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'Cost cutting' is no doubt a benefit to the manufacturer, but surely we should all be celebrating the apalling wastage resulting from fashioning a neck with heel and headstock ( and if no volute, the inherent weakness in the nut region ) out of one super wide chunk of wood.
Originally Posted by Skip Ellis
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11-14-2018 10:02 AM
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90% of the sunburst Peerless models that I handed to dealers over a ten year period here in France had nicely feathered/shaded SB finshing that ran out just about the third fret just about hiding the joint completely. Out of sight anyway during playing periods and back to the wall when in/on a hanger or on a stand. Don't spend too long contemplating it personally. Actually, a well-executed scarf joint has it's own aesthetic and with modern adhesives should result in that area being at least as strong as the ongoing grain. Originally Posted by Skip Ellis
Superstition perhaps?
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@Gnappi
Did you mention in the past that your "Hardtail" was a prototype?
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Not superstition at all - it just looks cheap to me and I've built enough necks over the years to know that you can build a three piece neck that looks a lot better and is probably stronger and more stable. Yes, it may take a little more effort to glue up three boards (and even add peghead 'ears' if necessary) but I argue that you'll end up with a stronger neck in the long run. And, the last time I looked, most necks are made of either mahogany or maple, neither of which are endangered. I certainly wouldn't want an unsightly cross grain joint in the middle of the top of a $500 end table so why would I accept it in a $2000 guitar? You sure don't see manufacturers use scarf joints on figured wood (or at least I never have). Taylor got the message that, no matter how nifty and strong their finger joint idea, people hated it - they changed it to something nice to look at. Put the scarf at the peghead like Taylor and the classical builders where it's not noticeable and actually makes the neck stronger at the weak point. I'm very traditional and I think certain things just shouldn't be messed with. Originally Posted by blackcat
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I'm with you. I know scarf joints and heel splices are structurally solid, but on a guitar neck I want either one piece like an ES175 or a longitudinal laminate like the L5. For some reason this just says "quality" to me. Call it superstition, tradition, whatever, it's what I like. Originally Posted by Skip Ellis
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By all remotely reasonable accounts it is indeed superstition and tradition and “whatever” to scoff at the scarf.
But as consumers, you are free to choose what you like. This makes some true “consumers”. This can also result in some truly humorous results.
But humor is good, right?
Life goes on, music is made.
I have never owned a Conti guitar, but the honesty and genuine, sincere effort of his organization to bring guitars and methods to players is admirable in an often cynical world.
I admire and appreciate his work and products.
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It may be, but I really do not know. Originally Posted by FredC
I wrote several dealers in the U.S. and a distributor in the UK looking to confirm what it may be... a one off, early model or prototype, I never got a reply.
I surmised these options because it has some differences from later production. The fret markers are mini crosses while current offerings have dots, it had no PG which the PO made and installed, so while it's identical in every other way it has some differences.
In the two plus years I've owned it, aside from it being initially nearly perfect, it developed the proud fret issue, not a biggie, and the tuners and switch went downhill not long after purchase, again not big issues.
I attached a pic of the FB. Ordinarily as far as markers go none to less is better, but the mini crosses are OK, I like them. Your profile doesn't say where you are but if you were in So. Flo. I'd let you take it to a gig before you bought one :-)
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Absolutely! I'm in the Conti study group that is currently at Volume 4 of his "Ticket to Improv" curriculum and it has been very enjoyable to work through. He has reached out personally to people in the group, who've found themselves on a phone call with Conti himself, received complementary books out of the blue, and other indications of a very smart, savvy, and truly sincere and passionate guy. Originally Posted by ptchristopher3
His guitars aren't the body style I like, but they look to me like solid, well made guitars that I hear play well, sound good, and provide a great value.
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I don’t care it was a winter jacket joint, the Monarch I had was one of the best, most stable necks of any guitar I’ve experienced.
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Originally Posted by Skip Ellis
I don't know why people think this. It's actually more expensive to make a scarf joint and as everybody points out, the resulting joint is much much stronger
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All things equal that's a cost savings nothing more, and it has absolutely nothing to do with saving the whales, the snail darter, wood, global warming or the health of the planet. Really? Originally Posted by GNAPPI
If we accept that it is a cost saving move then perhaps this might be enabling the likes of Peerless to push out models at demonstrably reasonable prices? I am no fan of 'design by accountancy', but this could be a valid point?
How did whales get into this btw?
