Gerome or Patenotte

spaco

Hi there, i am new here. my guitar is a Castelluccia and i would like to buy a second gipsy, vintage 50' with hole in been shape. So i hesitate between a Gerome and Patenotte. Anyone know both and could tell me his feeling about this 2 models? (Hope my English is understable enough)

spaco

gerome.jpg

patenotte.jpg

spaco

Joli Gadjo

Those guitars should be similar.
I understood from Jacques Mazzoleni that old Patenottes or Geromes were rather inconsistant. For Patenottes, I know that only high end models have / had solid top.
The only option to know it, is to try them both...

pickitjohn

@spaco
I've got a Patenotte 260 his top of the line guitar, as a matter of Fact Joli Gadjo was the original owner, There are some pictures in the Guitar Archive page.
http://www.djangobooks.com/gallery/

It took a bit of set up to get where I Love it, new bridge and Gali Silk and Steel are a great match for it. It is a short scale 640mm neck. I would definitely play them both as JG recommended.

pick on
pickitjohn :peace:

spaco

many thanks for your advises !

pickitjohn your Patenotte is really beautiful
& ok Joli Gadjo, i have to try them both
I was expecting the inconsistant side of these guitars

But at first in may i 've planed a visit to Mirecourt for a Master class with Yorgui L at Philippe Moneret's workshop (ex Gerome), he built a "Yorgui Loeffler" model very close of the original Gérome.
The price is expensive (3500€) but maybe the option to order a new one with a clear and hot sound should be better...

I had the occasion to try a Castelluccia Django's Castle D mouth (2500€), wonderful hot & clear sound but i dislike the big big D mouths.

My ideal would be an bean hole 50's one with a very good sound of course, ...unless an old Castelluccia a bit more expensive than the 2 others, maybe that mean better quality, sound ??

Joli Gadjo

Although Yorgui's guitar is expensive, I am pretty sure Moneret has some more affordable guitars.
Send an email to Benoit de Bretagne, he is the one who puts back in shape the old Castelluccias in France. As he probably see some quite often, he should be able to help you to find one.
Also think Di Mauro Boogie Woogie or also Couesnon, those have smaller D-holes.

Navajo

An old post, but as I was searching out of curiosity, I'd highly recommend and prefer Gerome. I restore instruments, and Rene Gerome was a luthier's luthier, back and sides generally of Brazilian Rosewood in my experience, and inventor of the thumb screw adjustable bridge. His archtops and backs are very unique and a beauty to behold..Originally a mandolin maker, and also produced several Gelas models. Mandolins are of very fine quality.

The image of my profile is a pre-restored Rene Gerome,pre war..

Patenotte and Miller et all were too large for my taste, have mostly mid to low end instruments imho. Laminates, unrefined. Cetainly Gerome had some too, but the quality of most of his work is high end, when found. Others used laminate tops and low end woods, unrefined inside, etc.

His sons continued with quality instruments and Moneret's work is very good and his instruments are well worth the price IMHO.

But the market is what it is..and most players are not qualified for the instruments they own.

Someone else I highly recommend to keep an eye for who is not very well known is Francesco Olivieri. Sicilian emigre to Paris c.1935. Known for using high end woods and refined...rare for this time and manouche instruments as you all know.