't see that Bob is member here. Perhaps he would like to join and get in on some of the FREE advice that get's given away here by some of the members like comp studies , chord melodies, rootless voicings studies, etc.

[derek]

Originally Posted by Ron Vermillion

My Mention of the Robert Conti guitar got picked up by a Conti customer, who shot it to the Conti office and a nice lady named Ann in Customer Service sent me the following message. I think that it is a gold star for the Conti organization when their customers and the Customer Service folks are alert to what's happening in the world. This was in a response to someone who wrote that for this kind of money you could get an all wood guitar, as if the Conti was made from plywood or something. I don't know-anyway I think the guitar is really neat and stand AMAZED at Robert Conti's playing skills and teaching method.

My question is if I am advanced enough to be considered a beginner with his method of instruction. Right now I doubt it.

Here is her message:

Hi Ron,
One of our customers saw your question and he sent us a link to your post in the forum. The Conti Guitar IS Solid Wood, Top, Sides and Back. It is unfortunate that a small group of people in those newsgroups continuously try to discredit others with misrepresentations of fact, especially against successful artists. As you will discover, the people who dispense opinions in an attempt to appear as knowledgeable actually have no verifiable credentials as to the ability to play or teach. For accurate information, please visit the Conti Guitar page to see the actual specs, and numerous customer testimonials. Also, see the viewer comments on the You Tube NAMM videos that were just posted yesterday. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Kindly,
Ann, Customer Service

Website:
The Conti Guitar

Video Clips From 2010 NAMM Expo
Part One:
YouTube - Pt 1 - Robert Conti - NAMM 2010 - Jazz Guitar

Part Two:
YouTube - Pt 2 - Robert Conti - NAMM 2010 - Jazz Guitar


Have a nice day,

Ron

Wow, what a negative response. I checked the Conti site before I posted, because I was unsure about how much of it was solid. The site says solid spruce top, but does not mention back and side material, that I read.

Besides, plywood jazz guitars are considered by many pros to be superior to solid wood ones. Look at a roster of guys playing laminates, Jimmy Bruno, John Pizzarelli, Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, Pat Martino, et al. Not exactly bottom of the barrell.

Not sure how pointing out construction features and the fact that many guitars are avialable at that price point could be considered misrepresenting or discrediting. Also not sure what other posters she might be talking about.

I agree about their customer service. The one time I called in the past about a product (don't recall which), I experienced the same excellent service. I wonder if they get bashed on Harmony Central or some other site? I see differing opinions about his stuff, but not sure I have read people bashing him or his products here, or on a couple other sites I frequent.

With regard to his method, one of the beauties of it is, you can be a beginner, and get up and running pretty quickly. There are some limits to his approach, but I think he really aims at beginner and intermediate students with his material. As an addition, I would like to say I own both his CM books, his lines book, 3-4 of his CM videos, 2-3 of his lines vids, 2 of his performance cds, and have used parts of his CM arrangements he has posted in JJG over the years. So, I am a pretty good customer one would think. However, I am not a Conti apologist, and will state what I think.

[Big Ron]

Well gee whiz, I suppose I started a flame war. Didn't mean too - If there is an admin person around how about deleting this thread. I tried to but I can't delete it I suppose because it has other answers to my original question on it.

From now on I'll read a lot and keep information to myself for fear of offending someone and not being politically correct.

Ron

[Meggy]

To come to Ann's defence, there is a lot of nonsense talked on the net - they've probably had a belly full of it already, hence her reaction. Of course, that is not the case on this website, and I, like many others, have come to value the fantastic free help and advise that is available here. Just a case of getting our wires crossed maybe? Indeed I agree there is no need to start a flame war folks!

[derek]

Originally Posted by Ron Vermillion

Well gee whiz, I suppose I started a flame war. Didn't mean too - If there is an admin person around how about deleting this thread. I tried to but I can't delete it I suppose because it has other answers to my original question on it.

