Comments

• slowlearner ✭✭

  July 2014 Posts: 39

  Are you sure it doesn't have a truss rod? I have a second hand Dell'Arte that I purchased from Michael that does not have a truss rod cap on the headstock. What Michael told me was that many GJ guitars have truss rods that are only adjustable from the inside. I'm no expert and I had hoped Michael or one of the luthiers would have provided a more informed opinion.
  If the price is right and you like the guitar I'd say buy it. My guess is that if you loosen the strings and can squeeze your hand inside you'll find an adjustment nut for the truss rod. ( I could be wrong...it's happened before)
• pickitjohn South Texas Corpus, San Antonio, AustinVirtuoso Patenotte 260

  July 2014 Posts: 936

  @jonpowl
  
  Specs. from 2001 Michael sold here…
  http://www.djangobooks.com/Item/dell-arte-minor-swing-4
  
  Brand Dell'Arte
  Year 2001
  Model Number Minor Swing
  Serial Number 0501452
  Sound Hole Oval
  Fret Neck 14 Fret
  Condition Very Good
  Size 15 15/16"
  Scale Length 675mm
  Nut Width 1 7/8"
  Top Spruce
  Back and Sides Indian Rosewood (Solid)
  Neck Mahogany
  Fingerboard Ebony
  Binding Ivoroid
  Finish High Gloss
  Tailpiece Saga Nickel
  Tuners Kluson Nickel
  Action 2.8mm
  Strings Argentine 1610MF
  Case DATT Hardshell
  Pickup(s) None
  Truss Rod Yes
  Weight 4.25 lbs
  
  My 2005 Hommage is inside sound hole close to the top
  
  pick on
  
  pickitjohn :peace:

  Warning There was an error rendering this rich post.
• jonpowl Hercules, CA✭✭✭ Dupont MD-100, Altamira M01F

  July 2014 Posts: 705

  The current owner of the guitar told me he can't see the truss rod inside the guitar but John Kinnard was nice enough to reply to my email inquiry and said that there should be a truss rod. Unfortunately, it is a 4.5 hour drive to see the guitar. As it has a cracked top, which is longer than I originally thought, I'll probably wait for a nicer guitar. If anybody is interested it can be found here. Thanks for the assistance!
• MichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator

  July 2014 Posts: 6,153

  @jonpowl it could possibly be one of the early Mexican built Dell Artes. I think some of them didn't have truss rods, but I can't say for sure.
  
  Every US built Dell Arte I've seen has had a truss rod, always accessed from within the soundhole.
• jonpowl Hercules, CA✭✭✭ Dupont MD-100, Altamira M01F

  July 2014 Posts: 705

  Thanks @MichaelHorowitz! The inside label does say it was handcrafted in San Diego by John Kinnard, so I'm pretty sure it is US made. John Kinnard said the same thing in his email. I'm more worried about the 5-6" crack on the top, even though it is supposed to be very slight. Serial # is 899XXX.
• klaatu Nova ScotiaProdigy Rodrigo Shopis D'Artagnan, 1950s Jacques Castelluccia

  July 2014 Posts: 1,665

  Has the crack been cleated? A well repaired crack should not be a problem. Michael Bauer has a '64 Favino with sixteen (!) cracks in the top, and it's the only Favino I've ever played that I thought sound better than mine.

  Benny
  
  "It's a great feeling to be dealing with material which is better than yourself, that you know you can never live up to."
  -- Orson Welles
• jonpowl Hercules, CA✭✭✭ Dupont MD-100, Altamira M01F

  July 2014 Posts: 705

  No repairs have been done to the crack. The owner says it is very minor, more like a "hair line" crack. The trouble is that the guitar is located deep in the mountains southeast of Lake Tahoe. I would only drive that far for a perfect guitar at a great price.