Dupont Bebop

[Jx30510]

Asking for advice here, from great people on this forum, for me miles ahead in quality and knowledge.
Looking forward getting a good hollowbody, my search is getting a little more precise.
I have targeted three guitars, which could seem quite different, but these are the ones that really appeal to me :

* a 1972 Gibson ES150 DC
* Eastman FV680
* Maurice Dupont Bebop

So my inquiry would be on the Dupont, very little information on this instrument (well, virtually no information).
Dupont is highly regarded for his Gypsy Jazz guitars. Very less known for his archtop.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
This subject is related to the Dupont, non the less I would be happy to hear from you on the two other guitars. Thanks

[Jx30510]

Here is the Dupont
Mahogany neck, all maple laminated, 16' lower bout, ebony fingerboard

The price, new, is 3200€. I have the opportunity to get it for 1800€

The picture is the very guitar for sale

[Cunamara]

Jeepers, that is beautiful! Reminiscent of Joe Pass's last Gibson guitar.

[Jx30510]

Yes it's really a beautiful guitar
Well I pulled the trigger, I'm getting it next week. I'll report my impressions.
I was sent a lot of pictures and it's in great shape
I was a bit nervous putting 3000€ in the Gibson ES150 DC, it's too much money for me, and the Eastman FV680, while a bit less (2500€), has a 25'75 scale length, which I'm less accustomed to for the complex chords I want to improve.

[Jx30510]

Here more pictures of it

[Rob MacKillop]

I hope it works out for you. Dupont make quality instruments, so you should be ok.

[MAJackson]

I played a Dupont BeBop when Maurice was exhibiting his guitars at the Salon de la Belle Guitare during the Guitares au Beffroi event a couple years back. All of his guitars are really well made. From memory, I think his Belleville model is the direct ES-175 equivalent, whereas the BeBop is something different. It didn't seem Gibson derived. The Benedetti pickup in the one I played also contributed to that impression. Very nice guitar.

[Matt Milton]

I played a Dupont OM shape flattop guitar once: really nice. I tried it out just before i tried a few Collings Waterloo guitars of similar specs. The Dupont was much better in my opinion (and also about £500 cheaper)

[Jx30510]

Thanks for the input
So the Bebop isn't a recreation of some kind of Gibson Es165?
What I find strange is that there is absolutely no sound examples of this guitar anywhere.

[Jx30510]

And the pickup has been changed
It's a Haussel pickup, a German boutique builder
I had never heard of him before

[m_d]

I found those few clips featuring two Dupont archtops, the Saint-Louis and one of the solid wood models

[christianm77]

Looks mega. I’ve never played a DuPont I haven’t liked, but haven’t tried the archtops.

the Lloyd models are SUPER interesting to me.

[Jx30510]

Wow thanks for the vids
I really like the St Louis sound, which is quite close to the Bebop, laminated.
I'm getting it on Tuesday, a bit impatient I must admit. The guy told me he also has the TOM bridge that will be supplied, nice

[MAJackson]

The Dupont Saint-Louis is the best ES-125 style guitar that anyone is currently making.

[jpb]

Great video's! Thanks! I like the way Carter plays behind the solo's. I can't say anything on the Duponts, other than that the solid top would be my pick. But Euro 1800 seems like a very good deal for the Dupont Bebop. I would not choose an ES-150 DC. Jesse van Ruller played one for some time and I didn't like his tone then.

[Fred29]

Good afternoon.

Jx30510, at the moment I am interested in the Dupont Bebop model.
What is your opinion since June 2020.
Thank you for your response.

[-Milos-]

I see you're located in France, I you have an occasion to go to Guitare Village they currently have 3 different models of Dupont archtop in stock (2 used & 1 new). No Be Bop but still interesting to try. When Maurice Dupont had is show room in Paris I tried several models including Belleville, St Louis & Be Bop and ended ordering a St Louis w/ humbucker & cutaway. Wonderful guitar.

[Fred29]

I went to Guitare Village to try the St Louis, but I haven't seen a Belleville or Bebop yet. The Parisian shop closed a long time ago, but do you remember your impressions of the Belleville and Bebop?

[-Milos-]

I went to Guitare Village to try the St Louis, but I haven't seen a Belleville or Bebop yet. The Parisian shop closed a long time ago, but do you remember your impressions of the Belleville and Bebop?

The Belleville sounded pretty close to the St Louis but the Bebop was a different cat. I remember it had a benedetti pick up, very nice ebony fretboard, nice articulated sound, more a "real jazz guitar" than the other ones if you see what I mean. Shape of the neck was quite the same.

[Fred29]

Thank you for your information.
The belleville is the one that comes closest to the ES175 (J.Pass, J.Hall, G.Green ...).
"real jazz guitar", what period, what jazzman are you thinking of ?

[-Milos-]

To me es125 & es175 (single P90) are pretty close, that's what I meant comparing Belleville & Saint Louis. As you mentioned it's been a while since I tried the bebop (precisely in 2015 when the shop was still open with Jo Berg as local Luthier & Hepcat Pickups hosted in the same place) but I played a Sadowsky Jim Hall and it reminded me the bebop. I see the Saint Louis as more versatile & the bebop more dedicated exclusively to jazz, maybe because of the fretboard & pickup location (and maybe the look)...

[Fred29]

Maurice Dupont told me that the 125 and 175 just have aesthetic differences.
I have had a Dupont folk for a long time and I really like its neck and now that I want an archtop I am looking at Dupont.

Around 2013 I went to the store to try a Strat and I also found it very comfortable. That day I tried the Sadowsky Jim Hall, from memory I think the neck is narrower than the Dupont.

I am looking for an ES175 type jazz guitar like j.Hall, J.Pass, K.Burell and many others have played.
I should make my choice between the Belleville and the Bebop.

[caue amaral]

Here apparently a Bebop...

...here's a Belleville...