From now on I'll read a lot and keep information to myself for fear of offending someone and not being politically correct.

Ron

No need Ron, I am not offended or angry. No flames anywhere I can see. I just thought her response was over the top if it was aimed at my comments. I like Conti's stuff just fine. His guitar might be as advertised. I don't know anyone who has one, so all we can go by is features and price until someone steps up who has one and can give us a review.

[JohnW400]

Originally Posted by Ron Vermillion

Well gee whiz, I suppose I started a flame war. Didn't mean too - If there is an admin person around how about deleting this thread. I tried to but I can't delete it I suppose because it has other answers to my original question on it.

From now on I'll read a lot and keep information to myself for fear of offending someone and not being politically correct.

Ron

Ron,

There's nothing about you in the reply. You didn't start a war. I'm just pointing out her very negative way of handling a criticism. SHE ticked me off. She should have stopped after correcting Dereks mistake. Not go on to make generalizations about people on this site.

No ones offended by anything you did. And it's not a bad idea if Robert Conti joined and posted some stuff. Don't you think?

I'd love to see more full time pros posting. I'd love to see any number of pros posting. Not to answer questions about how to handle II-V's but some of the stuff we've seen lately like making a living and what have you. Even anecdotes about some of their gigs. I know some of them are real gear hounds too. Who better to talk about different amps and stuff than a gigging pro.

[carlescountry]

I have a Robert Conti guitar, and I presented it here:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...is-guitar.html

[X-500]

Originally Posted by JohnW400

Perhaps he would like to join and get in on some of the FREE advice that get's given away here by some of the members like comp studies , chord melodies, rootless voicings studies, etc.

Perhaps not here, but he did in Justjazzguitar.com

Just Jazz Guitar Online - Home

It is a nice chord solo piece, Amazing Grace, and yes, it's free!!

Just Jazz Guitar Online - Amazing Grace by Robert Conti

You'll get his 30 min. video tutorial too in the PDF file link.

[NSJ]

Hmm, a very nice solid wood thinline archtop for $1800, how do they do it at that price point? Just curious.

What is the effect of 24 frets on playability and tone?

[riovine]

Ok, one thing that stands out to me from looking at the pictures is the tunomatic screws strait into the top, ala my CS-356 as opposed mounting onto a wooden bridge base that then has full contact with the top, like the more modern L5, does that mean is has a center block like a traditional semi-hollow and is not really a thinline archtop. Seems like not really having a full footing contact between the bridge & top would defeat a lot of the purpose of having a solid top wood guitar. What am I missing here.

[JohnW400]

Originally Posted by X-500

Perhaps not here, but he did in Justjazzguitar.com

Just Jazz Guitar Online - Home

It is a nice chord solo piece, Amazing Grace, and yes, it's free!!

Just Jazz Guitar Online - Amazing Grace by Robert Conti

You'll get his 30 min. video tutorial too in the PDF file link.

Have you ever checked out the Pat Martino thread in AAJ? That's more in line with what I was thinking. Look at that flamenco guy that keeps posting his stuff in the Other styles forum. Look at all the stuff Matt Warnock posted here (Speaking of JJG)

But if nobody likes this idea I'll stop mentioning it.

[derek]

Originally Posted by carlescountry

I have a Robert Conti guitar, and I presented it here:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...is-guitar.html

I remember that thread now. I had read that he had Peerless, or the company who makes Peerless, make them for him. So if you like Peerless, you should like the Conti.

So are you still digging the guitar?

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by NSJ

Hmm, a very nice solid wood thinline archtop for $1800, how do they do it at that price point? Just curious.

If it's made by Peerless, then it's made in China, eh?

Originally Posted by NSJ

What is the effect of 24 frets on playability and tone?

I never bought into the "the neck pickup must be over the "24th fret" position." Is that what you are thinking about?

