Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

well, i've been jonesin' for one of these gypsies for awhile now and after selling off a bunch of stuff i hadn't been using i decided it was time. arrived late saturday afternoon just before i had to leave to a gig and yesterday was a busy day w band prct and other running around. so i plan on spending some quality time w it today.

it's a Paris Swing GG-42, a mid priced asian gtr that goes around the $600-$650 mark. i found this one w a nice hard case shipped for $535 cos' it has a cpl of small and pretty much invisible blems on the neck heel (really...who cares about that).

i think it looks like it belongs in a salvidor dali painting and i keep waiting for bats to fly outta the soundhole. this thing is a canon. i think i'm gonna enjoy this!

Looks like it's made out of plastic and you left it by the fire. How does it sound? Does it have a pickup, tuner, EQ etc?

solid spruce top (nice tight even grain). rosewood back and sides. rosewood f-board. grover tuners. it's a straight up acoustic w no pickup or tuner. (w the size of that soundhole it won't be any problem getting to the underside of the bridge should i want to mount a cpl of inexpensive piezos down the rd.

quick first impressions .....this thing is BIG! i had to check it against my Peerless Monarch archtop which is a big honking 17" across the lower bout but this is actually just a little thinner. it might seem so big because it narrows considerably for the upper bout width. the cosmetic blems are largely unnoticeable... and as shallow as it might sound... i REALLY dig the looks and vibe of this gtr. right now the action is kinda stout for me (i'm a total pu**y when it comes to my gtrs action) and as much as i dig the considerable volume from it this way, i'm gonna have to lower it (no biggie w the floating bridge).

the tone is very interesting...it totally has the "gypsy thing" going on w the diminished bass and heavy in your face mids and cutting treble... but it's not too obnoxious as is often the case w some "gypsies".

this gtr is what's called "Favilla style" and they're known for that slightly warmer tone w a little more bottom. now, no one would ever confuse it's sound w a dreadnaught though! the neck is VERY different....nice and comfortably wide spacing but front to back it's kinda thin and quite flat on the back! weird at first but after just a few minutes playing it i got used to it and dig it.

maybe the weirdest thing is the long 26 1/2" scale length but i think i'm already getting used to that.

did i mention this sucker is LOUD!

I look for loud in an acoustic these days, but I also look for the onboard electronics. Definitely like to try it.

i've got a busy few days but i'll try to record and put up some stuff w it for you to check out.

Does that sign say "Elderly Guitars"?

gtZip wrote:Does that sign say "Elderly Guitars"?

it does. not who i purchased the gtr from though. i just purloined their photo.

It's rather odd looking . . . hope she sounds good.

That's a nice looking guitar!
I'd always wanted to get a Selmer "Fudd" model, but they are so rare I couldn't afford it.

A plastic Mac would be more my speed anyway.
Even has fret markers on the back of the neck so everyone can see where you're at when you play with your teeth.

VinnyViolin wrote:That's a nice looking guitar!
I'd always wanted to get a Selmer "Fudd" model, but they are so rare I couldn't afford it.

A plastic Mac would be more my speed anyway.
Even has fret markers on the back of the neck so everyone can see where you're at when you play with your teeth.

That is a nice guitar

PaperDog wrote:

VinnyViolin wrote:That's a nice looking guitar!
I'd always wanted to get a Selmer "Fudd" model, but they are so rare I couldn't afford it.

A plastic Mac would be more my speed anyway.
Even has fret markers on the back of the neck so everyone can see where you're at when you play with your teeth.

That is a nice guitar

Well, ok ... it is much nicer than my guitar playing would warrant.

well, the tone you get w these gypsy gtrs...ya either love 'em or hate 'em. it's definitely not a "pretty" sound. very cutting and in your face.

vinny, i've seen those plastic Mac's go for as little as $200. i think ya need one!

My engineer Pete just picked up a 1956 Harmony. The neck is coming away from the body, the sound is rather small and the action is a little high but it was cool to play such an old guitar.

jimmydanger wrote:My engineer Pete just picked up a 1956 Harmony. The neck is coming away from the body, the sound is rather small and the action is a little high but it was cool to play such an old guitar.

flat top or archtop? i've got a '58 (Harmony made) Alden archtop that i just love. won it on ebay for $63 and had the neck reset for $50 by a luthier friend. it's my go to "around the house gtr".

very polite volume (i've got the action way down) but it's a real fun player.

those old Harmony and KAY archtops can be real sleepers and can be had at good prices. my duo mate Val picked up her old KAY archtop for $25!

It's a flat-top with the f-holes. He said it originally had a pick guard which is gone. I believe he paid $300 for it which is amazing for a guitar that old.