Gitane DG-370

**iim7V7IM7** · 03-24-2012, 01:27 PM

Hi,

My Gitane DG-370 arrived this morning.

This is my first Gypsy Jazz Guitar and my first experience with a guitar produced in China. Overall, I am quite pleased. What a delight to play! It is touch sensitive, responsive and loud. The timbre is mid-range emphasized with a tight, focused bass as you would expect from a maple/spruce instrument. When strummed it is quite resonant with very different overtones than my flat top. Despite its longer scale length the .011 Savarez Argentines are easy to fret, bend and vibrato. I had the shop build a new bridge, fret level the fingerboard and perform a set up. The action is quite low, about .080 at the 12th fret.

I sat down and played a bunch of straight-ahead jazz standards (Darn That Dream, Have You Met Miss Jones, Here’s That Rainy day, I Can’t Get Started and Nuages) in my solo jazz chord melody style. What a delight! Very different instrument than either my flattop or archtop in its tone and feel and while not what it was designed for; it really sounded good. I am going to focus on learning some Django pieces this year. I have attached some images of the guitar.

:-)

Bob

**Klatu** · 03-24-2012, 01:57 PM

Didn't you just put a down payment on a Comins custom archtop?

Boy's gone crazy

**iim7V7IM7** · 03-24-2012, 02:28 PM

Yup and Yup...:-)

Gort, Klaatu barada nikto

Originally Posted by Klatu

Didn't you just put a down payment on a Comins custom archtop?

Boy's gone crazy

**mr. beaumont** · 03-24-2012, 02:43 PM

Hey, the guy's gotta wait a long time for that Comins!

Nice gypsy box...the Gitanes are a really good value, well made instruments that really have the "sound." I'm playing my Jorgenson Modele right now while I'm waiting on a student, and I'm always impressed by not only it's volume (which is sort of the immediate thing you realize) but also it's dynamic range.

**voxwerx** · 03-24-2012, 05:13 PM

beautiful pics....

**Cane Burl** · 03-25-2012, 12:43 AM

Congratulations! What a beauty.

**anothersixstringer** · 03-25-2012, 01:01 AM

Congratulations! That is a wonderful guitar! I like what they did with the figured maple on the sides/back and the three piece neck, looks awesome!!!
Get right away to Djangobooks.com and get some transcription books or accessories, and then hit |When the grand crus play, I hear Django for cool videos on some of the hottest players these days (apart from the demi Gods, Bireli, Stochelo, Tchavolo, Dorado et al!)
I just put away my DG 320, after fitting new Argies 11 and a new Dupont bridge..got to love these thingies!
Enjoy the new guitar, welcome to the Caravan!!!

**iim7V7IM7** · 03-25-2012, 05:41 AM

I am working through Gypsy Picking...

Originally Posted by anothersixstringer

Congratulations! That is a wonderful guitar! I like what they did with the figured maple on the sides/back and the three piece neck, looks awesome!!!
Get right away to Djangobooks.com and get some transcription books or accessories, and then hit |When the grand crus play, I hear Django for cool videos on some of the hottest players these days (apart from the demi Gods, Bireli, Stochelo, Tchavolo, Dorado et al!)
I just put away my DG 320, after fitting new Argies 11 and a new Dupont bridge..got to love these thingies!
Enjoy the new guitar, welcome to the Caravan!!!

**mrblues** · 03-25-2012, 05:57 AM

Hi!

I am blown away with those guitars. And im very happy to see this here, because I was yestarday at the local music shop and asked the salesman to make me a bid of a Cigano guitar and a Gitane DG-225. MY question for You is: why did You choose a D-hole instrument instead of a "little-hole" solo isntrument (well, sorry for this but I dont know the correct name of it, I think You know what I mean...). I heard that the D-hole axes have a more mellow sound but the little-hole ones are strong in the mid-range and are more bassy.

Did You try a bunch of gypsy-style guitars before ordering this? Why did You choose this one?

thanks,

and congrats to that beauty!

laci

**iim7V7IM7** · 03-25-2012, 06:20 AM

I chose a D hole over an Oval hole because I play mostly solo guitar. A player can hear themselves a bit better with a D hole and you get a fuller response. The Oval hole is designed to project and cut through the mix of a band. This is a loud instrument and I do not see an issue in the volume department. One thing to note is that this is a 14 fret, long-scaled guitar (670 mm) and not a traditional 12 fret 640 mm D hole instrument. So it is kind of a hybrid.

