Conti Guitar Worldwide Owner Comments
Enjoy this sampling of photos and commentaries from owners of Conti Guitars around the world.
Ed Benson Acquires His 2nd Conti Guitar
The Entrada is visually stunning. Plays like a dream. Action is low and perfect. No buzzes. -Ed Benson – Savannah, Georgia USA
Will see many hours of playing…
Meet Vince Lewis, A Pro Player Extraordinaire! Growing up working in Music retail, I had the opportunity to play every major brand of guitar over several years. The experiences ordering, setting up and selling guitars from student through professional levels gave me a great appreciation for customer service as well as design and quality. From the initial contact with the folks at Conti Guitars, through the delivery date there was steady communication in regard to any delays and questions I had in regard to my purchase. I definitely felt that I had joined a new family of musicians and quality friends that will last a lifetime as will the guitar itself. When the guitar arrived, it is the first instrument that I ever felt comfortable taking out on a professional gig the next day without needing to adjust anything about it. The fretwork and action met my discriminating eye and
The guitar workmanship is exceptional…
Purchase Experience I first inquired about an Entrada guitar on the website Chat line and received quick responses from Steve. We then dialogued by Email until a guitar become available with my options a few weeks later. I paid for the guitar before shipping via PayPal – no hassles. Robert Conti did a final quality assurance check in a personal video “demoing” my guitar. This is not just a gimmick. It is very unique & informative, and great insurance protection in case of any in-transit damage or loss. The guitar arrived at my doorstep in London, Canada on October 1, 2022, less than one week after shipping via FedEx ground transportation (3,000 km). The packaging was secure, including a soft cover case, and the guitar arrived intact in excellent appearance and working condition. I am now allowing time for wood settling in a new environment (Fall weather, 50% humidity, temperature
Sounds as beautiful as it looks
I purchased an Entrada archtop jazz guitar from Robert Conti and it sounds as beautiful as it looks. I have been attempting to play jazz guitar for many years. I had excellent teachers, learned theory and chord melody. I would practice all the time and never feel comfortable playing or learning how to improvise. Then I found Robert on the internet and in just a couple of months I am shocked at how much I improved. His simple, straight forward method has helped open a whole new world of guitar playing for me. Just like many of his other students, I regret not studying with him years ago, but I’m here now and I’m getting better every day. -Fred Kofler – Boynton Beach, Florida USA
Magnificent jazz box…
Surprise, surprise. Miss Entrada showed up this evening. Wow! What an absolutely beautiful instrument. I am absolutely stunned at how beautiful this guitar is. But more than that, the strings are perfectly matched for a balance in tonal quality that you could only imagine. It’s lightweight makes it a dream to handle. I own a Fender Starcaster, it’s too heavy and doesn’t give me the sound I’m looking for. I saw and purchased a Washburn J7. It’s thick but the strings and action leaves something to be desired. The thick neck put stress on my finger/joints and you have to manhandle it. The Conti Entrada is a petite lady, beautiful visually and tonally. She’s going to get the best out of me. I think I’m in love. I could not be happier with the performance of this magnificent jazz box. The action and playability is unmatched. I got mine, better
The guitar I’ve been searching for!
