Conti Guitar Worldwide Owner Comments
Enjoy this sampling of photos and commentaries from owners of Conti Guitars around the world.
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
Louis LaPaitra Jr Comments On His Entrada
Click Read More to watch a video from Louis as he comments on and performs with his new Conti Entrada archtop guitar!
Radiates that elusive jazz tone
Two thumbs up for Robert and his entire team! I just got this beautiful Entrada and have been floating up on Cloud 9 ever since I first touched it. The sound is simply amazing. It radiates that elusive jazz tone that one can spend years trying to find or create. Right out of the box the action was setup perfectly and required only a slight tuning of the strings. The neck of this guitar is slender and fits nicely in the hand from the bottom to the top of the fretboard. I agree with Robert when he says it “plays like butter”. I also like the balance between the headstock and the body so with or without the strap it doesn’t want to tip up or down. The entire experience from ordering to receiving this guitar has been great fun. Thanks again Robert, Steve and Mike! Dave Durward – Surrey,
My Conti Equity goes on every gig
My 2012 Conti Equity in Blonde is right at the top of my favorite guitars of all time . . . and I’ve owned them all in 50+ years of professional playing. The fit and finish is exquisite, with action that provides just the right amount of “bounce” off the strings to make it a dream to play. As someone who plays barehand fingerstyle, two big features that my Conti shines at are pickup response and string spread in the right hand. The pickups have just the right amount of thump in the bass while giving me a smooth top end that is easy on the ears. String spread for right hand placement is perfect for a normal adult hand. I don’t have to be conscious of where my fingers are naturally laying. And with the single pickup I prefer, it nudges me to use the full range of the
The Do It ALL Guitar!
“I’ve been playing professionally for over 30 years now, 20 of those as a Navy musician. In all my years of playing, I’ve longed for that one guitar that could cover numerous styles of music, and this is IT! This guitar can cover jazz, blues, rock, pop, country, you name it….. from a quaint solo/duo setting, a small jazz combo, to a blistering rock band, all the way to full big band playing Freddie Green style, this guitar can cover it all. Not only is this guitar versatile, but it looks and sounds amazing, and plays itself! That’s because this Conti Heirloom is made with the finest woods and electronics available today, the craftsmanship in the build is second to none, and they have a professional luthier that sets it up perfectly before it goes out the door. Then as one last step of quality control, and this is the
Hadley Jones – Forster, Australia
Hi, Steve. I’d like to thank you again for your assistance. In all respects, this is far and away the most satisfying guitar that I have owned! Hadley Jones – Forster, Australia
More I play it, better I love it!
“Here is a picture of me with my new Conti Entrada. I have a 1951 Sunburst Gibson ES-175 I bought used around 1960 and a Blond Epiphone Emperor II Joe Pass model guitar I bought used in 2008. Buying an instrument sight unseen, is a daunting proposition. However, I must say that this guitar is everything you said it was. The action is perfect! The more I play it, the better I love it! I am still pleasantly surprised by how great the action is as I move up the neck. I kind of subconsciously expect more resistance with chords in the upper registers, and have to smile whenever I play chords in that area. It has such a great feel and very easy to play the way it is set up. Thanks much for Bob’s personalized video playing my guitar. It makes me feel like part of the family!
Nothing better than a guitar designed by a player
The Road To Canada Is Paved With A Conti Heirloom! Having enjoyed his Conti Entrada archtop for the past year and a half, Tony considered acquiring a second Conti Guitar, and he had his eye on our top of the line Heirloom model, featuring solid spruce top with solid maple back and sides. During a recent one-on-one video session with Robert, Tony (a resident of Las Vegas) learned that we were now down to our last Heirloom in stock, along with the likely possibility of no new inventory for at least 6 months. Without hesitation, he asked if we could have that last Heirloom ready for him to pick up, on an upcoming trip to his second home in Canada. As indicated by the photo, Tony made a pit stop in East Idaho to take delivery of his gorgeous Ruby Red Heirloom featuring the exquisite gold finger tailpiece – thus becoming a
Happy I chose a Conti Guitar. . .
