Shelly Park

Chiefbigeasy

This sounds like the dilemma and I and many other inexperienced and less well-traveled players have to face. Since there are few if any of these guitars in many other parts of the country or the world, for that matter, we need to depend on someone else. It's beginning to sound like a plug for Michael here Djangobooks!

When I was ready to take the plunge, I was able to consider one of several used guitars about which Michael and I discussed. So, a number of advantages come to mind. The used guitar, for example, has been played, and if there were any problems, they would have shown up. By the way, we also discussed Shelley Park guitars and they were part of my consideration. Secondly, Michael is able to knowledgeably describe the characteristics of each of his instruments, and he also provides a video from which we can judge. I think I had the added advantage of the video that was included with Alves de Puga I purchased, in which the luthier talked about his guitar (albeit, in French), and a great performer played it.

Does Shelly Park make a great guitar? The consensus seems to be yes. Does she stand behind her instruments if there's a problem? Don't know. That would warrant some research, but her reputation seems to be good.

So, Andrew, your dilemma seems similar to the one I faced. I think I got lucky and got a great guitar (two, actually, I still like my Altamira). My advice would be to purchase a used guitar with a known brand name that will hold it's value in case you want to sell it and get something else.

rgrice

Seems to be enough of a consensus just on this forum about who makes good guitars. I would second @Chiefbigeasy on going through Michael and/or buying used as Denis also suggested, especially through Michael or other reputable dealer. Most of us don't have any access to GJ guitars, except the occasional Gitane, to try before we buy or resources to go to festivals, which are distant and costly.

Scoredog

I bought my Park from a dealer (Caravan). I wanted to play with the bridge height and mentioned it to Shelly. A new bridge was in my mailbox within days no charge.

Charlie Ayers

I've owned a number of Park guitars and interacted with the builder on a number of occasions. Parks are built by a very nice, communicative, responsible, and very talented luthier who builds guitars that stand out for their impeccable workmanship and beautiful woods. I've found them to be reliably very comfortable and easy to play, with great setup and fast necks.

Guitar comfort and tonal desirability are very personal, of course. Sadly there aren't enough Gypsy jazz events to allow exposure to most of the fine builders out there, especially the European ones, so purchase by long distance is often necessary (unless you live in one of a few selected locations). Send me an email if I can answer any questions for you.

Russell Letson

The best way to choose a guitar is by playing a bunch, preferably after having played bunches more and developed an ear and a feel. The second-best way is to rely on an experienced dealer or builder who is willing to go to the trouble of describing his instruments--or, as Michael does, of posting videos with consistent audio representation of the sounds. The much-less-satisfactory approach is to listen to other people's subjective impressions of sound and playability--unless those other people are known to you as reliable (in which case we're in pretty much the same territory as with the experienced dealer). The least satisfactory approach is to pay attention to random on-line characterizations, which are probably about as reliable as eBay descriptions from unknown sellers.

I'm not even sure I would rely on, say, recordings and concert videos, since I've personally witnessed players coax out of a guitar sounds that I could never manage. One nice thing about Michael's demo videos is that he plays the same material in the same manner--and I've seen him perform live, so I have a pretty good idea of what that set of variables means. And even so, I very much value that 48-hour approval period, because my hands and ears aren't his.

I have the great good fortune to live an hour away from an excellent guitar town and the additional good fortune to have been able to attend DFNW several years running, where I could play and hear all kinds of guitars. I doubt that I would have had the nerve to buy a Dunn sight unheard, but Michael D. brought a nice selection over the years and I was able to find my ear-mate. If you're serious about getting a really good guitar, go to the festivals and workshops and bring a wad of cash. And be patient. (And apologies if I've just given a bunch of egg-sucking lessons. Sometimes the old teacher in me rises up and takes over.)

Buco

Denis as always has a really insightful and balanced things to say.
I would only like to add if and when the instrument develops a structural issue the question is did the luthier built the guitar knowing this issue might crop up but hoping it would be ok or the luthier was completely unaware?

When they get the wood in their hands with which to build an instrument they weren't in control of the process of that material prior to it reaching their shop. I guess the experience can give you tools to judge a piece of wood but they're not without fault and it's conceivable that the instrument was built with the best intentions but it ends up developing a problem.

It happened to me, the neck on my guitar became unstable after about a year and local techs tried to take care of it a few times but the neck ended up moving again. I informed the luthier as soon as it moved the first time and he immediately said he'll take care of if I can send to him. The problem was he's half way across the world and FedEx was estimating between $5-700 every time I asked. I don't know why a different person behind a counter would give me a different price but even at the cheapest estimate it was still too much. So I thought obviously it would be cheaper to repair it locally which didn't work in the end.

Than I find out, which I was completely unaware of, that USPS ships internationally and the cost should be a fraction of FedEx.
And it was, I ended up paying less than a $100 and a little over that for a return trip.
The luthier looked at the guitar and he decided to replace the fretboard. That of course involved a lot of the other work, new fret job, bridge set up, zero nut and probably the stuff I'm not even aware off.
One other local tech suggested the same thing by the way, but his and other shop's estimates were around a $1000 bucks so obviously I didn't go down that road.

The work was done by the luthier for free.
The guitar sounds and feels better than ever.

I've played four other guitars made by the same guy and none had any issues over the years whatsoever. So I don't think my problem was something that he knew about but tried to squeeze it by hoping it would be OK. I mean in the process of building an instrument the cost of using a different piece of wood and reworking something that's been already done before the instrument is finished cant's be that that costly or complicated for them.
This is still my luthier of choice if I ever find money and a need for another GJ guitar. I still think the ratio of price versus the quality of instrument and the sound can't be beat in the world of hand made, single person shop gypsy jazz guitars.

I thought it'd be OK to mention my experience since the thread kinda moved in that direction anyway.

Buco

And there's a different experience by a friend of mine that's not so great.
I wanted to mention it in a different post since my previous one was already a lengthy one.
He got a guitar from a very reputable builder, highly regarded in the world of hand made GJ guitars.
He paid a pretty good $ for it, I think around 4K.
After about a few months the top caved in slightly, the action was very low and with the buzz it created it was unplayable.
He took a guitar to several techs who all confirmed that the top caved in.
He ended up shimming the bridge.
The builder, after contacted, didn't offer any resolution to the problem stating it's a normal process of wood settling in.
So there's that too.
The guitar still sounds nice though and after that initial cave in didn't move further as far as I'm aware.
But it would've have been nice, I thought, if the builder offered some help. Anything, a new bridge, to cover the expense of local tech doing a new set up, I don't know, something. With how much the guitar cost initially it couldn't have made a huge dent in makers profit.
If that was my experience I wouldn't exactly run to order another guitar from the same maker.

AndrewUlle

At the risk of losing a possible bargain, a link to the Shelley Park on ebay, but with no insignia on the headstock. Thoughts - possible knockoff or unauthorized specimen? Seller describes it as an Avance, but those are 14 fret, according to Shelley's website.

http://tinyurl.com/lamfwyy

Charles Meadows

I didn't mean to offend anyone by the Taylor reference - sorry if I did. But the one specimen I played sounded dead. But that was just one guitar. Sounds like the consensus is that Parks are on the whole pretty good.

Charles Meadows

Hey Scoredog is this the one you bought? Wow this sounds great.