Conti Guitar Worldwide Owner Comments
Enjoy this sampling of photos and commentaries from owners of Conti Guitars around the world.
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.”
Plays as smooth as glass.
Photo with my new Heirloom model! Looking forward to trying this beauty on a gig. The sound acoustically is wonderful and it plays as smooth as glass. Hoping to send a video soon. Best Regards, Bob Roetker http://www.bobroetker.com/
Mark Wilson – New Zealand
The CONTI has landed!!! I’m very impressed. Stunning, light, the action is fast and no work will be done at my place for at least 6 months! Time to get this beast under my fingers. Thanks again Robert Conti, Mike and all staff who had an input into this great axe.
Steve Moore – Marietta, GA
My Conti guitar (natural blonde Heirloom) came this weekend and it gorgeous! It pretty, very “fast” to play with, and surprisingly super light weight as well. Your service and follow up was excellent and noticeable how much attention you place on detail. I’ll enjoy it and am looking forward to the upcoming NEW learning materials you have planned!
Finest guitar I have ever owned, period!
“The new Conti model is truly an amazing guitar! I should know as I am now the lucky owner of the exact guitar Mr. Conti is playing in the new video demo. Thanks to Mr. Conti and Mike in the sales office for making this possible. I received the guitar on the date scheduled in excellent condition. I was in total awe when I pulled it from the deluxe gig bag. The new Conti Gold Finger tailpiece upgrade was worth every penny as this guitar is drop dead gorgeous! It was set-up perfectly. All I had to do was tweak the tuning and play. The thin lightweight body resonates surprisingly well and the ebony fingerboard and slim neck makes playing this guitar almost effortless. Suddenly those difficult jazz chord grips were now easy. In my 38 years of playing guitar professionally, and having owned over 200 guitars, some costing 3-4
Exceeds my expectations!
I recently purchased a Conti Entrada and have received nothing but compliments on the guitar. I play it out every weekend it always meets and exceeds my expectations! Mark Lansaw – Franklin, OH
Jack Pezanelli – Berklee College of Music
“Spectacular guitar, something I’ve been looking for for a long time. All solid wood, attention to detail is top notch. If I were to design a guitar for myself, it would be a lot like this. Very comfortable, highly recommended!” -Jack Pezanelli Professor, Guitar, Berklee College Of Music
Price is entry level – rest is pure professional
The guitar is great! I especially like the Ebony fingerboard and the 24 fret features. As we have discussed, I am impressed with all its features — they belie the title “entry level jazz guitar.” If anything, the price is entry level – the rest is pure professional. It came perfectly intonated. And its sound and playability rivals that of another guitar I own which cost $6,000! I have already put 4 videos of me with it on Youtube. I also appreciate the DVDs and strings you sent. Again, much thanks from me and I wish you all the best! -Randy Daniels – Gainesville, GA
Good resonance and sustain even unplugged
When my guitar arrived, it was extremely well-packed and arrived on time. The first thing I noticed when I opened the case—after the amazing color and finish top—was that the guitar was set up perfectly. The body vibrated and provided good resonance and sustain even unplugged. These are really great guitars, especially considering how affordable they are. When I played uninterrupted for an hour I didn’t experience any of the fret-hand fatigue I often encounter on a this kind of archtop. Excellent playability and sound, by the way I’ve received a specialized video made for me about the guitar and how it plays -now that’s what I call excellent customer service. I have owned many guitars, some 10 times more than what I paid for this guitar, but this one is a very special guitar, looking forward to take it on the road and studio. Plays like a dream, and
My Heirloom…By Far The Finest
Owned many guitars since I started playing in 1972. My new blonde Conti Heirloom is by far the finest. -David Leaptrott, Winder, GA
Tested 15 other guitars
Just received my Heirloom guitar in Ruby Red. First, I have never purchased a guitar that I haven’t played before purchase. The Conti guitar met and exceeded my expectations! The neck is superb, the fit and finish are top notch. This is the quality you get when the Kwisatz Haderach of guitarists specs an instrument. I tested about 15 other guitars and Robert’s blew the others away! I tried a Gator case and the fit was off the Epiphone 335 case did the trick. – Jerry Bloch – Coconut Creek, FL
I’ve not put it down since I got it
My name is James Dawson. I’ve been playing for over 50 years. Studied with Hank Mackie, Jimmy Foster, (who also built me 7 seven string guitars” They are unreal.) Emily Remler, and several more wonderful teachers. I’ve looked for one and could not find one. Long story short, mike called me back and they had found one “RUBY RED”. It looks like I could have gotten the last one that could be made. I do setups for a good many players in town. NEVER have I got a guitar in the mail that I didn’t have to reface some frets, etc.. This guitar came perfect. 4/64 on 12 fret and perfect. It has one of the very best feeling necks I’ve ever felt. Has a ebony fingerboard with a flat radius. The neck is very smooth and plays very fast. I’ve waited to write so I can really give you
Fit and finish is incredible
My new Robert Conti guitar is so well balanced it is a pleasure to work with. The fit and finish is incredible, the set-up that was done prior to shipping is right on. The comfort of the size, playability and weight is a joy to work with. It has now become my go to guitar regardless of the type of affair I am working. A very important aspect is that I do not get any feedback from the guitar regardless at the volume I’m working with. This guitar rivals any high priced archtops on the market today. Bob Staszak – Mount Laurel, NJ
Very deep sound even unplugged
Glad to tell you, I received my Conti’s Guitar this morning and I played the instrument right out of the box to see if everything was OK and all is perfect: an amazing instrument, light weight, easy to play, a very deep sound even unplugged. It has a very good sound and no fret buzz… and so, I am happy to receive this as a “gift from the travel gods!” I am proud to own this Conti Guitar which offers a such value for money. Having played classical guitar for many years, I discovered the world of the Jazz through Conti’s videos and now the pleasure to play on his guitar. MERCI and BRAVO to this great teacher Monsieur Conti and his N°1 team!
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.
So comfortable to play. . .
“The guitar was delivered today and everything is as I thought it would be – feels and plays great, machine heads are smooth and accurate. I was surprised at the pick guard position because it is perfect, making it so comfortable to play; my other guitars are not like that. The guitar looks gorgeous. Thank you to you all from one happy boy.” -Mike Powell – Warranwood, Australia