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by riovine

Ok, one thing that stands out to me from looking at the pictures is the tunomatic screws strait into the top, ala my CS-356 as opposed mounting onto a wooden bridge base that then has full contact with the top, like the more modern L5, does that mean is has a center block like a traditional semi-hollow and is not really a thinline archtop. Seems like not really having a full footing contact between the bridge & top would defeat a lot of the purpose of having a solid top wood guitar. What am I missing here.

It must have a block of wood under the bridge in the body. It would either be a "floating block" meaning it doesn't touch the back or it spans from front to back. Since this is a thinline, acoustic volume isn't a goal. Maybe it's more about minimizing feedback.

[mangotango]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

If it's made by Peerless, then it's made in China, eh?



I never bought into the "the neck pickup must be over the "24th fret" position." Is that what you are thinking about?

Peerless made in Korea - factory in Busan, I believe.

The Conti guitar looks nice; however, I wouldn't buy a guitar online, unseen. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Even so, the guitar looks much more pleasant than the comments from Customer Service. "Kindly"? Not as such.

[X-500]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

If it's made by Peerless, then it's made in China, eh?

Are you trying to stir up Randy again?

[mjirish]

I've been playing "pro" since '67. This is an absolutely superb instrument!! I played on it for about an hour after I got it, and then took it on a quintet gig on Friday! It was extremely comfortable, like some favorite slippers. Then, I took it on a 2-hour solo jazz guitar gig on Saturday. It is like I have been playing this axe for years! Plays "like butta'"!

There is not a weak point on the guitar. The highest quality materials, excellent craftsmanship, stunningly beautiful appointments, a "singing" sound to die for, light and well balanced in weight, a professional setup so well done that I could gig with it right out of the box. AND a terrific price! I can't imagine that there is a better value dollar for dollar in the "fine guitars" market than the Equity.

[fep]

Originally Posted by mjirish

I've been playing "pro" since '67. This is an absolutely superb instrument!! I played on it for about an hour after I got it, and then took it on a quintet gig on Friday! It was extremely comfortable, like some favorite slippers. Then, I took it on a 2-hour solo jazz guitar gig on Saturday. It is like I have been playing this axe for years! Plays "like butta'"!

There is not a weak point on the guitar. The highest quality materials, excellent craftsmanship, stunningly beautiful appointments, a "singing" sound to die for, light and well balanced in weight, a professional setup so well done that I could gig with it right out of the box. AND a terrific price! I can't imagine that there is a better value dollar for dollar in the "fine guitars" market than the Equity.

1st and only post...

Affiliated with Conti? Spam?

Maybe, maybe not. But only post with such extreme praise of an instrument...

These Conti representatives reaction to this thread are not doing his reputation any favors.

[randyc]

Good appraisal FEP -

I haven't been following this thread but your comments got my attention. Thanks for pointing out the inconsistencies.

cheers,
randyc

PS: LOL, Alex, I'm calm, my wife is going through chemotherapy again - her 4th series in 12 years + 6 surgeries. We have our hands full but when she's feeling better, I'll be back at full speed, count on it

[derek]

Originally Posted by fep

1st and only post...

Affiliated with Conti? Spam?

Maybe, maybe not. But only post with such extreme praise of an instrument...

These Conti representatives reaction to this thread are not doing his reputation any favors.

I wondered also. Says Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan Tech U in his bio. I went to the MTU site. There is no major in music that they list, but they do offer a minor. Perhaps it is a new program, or I am not looking in the right spot.

If you are in charge of jazz studies at MTU, like Mr. Conti, your contributions would be welcome.

