Chinese Selmac

Spalo

Worth a look....

http://yunzhimusic.en.alibaba.com/product/251454822-200293420/yunzhi_fully_handmade_cutaway_acoustic_guitar.html

There are a few other Selmac types if you browse the site.

Does anyone know about the quality of these instruments?


Sp

AndrewUlle

I don't KNOW anything firsthand about these, but the bridge looks massive - "solid black ebony" with thumbwheel adjusters.

Jehu

No idea about the Selmer-style, but if you head on over to the jazzguitar.be forum you'll find lots of threads about their archtops, with generally quite favourable feedback.

My understanding is that several of Eastman's builders jumped ship and started Yunzhi, so they are not new to the instrument-building game.

dennis

Not sure if it's the same factory, but basically a company based out of Taiwan, Farida Guitars is behind many well known brands' budget guitars.. Saga Gitane, Eastman, and I forget which other ones... The US companies go to them, and Farida then deals with the Chinese factories. So I wonder if this Chinese factory does business with Farida

I only know this because by very pure coincidence, my cousin is the Farida owner's neighbor!

constantine

Not a selmac...archtop (not gypsy) bridge and classical strings?

crookedpinky

I've seen one or two Chinese Selmacs - they usually have thick heels and a truss rod cover and one or two other quirks. I think there are some which are made by companies which do not build for Saga etc. as those models bear no relation to what they produce. A friend of mine imported one, including a case, for about £120.00 and for the money it was a great starters guitar.

frater

If I remember well those are not traditional Selmac: both the top and the back are "carved", although the term has many different meanings in China :-)

crookedpinky

The guitar in the original post is sold under the name Draleon. I've seen them on Australian |Ebay and there are reviews and videos on Youtube.

crookedpinky

And here http://www.gypsyjazzguitars.com/guitar/gypsy/draleon/samois.html

frater

More crazy stuff from China:
http://yunzhimusic.en.alibaba.com/product/632373393-212959810/Wholesale_fully_handmade_solid_wood_mandolin_guitar.html

Barkonator

This looks like the mandolin that century strings was selling as the Draleon Royale. I bought one of these for my wife who is starting to learn to play this style of music on the mandolin. If this is the same model it sounds great! I bought it second hand from Emando.com it needed some set up work, but after that it is a very cool instrument.

I think my favorite thing about that listing is that the color is "Log"