I’m loving everything about my new Entrada. This is the guitar I’ve been searching for! Guitar arrived in immaculate condition. Action, feel and finish and the weight are perfect. I can’t wait to play it through my Henriksen amp later tonight. The video was way cool. Thank you Mike, Bob, and the entire team. You folks are a class act. Doug Coppess – Brookville, OH
Plays like butter…
This is the finest guitar I have ever owned or played. It was built in 2011 but it looks like it could have built yesterday. I have played this at home and publicly many times and it plays like butter. Thank you Robert Conti for the quality you keep maintaining. -Dave Richardson – Maud, TX
Look No Further
I received my Entrada the other day and have to say this is one beautiful guitar, sounds great, looks great and plays like butter. Anyone looking for a great archtop at a fantastic price, look no further than a Conti Guitar. Great people to deal with, thank you. -Alan Keish – Vero Beach, FL USA
Wish I had discovered this guitar way back when…
I recently bought an absolutely stunning Conti Heirloom! I’ve been playing guitar for about 25 years. Like most guitarists, I’ve owned, sold and traded my share of guitars in an effort to find the most perfect fit. None have felt as smooth and easy to play as the Conti Heirloom. For me, the most important aspect of a guitar is the feel and intonation. The Heirloom action is surprisingly low, the neck shape is very comfortable (not too fat, not too narrow) and the intonation is stellar no matter where I am on the neck. I only wish I had discovered this guitar way back when. It would have saved years of trial and error trying to find the perfect fit. -Ian Leyland – Vancouver, Canada
Finest guitar I have ever played…
I took delivery of my sunburst Entrada with gold finger tailpiece about a week ago. From the day I ordered to the day I sat and watched Robert playing my guitar to it in my hands was five business days. Packing and shipping we’re phenomenal as the Guitar was heavily padded and packed better than any guitar I have ordered online before. Fit and finish is outstanding with details like triple binding. And fret work that is simply perfect. The action on my guitar was perfectly set to low action and the thing is a joy to play. I had a ES -125 TDC as a kid that I called the “pencil neck” and now at 65 years of age I know that my Conti Archtop Entrada is every bit as good or better than my 125! The point where the neck joins the body is as smooth as glass
Neck is amazing. . .Terrific Instrument
https://vimeo.com/680637523/e151e33a9dOk – I’ve had the Conti Entrada for a little over a week. A video review will do this guitar the justice it deserves but for now, I’m going to write out some bullet points to talk to later and to let Robert Conti know how things are going here. Packing and shipping: The guitar was meticulously packed both in the case and the case within the box. Great care went into packing the instrument. All that was needed out of the box was to tune the guitar and go. The service level at the company is impeccable. The instruments gets completely set up and then Uncle Bob takes it for a test run (which I have on video). A pro player’s hands are the last one’s on it before I take it and play it. Aesthetics: Looks matter to me A LOT because it goes to quality. No picture
Reminds me of my Benedetto Bravo without the sticker shock…
Finally had a chance to sit down with my new Conti Entrada guitar. After owning several hundred guitars since 1967, I have owned every kind imaginable. Here is my first impression: The guitar is very well designed and built. Nicely appointed, and the setup was spot on. The sound of this guitar, as with any good guitar is determined by the guitar itself but also what you drive it through. I usually play through a Fender tube amp like the Blues Junior. The sound of the Entrada Conti guitar is well balanced and very sweet, on the warm side. Amazingly sonic unplugged, and one of the best necks I have ever played on. Very light and easy to hold, and easily worth twice the asking price. This guitar reminds me of my Benedetto Bravo without the sticker shock Well done guys, well done. -David Maricle – Boise, ID USA
Guitar is very well constructed…
Yesterday I received my Entrada Guitar in best condition. Thanks for your care and very friendly support along the whole process. I appreciate that a lot, since it is not very common these days. The guitar is very well constructed, very light and resonant. And a real elegant beauty in any case. For my personal taste the action is a little too low, because I play a lot of fingerstyle and am used to a higher action on my steel strings. I add a foto today and will send a short video some days later, when I have the occasion to record something. Again – I´m very satisfied and happy with this purchase. Best regards from southern Germany! -Thomas Brenner – Mötzingen, Germany
Truly a joy to play!
I played my first gig with my new Conti Entrada last night. Truly a joy to play! The action was right where I expected it to be and the response over the whole fretboard was even. No “hot” or “dead” spots. I would recommend this guitar to anyone! Thanks for your personalized attention! -Dale Rawson – Sheboygan, WI
The Perfect Dream Guitar
Response to Pre-Ship Video: Thank you very much for this personal and detailed courtesy video! This is certainly the best customer experience I ever had! I was extremely excited and enjoyed listening to your playing. I almost felt bad taking the guitar away from you 🙂 I also enjoyed listening to all the details you provided. Your devotion, patience, and attention to details are admirable! The experience and passion that you present makes me positive that I’ll get the very best. I’m confident it will arrive safely. And I promise to update when it does arrive. Also, I wanted to thank your crew for their devotion. In particular, the technician for taking care to set up the guitar, and also Steve and Ann for helping me answer all the questions I had with great patience. Thank you! I wish you all good health, happiness, and all the best of everything
A Happy Owner
Nancy Powers from Jacksonville, FL shares a photo of herself with her new Conti Entrada Archtop Jazz Guitar
Great neck, incredible action!!