[mjirish]

A bit about jazz at Michigan Tech. I am Head of our Music Division in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. Though we do not offer a Music Major, we do have a 19 credit minor in Jazz Idiom. It includes:

2 semesters Music Theory
3 semesters of Performance in the large or small ensembles
1 semester of Jazz History
1 semester of Jazz improvisation
1 semester of Jazz Arranging (for large and small jazz ensembles)
Final Project (writing, performing and recording an original arrangement for large jazz ensemble)

Our ensembles are 1) Jazz Lab Band (select large ensemble), 2) Research and Development Big Band (open-enrollment ensemble), 3) Jaztec (select mainstream combo), 4) Momentum (select fusion/funk combo)

We are one of the top science and engineering schools in the country and our kids are pretty "off-the-map" smart. The jazz curriculum affords them a very creative outlet that they relish. Our top large jazz ensemble (Jazz Lab Band) regularly competes in competitive jazz festivals and has won top honors 4 times (really pisses off "music schools" that offer degrees). The Jazz Lab Band has performed with Louis Bellson, Frank Wess (Count Basie), Clark Terry, Steve Wiest (trombone with Maynard), Marcus Bellgrave, and Wendell Harrison, among others.

In my younger years ('83 - '91) I initiated and developed the Jazz Studies Degree Program at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, which today remains a prominent and well-respected program with "graduates" working all over the country. Our Guitar Program was one of the "beta-testers" for Howard Roberts' legendary 3-volume book, the Guitar Compendium.

A few highlights of my playing career as a guitarist include stints and gigs with Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Rob McConnell, Louis Bellson, Steve Houghton, Dave Samuels, and more.

I am still an active performer, arranger, and composer having studied with the late Dick Grove and Frank Mantooth.

Why did I leave a wonderful, degree-granting Jazz Studies program to come to Tech? I started to have a "moral" dilemma about training and graduating students into a professional world where this is no real work (read "full-time jazz musician"). So, now I am deeply engaged with very talented musicians who are choosing to make a living (a VERY GOOD living) in non-music fields, yet take their "art" very seriously. Many still play semi-professionally and are wonderful "consumers" of jazz materials, recordings, instruments - in other words, they are the backbone of our audiences and business.

I hope that the "above" will answer some questions concerning my background.

[kawa]

FujiGen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
See the part of "Ida(Iida)Gakki(mean the music instruments)

[derek]

Originally Posted by mjirish

A bit about jazz at Michigan Tech. I am Head of our Music Division in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. Though we do not offer a Music Major, we do have a 19 credit minor in Jazz Idiom. It includes:

2 semesters Music Theory
3 semesters of Performance in the large or small ensembles
1 semester of Jazz History
1 semester of Jazz improvisation
1 semester of Jazz Arranging (for large and small jazz ensembles)
Final Project (writing, performing and recording an original arrangement for large jazz ensemble)

Our ensembles are 1) Jazz Lab Band (select large ensemble), 2) Research and Development Big Band (open-enrollment ensemble), 3) Jaztec (select mainstream combo), 4) Momentum (select fusion/funk combo)

We are one of the top science and engineering schools in the country and our kids are pretty "off-the-map" smart. The jazz curriculum affords them a very creative outlet that they relish. Our top large jazz ensemble (Jazz Lab Band) regularly competes in competitive jazz festivals and has won top honors 4 times (really pisses off "music schools" that offer degrees). The Jazz Lab Band has performed with Louis Bellson, Frank Wess (Count Basie), Clark Terry, Steve Wiest (trombone with Maynard), Marcus Bellgrave, and Wendell Harrison, among others.

In my younger years ('83 - '91) I initiated and developed the Jazz Studies Degree Program at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, which today remains a prominent and well-respected program with "graduates" working all over the country. Our Guitar Program was one of the "beta-testers" for Howard Roberts' legendary 3-volume book, the Guitar Compendium.

A few highlights of my playing career as a guitarist include stints and gigs with Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Rob McConnell, Louis Bellson, Steve Houghton, Dave Samuels, and more.

I am still an active performer, arranger, and composer having studied with the late Dick Grove and Frank Mantooth.