What a treat! Please thank Robert for me. Never expected he would take 28 minutes of his time to personally play my guitar and explain why he is so proud of them. Says a lot about the instrument but more about the man. I’m happy I chose a Conti Guitar and am confident it will be every bit what Robert says it will be. PS- his song selection was spot on for me and his playing inspiring. The video will remain a valued keepsake- thanks again. -Mark Murret – Kenner, LA USA
Fr Ron Parker – Bryn Mawr, PA
“Like most professional guitarists, I have had a collection of fine guitars. Doing studio work in the 60s and 70s, I would sometimes go to the studio with five guitars: an arch top, flat top, acoustical, and solid bodies. One time I was evicted from an elevator on 56th street in New York – embarrassment! But now I have the guitar that does it all and sounds good playing jazz and rock. The Entrada fits with today’s sounds, the action is good and it fits under my coat. This is the guitar I have been waiting for. It’s got Moxi! I have been playing and teaching guitar professionally for at least 60 years. I was a studio guitarist for three hit shows. Sweet Charity, and Promises, Promises, played jazz guitar for Chico Hamilton, featured at the River Boat Restaurant in the Empire State Building, played a lot, learned a lot,
Providing fantastic playability . . .
“After few hours of settling down, my Entrada only required a little tuning and was ready to play… impressive. It is a superb instrument providing fantastic playability and offering excellent sound – I have the dual pickup model so I also tried the bridge pickup with some decent drive and man it is a great blues/rock guitar, hands down (btw the strings seem to be a perfect choice, too). Visually it is a sheer beauty, and the craftsmanship is excellent, too. The gig bag is quite decent and very solid, much appreciated. There is, however, one issue after all – and it is my curiosity about the solid wood model… hell, I started saving for it already (and my kidney is being considered to help here!) In summary – I am happy as a cat, and enjoy playing this instrument every minute regardless for how long I keep it in
You get what you PLAY for!
Jan 30, 2020 Update! As Paul was so pleased with his first Port Wine finish Conti Entrada, he decided to join the Two Conti Club and add a Natural Blonde, with a mix of black hardware and the elegant Gold Finger Tailpiece. Especially unique to this instrument, Paul obtained a custom P90 pickup directly from Kent Armstrong and we had our shop technician set up his new guitar with this great sounding pickup. See his new comments below: “I’m always trying to recreate the sound of a guitar from ‘back in the day’ and this new Conti with the Kent Armstrong P90 comes very close to those great sounds from the pre-humbucker era. This is really fun to play and just like the first one, the fit and finish are superb and the sound, at least to my ear, is quite different. Great job guys!” Paul’s Comments on his first
The guitar is perfect. . .
“Attached is a photo of me with my new Sunburst Heirloom and my original Ruby Red Equity. Besides the Equity, I have used many of the Conti teaching materials over these last few years, ever since I first encountered Bob in “Just Jazz Guitar” magazine. I appreciate the help and advice as I decided whether to buy the Heirloom. It arrived at my Oregon home in just two days. It was well packed and needed nothing but tuning to be play ready out of the case. The guitar is perfect. The finish is beautiful. The hardware is clearly high quality. I am impressed by the sound quality even when it is not plugged in. I am really pleased by the slightly smaller lower bout; it relieves some strain on my shoulder. Finally, the video of Bob playing my guitar and telling me about it just before it shipped was wonderful.
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
Conti Entrada Arrives In Australia…
Thank you Mr. Robert Conti! I viewed your personalised introduction video with joy and anticipation. It’s been five days since she arrived and I have certainly fallen in love with my beautiful new Conti Entrada. As promised, she felt great out of the box- such a pretty thing- and came with a great quality gig bag. I plugged her in and what a gorgeous sound. After such a long trip, I gave her a quick tune and action/ intonation check. I was smitten. She’s a bit like a super-model- beautiful from all angles but has more than just the looks. The neck is pretty special- delightful and effortless to play. The ebony really feels wonderful, the dimensions and shape make playing a breeze- it seems almost easier to select individual strings. Abalone inserts are super nice. Headstock really is beautifully shaped and proportioned and genuinely classy in my opinion. Tuning
Setup is fantastic…
“Absolutely wonderful guitar! Jammed tunes from blues to jazz, and some of my originals. Plays like butter, and the setup is fantastic. Not a bad spot on it! I’m able to get different sounds out of it. It is very flexible and wide range. It is also very light and not cumbersome. I’m enjoying very much. Getting ready to go to praise band practice. I’ll let you know!” -Rick White Jr – Sugar Hill, GA