Conti Guitar Worldwide Owner Comments
Enjoy this sampling of photos and commentaries from owners of Conti Guitars around the world.
It is a dream to play…
“I really love this new guitar, it is a dream to play, the ebony fret board is so smooth and the low action really helps me when playing some of the harder piano style voicings built in thirds. I love the gold hardware with the sunburst effect, combined with the dark ebony fret board, it looks so classy. I’m destined for beautiful jazz when playing this amazing Conti guitar. I took it to the local technician to adjust the action slightly due to a little bit of fret buzz, caused by the long journey here. When I collected it, we were right next to the beach so we took a photo of the guitar here in the middle of the English summer. I then put it back in the case, and went home. I have been playing this guitar, and ONLY this guitar ever since. Thank you so much for
Playing melody is a dream – the instrument really sings
“My playing technique is adapting to the Entrada (finger style a la ” Chet ” with a “Fred Kelly BumbleBee Thumb Pick”) – it seems it’s all about the ‘very light touch’ on this instrument. Playing melody is a dream – the instrument really sings – the pitches have a beautiful natural sustain (actually a glow) – very piano-like. Harmonics are crystal clear. Four voice chords remain in tune in the upper region of the neck (beyond the 12th fret). So far I’m just playing it as an unplugged acoustic – which works very nicely for me. I’m also working with it in combination with my Taylor nylon acoustic. Much appreciation to Robert Conti for producing a great guitar and excellent learning products. Also, a shout out to his customer service staff – Steve and Mike – for communications and customer support!” –Kenneth Babb – Brooklyn, NY
Teacher and Student Entrada Pair
“I bought my Entrada and I was nervous about buying on line without playing the guitar. I saw Robert Conti playing the guitar and listened to the sound and was very impressed. I felt that he would not sell a guitar with his name on it if it was not a great guitar. So when it came I played it in my studio and realized that the neck was very fast and it took very little effort to play. The over all sound was beautiful and in particular the highs were amazing, lots of sustain. I played it on a solo gig and it was great and then with my trio, guitar, bass and drums, and it was perfect. I love my new Entrada and for me it is perfect. Thank you Mr. Conti!” -Rich Hurdle – Bend, OR (The Teacher, left) “Loving it!” -Brendan Leary – Bend, OR (The
Voicemail from Paul McCormick
Please click “Read More” to hear Paul’s voicemail.
The Best Guitars In The World!
“I want to thank Robert Conti for his excellent products! The guitars (I have 3! 2 Equity Models and now an Entrada) amps(I have a Henriksen) and the educational materials! I brought my Equity models to a well known guitar technician in Southern California and he said, “I’ve never worked on finer guitars!!. He sets up guitars for all the studio pros in LA. My Entrada came out of the box and played perfectly, as did the 2 Equity models. I have all Conti’s educational materials and am looking forward to more. Thanks again!” -Dr. Gary Smith – Somis, California
Donald Grass – Beaumont, CA
Second Conti Guitar The Entrada just walked in the door! What a Beauty!! Mike, your the Best! Thank you, very much, for the care and handling it took to get it here. Very grateful to all involved. It’s a pleasure doing business with a first-rate outfit. Mr. Conti, thank you for taking the time to review my guitar. Your attention to detail is a hallmark of your playing and your business. Mr. Conti, Mike, et all, Good Luck and Good Health to you and your families. Very much appreciate it!! First Conti Guitar To all at RobertConti.com: What a pleasure it is doing business with a first class organization such as yours! From the initial contact to the final arrival (right on time!) of your beautiful instrument – the whole process has been flawless. The guitar is a work of art – fine craftsmanship. Tough to describe, like owning a
My gorgeous Heirloom..She’ll be my last