No, I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to try many of these types of guitars. I did not want to spend money on a high-end instrument like a Dupont, Dunn or Park so SAGA Gitane is where I went looking. After speaking with some experienced players, they said that a 14 fret, D-hole was what I was looking for in-terms of configuration. Within the Gitane line I saw the DG-320 and the DG-370, After discussing a number of issues with the shop, I decided upon this model (they told me that it was a step up in terms of build quality for an Asian instrument). Not my normal way of selecting an instrument, but I am very happy with what arrived.

Originally Posted by mrblues

Hi!

I am blown away with those guitars. And im very happy to see this here, because I was yestarday at the local music shop and asked the salesman to make me a bid of a Cigano guitar and a Gitane DG-225. MY question for You is: why did You choose a D-hole instrument instead of a "little-hole" solo isntrument (well, sorry for this but I dont know the correct name of it, I think You know what I mean...). I heard that the D-hole axes have a more mellow sound but the little-hole ones are strong in the mid-range and are more bassy.

Did You try a bunch of gypsy-style guitars before ordering this? Why did You choose this one?

thanks,

and congrats to that beauty!

laci

**jazzbow** · 03-25-2012, 03:22 PM

Here you go, plenty lots 'o tunes to study

http://www.gypsyguitar.de/downloads/...jango_2008.pdf

**iim7V7IM7** · 03-25-2012, 03:30 PM

That should keep me busy for the next 30 years!

Originally Posted by jazzbow

Here you go, plenty lots 'o tunes to study

http://www.gypsyguitar.de/downloads/...jango_2008.pdf

**iim7V7IM7** · 03-26-2012, 02:13 PM

Well, I played the heck out of this guitar this weekend. I am really impressed with this instrument in terms of both its quality and tone. The quality of the fit and finish is quite high and for its price point; is really impressive. But it is its tone and playability that has really blown me away. It is a guitar capable of both tremendous volumes (Adirondack spruce top), yet it is also a dynamic guitar that responds to a soft touch. It is a resonant guitar but in a different way than my flat tops (different materials; maple laminate body, different bracing etc.). It also can create that percussive bark that we associate with Gypsy jazz. It is better with a pick than with ones fingers (OK with bass runs and crab-claw comping in fills) and the tone really sounds best (fuller mid-range) with thick (~2.5 mm) beveled edge picks. The silver plated copper-core Argentine strings are fairly quite for round wounds and have very low tension and it can be played for long-periods of time without fatigue. I think the thicker picks are required given the somewhat bright timbre of the strings. I have to get used to my right-hand moving a bit toward the bridge to avoid the end of the fret board which extends into the D-hole. The neck profile is similar to my flat top in width but is slimmer in thickness. These instruments were really made for jazz and are a joy to play. I really recommend trying one of these types of guitars if you haven't. I am having a ball!

**eddy b.** · 03-26-2012, 02:24 PM

Yup Yup I have a D500 and just love the love right out of it a great guitar!!!!

**PTChristopher** · 03-26-2012, 02:32 PM

Now stop this.

I sold my D500 two or three years ago, and would rather have the guitar than the $$$ at this point.

MUCH more of a versatile instrument than commonly thought, in my opinion.

Chris

**fauves** · 03-26-2012, 11:03 PM

That's a great guitar, cheers. Were you guys able to down load that fake book ? I can't get it to open.

**oldane** · 03-27-2012, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by fauves

Were you guys able to down load that fake book ? I can't get it to open.

Yes, it worked for me.

**mrblues** · 03-27-2012, 12:16 PM

Thanks for Your answer!

Well this is interesting, because on Youtube I saw solo players only with the little oval hole instrument to play on. And the rhythm player was on the D-hole axe. My main problem is also that I can try these nowhere in the nearby. So I watch the net to try a used one to give it a shot, or have to risk later to buy it by "blind" didnt deiced yet.

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

I chose a D hole over an Oval hole because I play mostly solo guitar. A player can hear themselves a bit better with a D hole and you get a fuller response. The Oval hole is designed to project and cut through the mix of a band. This is a loud instrument and I do not see an issue in the volume department. One thing to note is that this is a 14 fret, long-scaled guitar (670 mm) and not a traditional 12 fret 640 mm D hole instrument. So it is kind of a hybrid.

No, I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to try many of these types of guitars. I did not want to spend money on a high-end instrument like a Dupont, Dunn or Park so SAGA Gitane is where I went looking. After speaking with some experienced players, they said that a 14 fret, D-hole was what I was looking for in-terms of configuration. Within the Gitane line I saw the DG-320 and the DG-370, After discussing a number of issues with the shop, I decided upon this model (they told me that it was a step up in terms of build quality for an Asian instrument). Not my normal way of selecting an instrument, but I am very happy with what arrived.