1976 Jacques Favino 14 Fret Oval Hole Guitar with Bigtone Pickup (Modele #10 - Serial #518) TKL Hard

This is it!! The classic Jacques Favino sound that is so loved by Gypsy jazz musicians world wide. This guitar has all the Favino characteristics: A prominent upper mid range which gives a "nasal" sound. Deeper bass notes then a Selmer and a "grinding" lower mid-range, and that famous Favino bark. Best of all, this guitar has the qualities that only age can bring: a sparkley, shimmering high end and a "tight", defined low end. The guitar has the "crisp" sound you only hear with aged instruments. Like most older Favinos, it's a bit wet sounding but each note has a very strong fundamental with no strange overtones or sympathetic ringing. A new Favino copy like a Dell Arte Hommage will sound similar, but because they're new they sound muddier, murkier, and duller and also have a lot of overtone ringing. The vintage Favino is much clearer...and has just loads of mojo and character.

If you like the classic Favino sound on the early Boulou Ferre recordings like Gypsy Dreams and Pour Django, Bireli's early recordings (Swing '81 and Routes to Django), or Han'sche Weiss/Lulu Reinhardt (Lulu Swing) then this is the guitar for you!

This guitar currently has very low action around 2mm. It plays very easily and is not buzzy. I shimmed the bridge up to around 2.5mm and it got somewhat louder and had more bark. Both setups work well and it's just a matter of personal preference.

The guitar has a bigtone installed which has been tested and sounds surprisingly good.

The guitar has some battle scars. Most notably a hole in the top which was repaired. Also, there's small spot on the side which slightly caved in. There's also a little pit in the fretboard on the 1st fret which has no effect on playability or sound. It also has various small dings and places were the finish has worn off. All in all, in pretty good shape for a guitar of it's age and everything seems to be stable.

This guitar has the original Salavtore Billardi tuners (although one is a BB [Bartolomeo Busato] tuner??!!) and SB tailpiece which are very collectible now. Two of the tuner buttons were replaced with replicas, but the rest are original.

The woods are Indian rosewood back and sides, spruce top, and a three piece maple neck.

Jacques Favinos are becoming increasingly rare these days....it seems that Busatos are even easier to find to then Jacques Favinos.

There is a strap peg mounted in the heel.

This is the CASH price...add 3% if you'd like to pay with a credit card. 4% for International orders.