Where to buy manouche jazz guitars?

[Archie]

Right, I got into Gypsy Jazz at Jazz college and the Richwood I bought (as my first macca type) was so bad to play, I ended up with wrist pains and had to stop playing for over a year (during school).

If i were you I wont buy any of the ones you listed. I would buy a cheap Gitane instead, they are just immeasurably better (ime)
So please, never bring up the name of that guitar again, I don't wanna go back to prison, they do things to musicians in there, especially the pretty ones

(Just to clarify, Iv never been to prison)

[knoflik]

I have a Richwood, and I can't stop playing it! I recently tried out an Altamira M01. Nice guitar, but was it worth 5x what I paid for the Richwood off ebay? Nope.

Is it a beautifully crafted guitar for the expert afficionado? No, far from it. Is it great for learning the style on until you're ready to move up? Absolutely!

Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, unless you're Stephane Wrembel.

[entresz]

I had an Aria MM-20e - it's the small soundhole model with piezo pickup built in.

Not a good guitar; tough to play and built far to heavy to produce any significant volume. It served its purpose; it was more satisfying to learn Django repertoire on that than it was on an electric archtop for example.

For the last couple years I have had a Gitane DG-300 John Jorgenson; couldn't be happier. It barks like crazy and is very nice to play. The neck is hefty and has a nice smooth ebony fingerboard. For playing amplified I bought a Krivo single coil; with that I get the 'electric Django' sound.

[archtopeddy]

I played Gypsy Jazz with my band Mango fan Django for nearly 20 years and during that time I was able to get a few lefty GJ guitars. I have two guitars sold to me by Patrick Saussois, a 1977 Jacques Favino and a 1997 Gerome. I also have an early Shelley Park (her first lefty, no. 26), a one-of-a-kind small body and scale Eimers, and a 2010 Latcho Drom Manouche (which is essentially the same as an Altamira M01). I also had a 1940's Busato at one point.

I bring this up because of all the fine and rare instruments I've owned, I tend to prefer the Latcho Drom Manouche for gigs. It is loud, dry, and easy to play -- and a fraction of the cost of the other guitars. Djangobooks has a lefty Altramira M01 for sale for $1039. It may be more than you want to pay but I think it's a fair price for a nice GJ guitar that will hold its own with other top guitars in a GJ jam session. No, it won't sound like a Favino, a Dupont, or the other multitudes of boutique guitars that are out there, but it will hold its own if you have the hands and technique to play it.

(Of the guitars you listed, I'd probably go for the Gallato. You might want to check at Djangobooks Forum to see what the GJ players there have to say.)

[Kenmac]

Like others above I too have and play a Richwood RM70. In fact I play it more often than my vintage Summerfield CSL. I bought this Richwood guitar especially to take to the Samois Django festivals, as we always camp under canvas and, invariably in France it rains during the festival. When not raining it is humid so close to the river and so I do not wish to risk taking my 1970s CSL ( great guitar, if you ever get the chance try one, I will keep mine forever!). The Richwood is well built, plays well and costs a fraction of the price of other Chinese and Asian factory made guitars of the Selmer type. It has a solid spruce top, excellent action and fast neck and fretboard. The sound is good and loud as it is lightly built. However, the fittings as it comes new are poor, the steel chrome tailpiece is too heavy and bulky, and the machine heads are quite poor quality. I changed the tailpiece for a more authentic and lighter brass one (£15 from Hobgoblin UK) and also fitted quality machines in brass to match. At the same time I carefully hollowed under the center section of the bridge to lighten it and adjusted the action and intonation to suit my own playing style. I use it with medium, usually Saverez strings, and it has a really good attack and mid range. It has now been to many festivals over the last few years and has been played and signed by Stoch and other well known gypsy players, in fact it is covered in famous signatures. Without a doubt you can buy a better made and more expensive guitar, but remember that guitars are like fishing rods and golf clubs, building your skill and doing constant practice is what counts, a more expensive fishing rod won't catch bigger fish and using the best golf clubs in the world won't make you a world champion. Only your persistance, improving skill and knowledge will have any effect. Its great to have an excellent hand built instrument, but it is much better to be able to play well before venturing into the big money stuff! For around 125 quid the Richwood is excellent value and sounds and plays well enough to drag around to all the festival jams and parties without worry. Incidentally, mine is accoustic only - it is possible to find this guitar with a built in pickup for ony a few quid more from some places.