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For blues...If you bend strings you will like the Conti neck and frets...For me , chord melody is mostly about amp settings . hope this helps mickmac
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Worst made guitar I have ever owned. Delivered with no grounding capability so I had to buy a metail tailpiece. Wood cracked where pick guard was held so my tech advised me to return it. At first, I liked the guitar because of the neck and feel I was asked by Conti's management to write a complimentary testimonial and they would send me his latest course (which I never received.)
When I returned Conti called my tech and insulted him and wrote me an insulting letter with derogatory accusations. I was so shocked I had them send the guitar back, had it repaired locally and got rid of it to cut my losses. Just plain awful experience with a guitar I believe was defective that was surpassed only by the customer service.
It deserves less than a one star rating.
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It really comes down to how it feels to the individual. While I'm sure it can sound and play terrific,for most people. Like most all of the less expensive imports ,they usually feel plasticy for lack of a better term.
I'm sure this has to do with the finish mostly. But other things like too much neck pitch and cheaper parts don't work for me either.
Like anything that feels great you end up having to pay quote a bit more. The good news is that there are plenty options available for everyone at all price points.
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scarf joints a deal breaker for me too.
How about stretching the budget a tiny bit for a used GB10
0r an LGB30 if it’s the set pickup tone you crave
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I'm not that fussed about the scarf joint but the 24 fret fingerboard would be the deal-breaker for me - having the neck pickup that bit further back changes the sound considerably, and not really in a good way.
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My experience with the Conti organization has been quite good over the years. In 2013, I purchased the first generation Conti guitar, with two pickups. It is the original Equity model, which was made to Conti's specifications by Peerless. It still has the original wood tailpiece.
I only had one minor problem with that guitar. I live in Minnesota, and this climate is not particularly kind to guitars. The neck bowed just a bit so that the strings started to buzz not long after I purchased the guitar. I took it to my local repair/luthier person and he made a slight adjustment to the neck relief and all has been well ever since. To me, this is normal and not something I needed to be overly concerned about. I feel confident that if I had called Conti about it, he would have suggested that I do exactly what I did do.
That guitar still serves me well, and is my only archtop. If there was anything wrong with it, anything shoddy about it, I would have replaced it with something else. Like any guitar player, I am particular about my guitars. This instrument was designed by Conti and (in my opinion) is ideal for the styles that he teaches, especially with the extended fret access and ease of play.
Over the years, I have obtained many lessons from Conti and he always is responsive, ships quickly, and never a hassle with any order. I have posted in these forums about my experiences over the years with Conti's chord melody DVDs in particular, since that is my particular area of interest.
I hope that helps to provide more information regarding another player's long time experience with the Conti organization as a repeat customer.
Tony
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I have had the Conti Heirloom for three years, in Africa in a hot country!
I have no problem yet. I bought it to see what it was worth. I must say that I am surprised, like many others, by the quality of the work and the general care which is taken in its manufacture. It is very light compared to my Gibson Les Paul Pro Deluxe and my JP20.
If I have to change something, it will be the microphone (which is not bad): a Kent Armstrong® Vintage Series 6 Shooter PAF Style Humbucker Pickup. I'll buy a Dysonic microphone. Of course you can find jazz guitars for $ 500.
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Conti hung out at the Hofner booth years ago at NAMM, along with a few of his people. They were all very strange. He played a Hofner Jazzica for awhile (24 fret neck meets body at the 16th fret, like his models), was photographed with it and said nice things about it in his 2002 feature interview in JJG
2002 Just Jazz Guitar Cover Interview • RobertConti.com
He eventually had Saul Koll rebuild his Jazzica into a Verythin-like, hollow 8-string guitar that he brought to the booth one year. Here's a brief video of him playing it:
I'm under the personal impression that the verythin-like hollow body/24 fret/16th fret body joint idea evolved into the mid-priced 6-string Conti guitars that are now made by Peerless in Korea. I've played them, they work.
I think one reason the original design used a bridge mounted into the top was because of the shallow neck angle - not a lot of room for a wooden bridge base, floating or otherwise. Peerless have since resolved this with some minor adjustments, and the guitars now have floating wooden bases. They have also moved to 16" bodies, and a laminated as well as a solid wood version.
"Turning your other guitars into dust collectors." Conti is a Vegas guy by choice. And it all bleeds out into his style of product marketing, how he plays, how he presents himself. Hey, he's out there, trying to make a living. He's not breaking any laws of which I'm aware, so I'm happy to cut him some slack. To me, the only thing that matters is the product itself. Not my bag - I prefer the guitars that I own and play, and they collect, uh, very little dust. There's nothing wrong with Peerless Conti guitar models if they float your boat.
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