Here is a picture of the newest guitars for my collection. I can’t say enough about these two guitars, but let me say a few things. First of all, I have always wanted an Entrada with two pickups, and when this one became available, I had to have it. It plays like a dream guitar. Great neck, incredible action!! The Kent Armstrong pickups are very responsive and create a very warm sound responding to this body. The color of this guitar is amazing. I do not have this color on any of the guitars in my collection. This guitar is perfectly balanced and the gold hardware completes the package. My bandmates love the look and sound of this guitar and I couldn’t agree more. Now onto the solid body version. I had heard months ago that there might be a solid body Conti in the works, and when I received
Will become one of my favorite axes
The guitar arrived perfectly. In a first inspection there was a couple of notes that had a buzz in the fret, but it is already solved. My impressions: The design of the guitar is very nice. The combination of the black color with the gold pickups makes it look elegant and distinguished. It is comfortable to play and well balanced. The single cut shape makes all 24 frets accessible. The neck is excellent. As Robert Conti said in the video it is the same as that of Equity. It is one of the best necks I have ever played. Very low action and a flat fingerboard makes it a butter to play. The body of the guitar is very nice. It looks small but not as small as a Les Paul. As the whole body is mahogany, without a maple top, I think it influences (along with the pickups) that
Each note is tuned to perfection!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtlQRwpDaFs August 6, 2021 – Comments on Solid Body Prototype “This solid body guitar maintains the nuances of the archtop sound of the Heirloom and Entrada models. It sounds just as good or even better, I would say! Many other guitars with a similar output may cost a few thousand more dollars online or in guitar stores, but I can tell that this guitar is unique; it has been carefully crafted in both exterior design and pickup capabilities to optimize playability and the bright bell sounds of jazz. The high end sounds fantastic! The exterior design is marvelous as well, and I’m sure this will serve as my primary guitar for shows for the rest of my career. Thanks for everything that went into constructing this masterpiece! “ September 29, 2019 – Comments on Heirloom: “Thank you so much Mr. Conti. I am very excited to start practicing with this
Nothing short of beautiful…
Received my new Entrada. Arrived safe and sound thanks to the great packaging. After opening, it was nothing short of beautiful. The action height, intonation & the neck was straight as an arrow. Bob and his crew do an unbelievable job on getting the instrument into your hands. Needless to say I was quite anxious to put it to work. I got the chance this weekend to do that with our group. I’m extremely pleased in how it worked out. While working I was not the only one impressed with the guitar. Some other guitarists happened to be there and they were wowed at its sound and beauty. Everyone wanted to know where I got it. But a word about Bob in that he actually plays it before shipping it out. He then sends a video of your guitar being played by him. That is no different than going yourself
Wonderful instrument, superb buying experience
Meet David Skinner, A Class Act! As with all things Conti, my new Entrada arrived on time, and the day after I watched the video of Robert ‘leading by example’ on it. As I got more used to the fingerboard and the balance of the instrument, my thought was that it plays itself! Notes just fly off. The tone is acoustic and warm, and the pickup worked great through my studio board (Audient preamp into a UA Apollo). I’ll use my Bose L1 compact at a gig tomorrow night…can’t wait! Thanks for a wonderful instrument and a superb buying experience. David Jack “Dave” Skinner – College Station, TX Songwriter. Composer. Entertainer. davidjackskinner.com
Impeccable Guitar…
For the last two decades or so I have been looking for a guitar with the following specs: thin body single cutaway jazz guitar, single pickup, good quality, good looks and above all affordable. I think I nailed it this time. I was browsing the web for the millionth time when I stumbled upon this site of Robert Conti. I immediately mailed them and they answered all my questions quickly and to the point. They even facilitated my indecisiveness on the bridge top: Gotoh T.O.M or compensated ebony. I got both. Since I live in The Netherlands, Europe I expected a long wait before I could hold the guitar I ordered in my hands. Not so. Shipped Monday and delivered Thursday! Thumbs up for both Conti Guitars and their shipping firm FedEx. I use the guitar already. Mr. Conti and his staff have made me a very happy guitar player
Everything you described it to be…
Robert, the Entrada is everything you described it to be in the personal video you sent — and more! It plays smoothly and the notes are clear and very sharp. My wife, Linda, likes the color of the guitar, and the look of the Gold Finger tailpiece. In your video you explained that the Gold Finger tailpiece contributes to the sound of this beautiful arch top as well as looking nice. I have enjoyed my equity model for 10 years, and now I can continue that enjoyment with a lighter guitar around my neck. I started my Conti journey with your Source Code and Ticket To Improv DVDs, and now I am improving my playing with the live private online lessons with Robert. Wow! Great instructional products, wonderful guitars, and the outstanding teaching of Robert Conti. Thank you again, and God bless you. Elliott Seymour – Plano, TX USA