“You gave me lessons on the Gibson, my first guitar. Now fifty years later, I’m playing my gorgeous Heirloom. She’ll be my last. Always save the best for last….right? As you performed the Classics on the video, I knew this would be my last guitar. She’s even better than I expected! Every aspect of the guitar is exactly how it is described on your web site. Believe me folks, you will not find any guitar with the craftsmanship, precision and quality as the Heirloom for this affordable price. I am so pleased that I made the purchase! Could have spent 3x the amount and would’ve gotten much less. I opted for the gold finger tail piece and the gold knobs. You know you like it…I can’t put her down! Bob, thank you and your team for taking care of an old friend/student. You’re the best guitarist on the planet! Love
Already taken part in a jam session
I’m very happy to confirm that my Entrada arrived here in the UK yesterday afternoon and has already taken part in a jam session (this morning) with my fellow villager and guitarist friend Davey McCormack playing his new Conti Heirloom! I am really thrilled with the guitar and look forward to many hours of pure pleasure playing it. Can I also say how impressed I’ve been with all aspects of the buying process from the online chat with Steve and yourself before ordering; the personal video message from Robert himself; the incredibly fast order to delivery time (I placed my order on the 14th December and received my guitar on the 20th); and the follow up phone call from yourself this evening. I don’t think I have ever experienced such attentive service from any other company. In short – I am one very satisfied customer! Bob Burrell – Oxon, United
Nothing feels like an Ebony fingerboard…
I ordered 2 Entradas. These guys really make buying a guitar fun. They are eager to speak with you, answer your questions, and always get back to you if they have to check something out. Feels like you’re buying a guitar from an old friend. One Entrada was dead perfect right out of the box. Even in perfect tune!! It still has barely gone out of tune. The other needed a bit of tweaking to get it the way I like it, but nothing major. The surprising thing is that both of these played like butter right out of the box. It has what I would call Jazz Lights on it (11’s) but it feels more like it has 8’s or 9’s on it! The neck is THAT fast! And of course, nothing feels like an Ebony fingerboard, except an Ebony fingerboard. All in all, a most enjoyable experience. It’s
Feels like an old friend right away
““Wow, what a beautiful guitar”, was my first reaction when I unzipped the case. The bound ebony neck with inlaid fret markers, the gorgeous ruby red body, and…I always wanted a guitar with a Florentine cut-away. My wife soon commented, “Well, aren’t you going to play it?” The thin-line body and overall balance made it feel like an old friend right away. When I plugged it in the great jazz tone I had been trying unsuccessfully to coax out of my GS came quite naturally from the Entrada. I soon went back to “Ticket to Improv, Volume 1” and found my fingers were moving over the fingerboard with greater ease then before. But then, I did see Robert Conti put some mojo on it before it headed my way! All the best, John Martin – Modesto, CA
Terry Gillen – Tring, UK
Even though I own a Conti Equity archtop, I couldn’t resist the temptation to buy a honey blond Heirloom. Recognising an anxious customer, Mike ‘held my hand’ through the purchase and import process and FedEx did an excellent delivery job. As for the guitar, what can I say that hasn’t already been said by other ecstatic customers? It is visually stunning, the build quality is impeccable, the playing ‘feel’ is excellent (size and balance of the guitar, neck dimensions, profile and fretboard radius – how did you guys get it so ‘right’?) the set-up is spot on, even after a journey of several thousand miles, and the sound is crystal clear everywhere on the fretboard. The name Heirloom is apt because that is what it will become. It is a truly lovely guitar and, at this price, even after paying to import it, it’s a bargain. My sincere thanks to everyone.
Steve Negri – Summerville, SC
This year I gave myself a truly fine gift for my birthday. Witness my Ruby Red Conti Heirloom Guitar. It is the finest instrument I have ever owned, including a Gibson Gold Top Les Paul, a Gibson ES355TD, a Martin Classic O model, and a Johnny Smith model Gibson to name a few. The action is unsurpassed and the tone is mellow and superb. Such a pleasure to play and hear. Thus have I satiated my guitar lust for years to come. If I live another seventy-three years I may become its equal.
