Audiofanzine FR
Published on 12/07/08 at 12:10
(Originally written by seba.j/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
- The MD50E (by Maurice Dupont) is a French instrument made in Cognac.
The fingerboard has 22 frets. I use it with a Stimer pickup also made by MD. The sound is very clean but I find the instrument tends to sound too much like an electric. It's a pity for an acoustic instrument. But I must also mention that I use a Laney LC50 amp, which isn't really conceived for acoustic instruments.
The edge of the body begins at the 15th fret.
- An additional bridge is provided with the guitar but the first one doesn't seem to wear away...
Features:
- Curly or birdseye multi-ply maple back and sides (mine has a wonderful curly maple)
- French spruce top
- Curly maple neck with wonderful ebony fingerboard. This pleasant neck reminds me a Gibson LP
- Glossy varnish (very fragile)
- Brass tailpiece
- Golden machine heads (very good quality)
- Sold with a case (average quality compared with the guitar)
UTILIZATION
- Slim (see above).
- Easy access to the upper frets thanks to the cutaway (at least up to the A of the thinest string, above that you'll have to place your thumb on the back of the neck).
- This Selmer copy is very ergonomic. You'll understand why Django Reinhardt chose this body shape.
The guitar is very light.
- The instrument produces the typical gypsy sound, which it can't be described, just listen to it! It produces exactly the sound I wanted. No other guitar I've ever played gave me this sound. However, before buying it I hesitated between the MD and the Puga Alves DR670, which is also made of curly maple.
I find the lows could be more powerful but I'm still looking for the right string set.
The sound is VERY accurate from the first to the last fret.
SOUNDS
- Does it fit my music style? Yes it does!
- I don't know how to answer this question... I just love the sound of this guitar.
OVERALL OPINION
- I've been playing it daily for over one year and I'm addicted.
- I will only mention what I like least (everything else belongs to the pros of the guitar): the varnish is quite delicate. If you want your instrument to stay in a perfect condition for a long time, you'll have to cover everything with soft cloth... But that's the price you pay for such a high-quality sound. And when you look at the guitars of renowned artists you understand that the sound is the only thing that matters. Nevertheless, I talked about it with M. Dupont, whom I met during a festival in June 2008, and rubbing and varnishing the guitar is not expensive considering the instrument's price.
- I tried out many guitars in a short period but I had never tested a gypsy guitar. I'll test other instruments in the future.
- When I bought it I thought the guitar was expensive but guitars above a certain price do sound much better... The value for money is perfect but I only compared it to budget guitars.
- I'm sure I would buy it again. If I ever want to buy another guitar I'll buy one of the same brand and perhaps made of some other wood.
- The MD50E (by Maurice Dupont) is a French instrument made in Cognac.
The fingerboard has 22 frets. I use it with a Stimer pickup also made by MD. The sound is very clean but I find the instrument tends to sound too much like an electric. It's a pity for an acoustic instrument. But I must also mention that I use a Laney LC50 amp, which isn't really conceived for acoustic instruments.
The edge of the body begins at the 15th fret.
- An additional bridge is provided with the guitar but the first one doesn't seem to wear away...
Features:
- Curly or birdseye multi-ply maple back and sides (mine has a wonderful curly maple)
- French spruce top
- Curly maple neck with wonderful ebony fingerboard. This pleasant neck reminds me a Gibson LP
- Glossy varnish (very fragile)
- Brass tailpiece
- Golden machine heads (very good quality)
- Sold with a case (average quality compared with the guitar)
UTILIZATION
- Slim (see above).
- Easy access to the upper frets thanks to the cutaway (at least up to the A of the thinest string, above that you'll have to place your thumb on the back of the neck).
- This Selmer copy is very ergonomic. You'll understand why Django Reinhardt chose this body shape.
The guitar is very light.
- The instrument produces the typical gypsy sound, which it can't be described, just listen to it! It produces exactly the sound I wanted. No other guitar I've ever played gave me this sound. However, before buying it I hesitated between the MD and the Puga Alves DR670, which is also made of curly maple.
I find the lows could be more powerful but I'm still looking for the right string set.
The sound is VERY accurate from the first to the last fret.
SOUNDS
- Does it fit my music style? Yes it does!
- I don't know how to answer this question... I just love the sound of this guitar.
OVERALL OPINION
- I've been playing it daily for over one year and I'm addicted.
- I will only mention what I like least (everything else belongs to the pros of the guitar): the varnish is quite delicate. If you want your instrument to stay in a perfect condition for a long time, you'll have to cover everything with soft cloth... But that's the price you pay for such a high-quality sound. And when you look at the guitars of renowned artists you understand that the sound is the only thing that matters. Nevertheless, I talked about it with M. Dupont, whom I met during a festival in June 2008, and rubbing and varnishing the guitar is not expensive considering the instrument's price.
- I tried out many guitars in a short period but I had never tested a gypsy guitar. I'll test other instruments in the future.
- When I bought it I thought the guitar was expensive but guitars above a certain price do sound much better... The value for money is perfect but I only compared it to budget guitars.
- I'm sure I would buy it again. If I ever want to buy another guitar I'll buy one of the same brand and perhaps made of some other wood.