Value of my Conti instruments far exceeds the price
I collect guitars with a large collection of new and preowned. Most are the latter. I have dealt primarily with dealers in acquiring the 125 instruments I own. The value of my Conti instruments far exceeds the price I paid for them as the quality and playability of both of these instruments is far greater than the price paid. Out of the box I can state that I have never acquired a new or used instrument that is set up and that plays better than my Conti Guitars. I am not an active professional player like many of those reviewing their Conti purchases but I have played guitar for over 60 years and had the pleasure of recording in studio in Hollywood in 1963 and signing a record contract for the Band I played with. Our recording was never issued but it was an experience that was wonderful for a
Excellently finished. . .Fantastic playability
Due to the tropical climate in the Philippines (humidity, temperature) I started looking for a good quality jazz guitar with laminated construction up to $ 2,000. I have been following the offers of the better Koreans, Chinese and Japanese on various sites for quite some time. Below 2k, however, the supply was limited. Moreover, the shipping costs often turned out to be high because of the remote location here on the Philippines. After visiting several sites worldwide, my eye fell on Conti Guitars. I noticed them on Facebook groups such as Archtop Guitars and Jazz Guitar. So I sent a message via email inquiring about the Entrada model, pretty soon I got a reply from Steve (Conti Support). This was followed by an extremely constructive exchange of emails with Steve, who was responding well to my ultimate priorities regarding the guitar, what you call personal attention. Robert Conti, also thanks
ELEGANT GUITAR!
Thank you for the wonderful purchasing experience of this new Robert Conti “Entrada” archtop guitar. From the outset I spent a lot of time with your team member Mike guiding me through all of the options available for this beautiful instrument and finalizing the payment of the purchase price. Patience was more than exemplified by both Mike and Steve. They assured me that the Guitar would be forwarded via UPS, packed and stored in a very secure box and insured. That put me at great ease. Within 2 days of shipment I received a wonderful video of Robert playing the exact guitar purchased. It was a great resource for hearing the guitar’s tone along with very specific information about the guitar’s materials and use of the hardware. The video contained a discussion of the Kent Armstrong Pick Up (single), control knobs, Gotoh Tune-O-Matic bridge with Ebony base. I chose the
Feel like I am their most important client!
What a great guitar! I have bought a lot of guitars, and I have to say I have never encountered a seller/manufacturer who cares this much about satisfying their customer. I feel like I am their most important client! Thank you! This jazz club is up 20+ stairs. Nice to finally be able to bring a single guitar to play the gig – standards, funk, blues. Love the guitar! Paul Leithold – La Crosse, WI Leithold Music Store
A real crowd pleaser…
That pre-shipment video was magnificent. A real personal touch. She arrived yesterday. A stunning lady. I have adjusted the action back and put a plain G on and adjusted the saddle to suit. I have a few gigs this weekend so I will try to get some photos and maybe a video. Outstanding. Thanks again. Over the moon. Not just with the product, which is fantastic and just what I’ve been looking for for some time, but also with the customer service and communication which has blown me away. Outstanding company to deal with. 3 Day Update: Took the guitar out for its first gig tonight. Very impressive, sounds great and feels even better. It was a real crowd pleaser as well, had quite a few people asking about it. I’m loving playing it. I’ve attached a photo from last night. -Rory Cotter – Mackay, Australia The Flying Tigers –
Cannot find an imperfection or a flaw, or fret buzzes
I received my new Blonde Entrada with the Midnight Package and two pickups exactly one week ago. Let’s just say it was love at first sight. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of all the “hype” on the Conti website, but this guitar has exceeded my expectations. The guitar was shipped in a sturdy container that was well packed. I thought about ordering the hard-shell case, but the gig bag is well constructed and sturdy. If I was touring and traveling, I think this would have been a good option, but the gig bag will be fine for gigging locally. The black knobs, switches, and tuners really pop against the natural blonde wood. I’ve looked this guitar over carefully and cannot find an imperfection or a flaw with the finish or build. Every time I look more closely at this guitar I notice more interesting and beautiful wood grain
Received in perfect condition…(France)
Very good idea to make a video of Robert playing my new guitar. I am happy, just received my guitar in perfect condition! Most important for a guitar is the pleasure you have to play it. Great sound, very smooth, nice and very good instrument. Thanks again. Francis Chaverou – Saint Mathieu De Tréviers, France