Why did I leave a wonderful, degree-granting Jazz Studies program to come to Tech? I started to have a "moral" dilemma about training and graduating students into a professional world where this is no real work (read "full-time jazz musician"). So, now I am deeply engaged with very talented musicians who are choosing to make a living (a VERY GOOD living) in non-music fields, yet take their "art" very seriously. Many still play semi-professionally and are wonderful "consumers" of jazz materials, recordings, instruments - in other words, they are the backbone of our audiences and business.

I hope that the "above" will answer some questions concerning my background.

Thanks for responding, and welcome to the group. Quite a resume. I got the impression that MTU was sort of an MIT style school, based on the degree programs I saw. Obviously a bit different as a state school.

I am facinated by your choice regarding this "moral delimna". I have maintained for a while, that with the huge growth of jazz programs at the university level, these graduates can't all be working in music. You would think they would become consumers of jazz, both in record sales, and live show attendance. However, jazz sales have remained stagnant.

We recently had a thread by a mom of a son who is about to embark on a degree in jazz performance, and she was asking what to expect for her son vocationally, after he graduated. Your insight would be very valuable to such a discussion. Bottom line is, we all need to have skills that lie outside of music to supplement our love of playing.

That is why I keep my day job, and play as much as I can.

[mjirish]

Here's an interesting statistic regarding people who possess a degree in music: 87% make the majority of their "living" by teaching, in one way shape or form (private studio, public education, college education, music store lesson program, internet instruction, etc.) That's a pretty damning fact for those who want to only perform.

Case in point; one of the top call sax players in Milwaukee (who refuses to teach) called me the other day with some great news! 2009 was his best year financially - he cleared $20,000 for the first time!! He plays jazz gigs, casuals, shows that come to town, studio work, etc. $20,000 in his "best" year. The real reason he can survive is that his wife has a great job, so their family does well. That's what young "jazz players" have to look forward to, unless they teach to supplement their income.

My advice to young jazz performance majors: 1) be as versatile as you can - play, arrange, teach, be internet savvy, have a thick skin and persevere. It is going to take at least 10 years to establish yourself wherever you end up, 2) embrace teaching, be passionate about it, learn as much as you can, learn from great veteran teachers and build your audience from the ground up. If you don't like teaching or don't have a knack for it - STAY OUT OF TEACHING. That is the last thing that we need is another hack teacher. 3) I mean this in all seriousness - find a soul mate with a good gig who is very supportive of your profession. You ARE going to need 2 incomes.

I wish I could paint a brighter picture, but alas it is not the case. The happiest musicians are those that have an income from doing something they enjoy, and the have music on the side. There are some great players out there that nobody has heard of, that do just that.

That's the reality.

Thanks for asking!

[Dookychase]

I was talking to a professor at the University of New Orleans and he told me about a conversation he had with Peter Bernstein.

The school had gotten Peter to come do a seminar of some type and the professor asked him how he was able to make his living with just jazz. I don't think Peter teaches, he just plays.

He told the professor that he made a choice; he could do what he really liked full time or have a family and probably have to have some sort of day job. He chose music.

[carlescountry]

First of all: I am an ameteur guitarist

I do not understand the problems with this post. Robert Conti's guitar has certain characteristics: there will be people who will like and others not. Is it the best guitar in the world? Of course not. But some people believe is excellent value for money and some of its features appeal to us very much: thinline, 24 frets, radius very flat, very low action ... What is the problem?

I have the misfortune what in my country I can't choose a lot and I have to buy often without play a guitar. It's unfortunate, but it's the true. I would be able to compare the Conti with Eastmans, other Peerless, with D'Angelico Korean ,.... but I could not do. I liked the sound heard in the youtubes and JJG lessons and I bought it. Am I sorry? Absolutely not!

I do not make propaganda of the guitar. I would love to try one Sadowski and have an old L-5 .... But for now, The Conti makes its function: easy to play with good sound and a good price.

And the deal for the purchase of the guitar was exquisite: in two days the guitar was at home (Barcelona, Spain) from Las Vegas, NV.