Dave Illig – Houston, TX
“Right out of the box the Entrada played perfectly. Low action with great tone. I am extremely impressed with the quality of the guitar. The ebony fret board is made with a very high quality piece of ebony, the grain is incredibly tight. I am very surprised that the bridge, tail piece, tuning knobs and even the nut cover are all ebony. I’ve seen guitars that cost three times as much as this one that don’t have that level of high quality accouterments. The machine heads are very smooth and have a very high gear ratio which allows for precise tuning. The playability and rich tone far exceeded my expectations. I have no idea how Mr. Conti can produce a guitar of this quality at such a reasonable price.” -Dave Illig – Houston TX
Joe Basebase – Las Vegas, NV
I’ve had too many guitars in my lifetime but the Entrada I recently bought is outstanding. I love playing it and it has killer action with a beautiful jazz tone. Does not rattle anywhere which is unusual. It is very acoustically live unplugged and has a killer tone through my AER. The thin body is very comfortable to hold sitting or standing and is lightweight. I must thank Bob and his staff for excellent service. I really love this guitar. Thanks again. mahalo!
Lucas Costner – Nashville, TN
“A great guitar I will enjoy for many years! Packed well and played great straight out of the box!”
Knew I had to have another…
“After purchasing my Ruby Red “Conti Salita” model guitar in May of 2017, it was obvious I had finally found the perfect Jazz guitar for me. I never wanted to be without it and I knew I had to have another. I wondered that if I was so impressed with the mid-priced Salita model, what would the top of the line Heirloom model be like? So I ordered one and I am SO glad I did! My new Antique Sunburst “Conti Heirloom” model guitar exceeds all expectations for a pro level Jazz guitar! The superior build quality and attention to detail is second to none. The finish is stunning, but most of all, it plays like an absolute dream and sounds fantastic! It arrived perfectly set up with super low action, so all I had to do was tune it and play. Since the Salita model I previously purchased and
Amy Ferman – Cambridge, MN
“Just thought I would let you know that I love my new guitar!! I will send you a photo and hopefully also a video. It plays perfectly right out of the box. I have been getting acquainted with her for the last couple of hours. 🙂 And thank you so much for the tuner and the awesome customer service. I loved the video!” – Amy Ferman, Cambridge, MN
Conti Entrada is the right guitar
I’m 65 and have been playing guitar for 55 years. I started with Rock/Blues and moved to classical guitar. After 35 years in classical I began 10 years of Bluegrass Flatpicking all the while watching, listening and dabbling in Jazz Guitar. I was really turned on watching Pat Martino on several occasions at the Bottom Line in NYC in the 70’s and also was a regular at Gulliver’s Monday Night Jazz Guitar in West Paterson, NJ also in the 70’s. I don’t know why it took me this long to realize Jazz has always been my true love! I now think it’s time to really apply myself in Jazz and I believe Robert Conti is the right person to help me. I have about 15 guitars and I’m sure the Conti Entrada is the right guitar to begin my Jazz Guitar Journey, I’m sure it will not be my last
Love the neck and fingerboard
Just wanted to let y’all know that the guitar arrived. It didn’t get here until almost 8pm last night as my wife and I were on our way out to visit friends. We got home around 1am. That is when I opened up the box. The guitar made the trip fine. I could not put the guitar down and didn’t get to bed until 2am. It is amazing. The Conti Entrada is the most solid hollow body guitar I have ever played! I’m not a tech or a luthier so I don’t know the answer as to why it feels so good in my hands but it does. I love the neck and the fingerboard. I am able to execute runs and passages with more speed and more articulately than any of my other guitars. The sustain is incredible both acoustically (when I practice) and when plugged in. I run
Dr. Paul Vinger – Walnut, CA
“The Salita guitar I received is beautiful, great-sounding, and easy to play—but it never will be played as well as by Robert Conti in the video he made, and sent me, testing the guitar before it was shipped. The care and expertise that went into making it is obvious—thanks to Mike and the crew for a great job. It is a rare treat to have true professionals share what they know and produce in such an outgoing, caring, and sincere manner. I appreciate the teaching enthusiasm and skill Robert Conti has shared with me over the years. I primarily play the piano and have learned a great deal about harmony and music lines from him. Robert’s desire—and skill—at presenting his ideas and philosophy in a clear and entertaining manner is inspiring.”
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