Best way to try a lot of Gypsy jazz guitars in one place?

ebertius

I'm about a year into my jazz manouche journey and am loving every minute!

I've gotten myself started on a Saga Gitane DG-255 and like it a lot. Turns out I’m heading to Paris next month and want to take advantage of the pilgrimage!

I understand Guitare Village is the biggest guitar shop in the vicinity, but it’s pretty far outside the city. Within Paris, it seems Castelluccia and Casanova are worth visiting. Anything else? It would be great to try out a range of Duponts - where does one go?

Here in the U.S. - is the best way to educate myself about different builders to attend Django festivals? I’m in California — is DjangoFest Northwest the best on the West Coast?

Buco

It sounds like you're already aware of most of it but here's past topic on the subject with the address for a DuPont showroom (if it's still in the same place)

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/13923/paris-gypsy-guitar-shops

Fly and visit Michael in Seattle if you can afford it. That's on my bucket list. Festivals are great to see, hear and try a lot. DFNW is the biggest on the West Coast. Django in June on the East Coast. Several other smaller ones. Not a lot of luthiers come to these, but you just ask people to try their guitars. Lot of luthiers do come to Samois festival and set up shops. There's a shop in LA area that we don't mention here for business competing reason but easily searched.

Cheers

pdg

I'd go to Guitare Village, even if it's an hour outside Paris.

wim

Oh, you should definitely still go to Guitare Village. It's not that far, really, probably less than an hour from Gare du Nord.