Comments

• TimmyHawken Lansing,MINew

  February 2011 Posts: 118

  I had owned the 250, but my buddy had the 250m and I had wished that I had gone with the 250m. It's a bit brighter, but it's definitely personal prefference. If I'd do it over again (buy my first GJ guitar) I'd go with either John Jorgenson Gitane model or, if that's out of your range, go with a cheaper Cigano with the proffesional set-up. Gitane or Cigano, definitely get the pro-set-up--it's worth it.
• joshua6606 New

  February 2011 Posts: 6

  What does the professional set up consist of? Do they put a new bridge on?
• TimmyHawken Lansing,MINew

  February 2011 Posts: 118

  ...What I meant to say earlier was the "full set-up special" which includes the bridge and fret-level. Those will be a big improvement on the playability and even sound. A custom bridge makes a huge difference--even on higher-end guitars. I recently had a bridge built for my Dupont. It made a world of difference.
• joshua6606 New

  February 2011 Posts: 6

  Greatly appreciate the advice. Im leaning towards the 250m.
• adrian AmsterdamVirtuoso

  February 2011 Posts: 545

  Hey there,
  
  I've had a DG-250M for a little over five years. It's a solid starter gypsy jazz guitar. I've recorded a lot of YouTube videos with it -- see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fWcZ6tNYdI for a recent example. It's got a comfortable neck and decent tone for the price. No regrets about getting it as my first gypsy jazz guitar.
  
  Adrian

  soundslice.com/users/adrian
• noodlenot ✭✭✭

  February 2011 Posts: 388

  i´ve never played either of those, but, as a rule of thumb the material of the back doesn´t mean much by itself... it all depends on a lot of factors.
  
  a maple guitar is often assumed to have a brighter tone than a rosewood one (and, by extension, to have a bright sound per se) but that doesn´t convey the whole picture. the kind of maple used (european, rock, sugar), it´s grain, stiffness, the thickness of the back produced from the wood, the hight of the sides all play an important role on sound reflection / colouring.
  on top of this, gipsy guitar´s backs and sides are usually made of laminated veneers (i hope i´m using the right term, as i´m no english speaker) of wood, usually rosewood / maple (exterior), poplar (middle, with perpendicular grain) and mahogany (in the interior) which should dilute the crude effect of the outer wood laminate, be it maple or rosewood or other...
  
  resuming : you´ll have to try them to make an informed decision decision.
  
  
  regarding bridges, i´m of the opinion that one of the beauties of gipsy guitars is that you can change the bridge to alter the tone, which gives you an extra degree of choice. if you can, get more than one bridge (say, a ebony and a rosewood one - madagascar rosewood being a good choice, IMVHO)
  
  cheers,
  Miguel.
• BluesBop Harry Mexico city, MexicoVirtuoso

  February 2011 Posts: 1,379

  For around $850 you can get:
  
  a) Cigano GJ-10 with setup special, hardshell case and Schatten pickup
  b) a 250M with case and new bridge + a Wegen pick or strings
  c) a Jorgenson without case
  
  I had a 250 and it was good for starting out. My student's Cigano is better and with a new bridge and setup would blow it out of the water hands down! plus it costs less
  
  The 250M also has a maple neck so that should alter the tone more than the back/sides, I've played a couple and liked them a bit better than the rosewood model.
  
  If you can get a Jorgenson and case that would be my choice. It sounds better, has a fatter neck than all other lower end sagas (BIG + if you ask me), looks awesome and you have a a choice of long scale D-hole or oval... if not I'd probably get the Cigano with as many extras as you can afford.
  
  Good luck!
• rottjung New

  May 2011 Posts: 40

  Looks like the cigano gets alot of credit just by putting it in a list like that...?
  I bought one for 200euro and I'm not complaining but i would dare putting it besides a 250, 250m certainly not the jorgenson... or does changing the bridge and stuff make the guitar feel better...?
  
  Its a good practise guitar for 200 euro you don't have to be carefull with.
  but you feel the cheapness while playing, if you know what i mean?
  the neck feels like it's concave, not that it is. it's probably the sharp edges make it feel that way.
• Stringswinger Santa Cruz and San Francisco, CA✭✭✭✭ 1993 Dupont MD-20, Shelley Park Encore

  May 2011 Posts: 465

  I have owned a 250m and a Jorgenson (oval hole). I have played many others and have also played Ciganos and plain 250 s.
  
  All are slightly different, in fact every Gitane is slightly different. The Jorgenson is by far the best. A good 250m would be my second choice. My 250m was one that John Jorgenson hand picked from Saga's warehouse and was a better guitar than any Ciganos that I have played.
  
  Good luck!
  
  Cheers,
  
  Marc
  www.hotclubpacific.com

  "When the chord changes, you should change" Joe Pass
• B25Gib Bremerton WA✭✭✭✭ Holo Busato, Dell'Arte Hommage, Gitane D-500, Eastman AR805

  May 2011 Posts: 184

  .....My 1st GJ was a 250m. I liked the solo lead note projection and tone, but was never fully happy with the rhythm chord sound as it was somewhat "damped" a little "muddy" and not "crisp." It may have been attributable to a heavy coat of urethane on the top of this 2004 model. I sold it about 5 years ago.