Product: Dell'Arte Anouman
Price Paid: US $2635
Submitted
11/29/2003
at
10:27am
by
SteveYetter
Email: elrod1 at pacbell<dot>net
Features
:
9
'02/'03 Dell' Arte 12-fret (to the body) Anouman (Grande Bouche, or large mouth D-shaped soundhole).
Acoustic steel string "gypsy" guitar (Macciferli style).
Made in San Diego, USA.
22 medium frets (+ a zero fret) extending into soundhole (past 20) on a bound with rosewood ebony fretboard.
Scale length = 25.5" (648mm)
Width at nut = 1&13/16" (45mm)
Slotted (Classical type) head with bushed tuning machines (gold plated "Kluson" style).
Pearl dot position markers and silver side markers (excellent visibilty in low lighting).
Solid "domed" (arched both laterally and longitudinally) Engleman spruce top; Solid East Indian rosewood sides and back.
Non-adjustable ebony arched bridge with separate "mustache" pieces (extensions).
Heavy brass tailpiece with ebony and red-dyed leather insert accomodates looped or ball end steel strings.
Gloss lacquer on mild cutaway "Selmer/Macciferli" style body with rosewood binding and w/b/w trim accents on top, sides, and back (Classical style appointments) with exquisite mitre'd joints throughout.
Authentically European all the way.
Excellent fitting five-latch deluxe arched hardshell case included.
Sound
:
10
Quintessential Django Reinhart "Gypsy Jazz" type guitar.
LOUD, strident, midrangey, resonant.
It "sings" for lead or rhythm work in the Gypsy Jazz genre.
Cuts through when whammed on, yet articulate for arpeggiated chords, and is quite sweet with finger vibrato.
An acquired taste.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Top drawer all the way.
The fit and finish is impeccable. Every mitre'd trim joint is perfectly done.
Medium action (for the type, which calls for somewhat higher action due to slightly light strings (0.011" - 0.045") used on these lightweight and resonant bodies. Medium "C" shape neck profile with slight lateral fretboard curvature. Much less clumsy than a Classical neck.
"Domed" top is correctly arched in both length and width to facilitate lighter construction while retaining sufficient strength for steel strings.
Something of a modified European Classical guitar sensibility in trim and execution.
Excellent playability.
Exquisite. Like a jewel.
Never seen better.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
No strap buttons. You play these while sitting, traditionally. It would be a sin to drill any holes in it.
Just sit down.
It's not about rockin' out or moondancing, spinning, etc.
The design has stood the test of time when properly executed like this piece of artwork.
No worries
Customer Support
:
8
No direct experience, but have heard comforting stories about good support and satisfaction.
Usual warranty for non-fools and players, if not complete idiots.
Overall Rating
:
10
Playing guitar since 1960. All styles, eventually gravitating to Jazz, and now, more exciting "Gypsy Jazz."
Frank Zappa was right: there are now infants in Europe that can play like Mahavishnu John Maglauphlin!
I traded in everything else plus some cash to get this guitar. I'm totally sold on it.
Nothing I've ever experienced with guitar comes close to this taste, once acquired.
Dell' Arte makes several models. I also tried a Selmer "petite bouche" style "Studio Chorus" model (less trim) with the same scale length, but opted for the slightly more volume an open sound of the this D-shaped soundhole Anouman.
There are also longer scalelengths, 14 frets clear-of-the-body models, etc. available.
This one's for me though. I like everything about it.
It is a beautiful work of art.
Terrific sound, playability, and exquisite construction and detail.
Not like a production guitar at all, but a hand luthiered custom.
It's got a "vibe."
