Conti Guitar Worldwide Owner Comments

Enjoy this sampling of photos and commentaries from owners of Conti Guitars around the world. 

Geordie Thompson – Perth, Australia

All going well between the blonde and the brunette with the blonde still adjusting to the weather a bit. The double pickup natural blonde is a great complement to the single pick up sunburst, with a special sound all of its own. Each are unique in their own way and feel great to play. The quality of these instruments is second to none and I am sure as the word gets out they will be a prized possession of many great guitarists. Thank you Robert, for taking the time to develop this guitar and Mike, for your great service and support.

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Melvin Freeman – Canby, OR

As I write this, I can see my new Conti, natural blonde, single pickup, guitar sitting in its guitar stand. I’m at a loss for words in telling you how beautiful it is. For me, the 17″ body is the right size for a jazz guitar. The scale length, 24.6 inches, fits my hand better than the 25.5 inch, and the neck joining at the 16th fret is great. The Conti Guitar is a real joy to play, and I’m looking forward to connecting it to the Henriksen JazzAmp 112. Then I can really begin my new venture in electric guitar playing. Years ago, I played an acoustic guitar. Now that I’m retired, I have been bitten by the guitar bug “again.” With my new Conti Guitar and the Source Code DVD series, I have sidestepped a lot of frustration and dead ends. I now feel that I’m on my

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Jim – Missouri

Mike, I just wanted to let you know that my new Conti guitar arrived safe and sound. I’ve already had it out and and begun playing it. It sounds great…lush, toneful, and resonant. And the action is smooth and fast. Thank you for postponing its delivery until I was back in town and for your care in ensuring that it arrived safely. And thank you for the complimentary Smoking Lineman and Jazz Lines DVDs as well as the Intellitouch Tuner. I am bowled over by your generosity. Please tell Mr. Conti that I love the new guitar and can’t put it down. I hope some day to have the good fortune to meet him and you.

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Joe Ialacci – Hamilton, NJ

I love playing guitar. I am not a professional musician by any stretch, not even of my own imagination. I have a few guitars now that I’m older and have a little more time to play. My favorite used to be my 1979 Les Paul Custom. It’s a Silverburst and in extremely good condition. My wife asked me, “why don’t you sell that one and buy the other guitar you want?” She obviously does not understand the complexities of guitar ownership!!! I must say that as of now, my new Conti is my favorite guitar. I come home from work at lunch time and eat as quickly as I can, and then I play the Conti Guitar for a half hour before returning to work. As soon as I walk in the door, I play again until my wife comes home and gives me the look. It’s not a bad

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Tony Drake, Las Vegas, NV (R.I.P.)

In my 40+ years as a professional studio recording and touring musician, I finally found an instrument that meets all of my needs as a guitarist. The Conti Guitar is well thought out, made out of top quality material and beautifully designed. It has the appearance of an instrument costing well over 3 or 4 times the price, yet Mr. Conti makes this excellent instrument affordable for the working class musician. Out of the box, the Conti Guitar delivers the feel and sound of an “old friend” that I have been playing for years. The only thing that I changed was the 3rd string G from a 20 wound to an 18 plain, because I do a lot of string bending in my style of playing which is Rhythm, Blues and Jazz. Any guitarist who is into fine instruments and takes his playing seriously, should give this guitar great consideration,

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Jean-Jacques Coulet, Précieux, France

  “The guitar arrived yesterday, a day early. It is very beautiful and completely conforms to the description. It is properly adjusted and very easy to play. I knew that the Conti Guitar was manufactured by Peerless and I decided to buy without having seen or tried the instrument. I’m not disappointed even though I had to part with three good guitars. I had a Godin Multiac Jazz but it was far too heavy so I appreciate the lightness of this new guitar and its playability. The neck is perfect and flawless. I played a little blues with a slight overdrive on the bridge pickup and it responded very well. I also like the fact that it is a thinline design, as it’s very comfortable. I played a concert last Saturday and I am quite satisfied. In summary, I love this guitar.”  

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Steve Hardy – Salzburg, Austria

“Thanks for the call yesterday. I couldn’t resist taking the guitar out of its shipping box today, despite my resolution to wait until I return from my Canada trip. What can I say? What a beautiful object it is. If a bear chews off my left hand next week in the wilderness camp, I will still keep this instrument for its gorgeous looks. The next “Wow-factor” is the action, fretboard and fluent playability. A mere 5 minutes was enough to make it clear to me that this is my number 1 instrument. And I haven’t even plugged it in yet! So I think you get the idea – I like it – a lot. 😉 I’d also like to thank you for the exemplary service. In these days of “anything goes as long as it makes money,” it’s good to encounter people providing an excellent product they are totally convinced

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Patrick Browning, Pittsburgh, PA

There’s only one thing better than having a Conti guitar and that’s having two! I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a second guitar for traveling and once again, thank you Robert, Mike and staff. In the mid 70’s I had a black beauty Les Paul that was my favorite guitar but in the mid 90’s we were separated and I could never find a guitar I liked as much. When I received my first Black Conti Guitar, it reminded me of the past so I bought a second (Sunburst) and life is good again! Thanks for a great set of products and service.

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Bill McIllwain – Junction, UT

I was presented this custom built Robert Conti Archtop jazz guitar. I played it the first set and the tone and feel is incredible. The guitars are amazing instruments and are all they should be and more than expected. The neck is like no other, and I mean that coming from a Gibson/Fender man. A must have for the serious Jazz and full tone player. Robert’s customer service is second to none and the Conti crew goes well and beyond, no disappointments here. What an honor to have Mr. Conti bring it to the gig and sit in with me and play the guitar live. He brought the house down!

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Dr. William Bozeman – New Smyrna Beach, FL

I have played many fine archtop guitars, but I must say that my Conti stands out among all of them. Playability was perfect upon arrival. Sound is warm and robust through my Polytone amp – notes are even throughout the length of the neck. Frankly, there’s nothing that I would change about the instrument. To say it’s a great guitar for the money is misleading. It’s a great guitar – period!

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Billy Stanley, Charlotte, NC

Over the years, I have come to rely on my own ability to set up my guitars without consulting the “Pros”. After pulling my new Equity out of the box and picking through a few tunes, out of habit, I grabbed the toolbox. After about 10 minutes and a few delicate tweaks of the bridge and truss rod, this bad boy was singing like a bird and ready to dig serious pay dirt! Now, after playing this fine instrument for a couple of weeks I can honestly say it is my #1 Axe! I am absolutely enchanted with the warm classic jazz tone this piece of wood produces. The action in the neck is silky smooth and the frets are blindingly fast! Playing this guitar is awe-inspiring and beckons the player to reach for their very best! I must say, I have fallen in love and it seems to get

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Mike Keeling, Auckland, New Zealand

Here’s a photo of me with cheesy grin occasioned by my new Conti Guitar which arrived safe and sound, only 4 days Las Vegas to New Zealand! Beautifully packed—might spend some time reading the Las Vegas newspapers! First impressions are of a beautifully finished instrument, the fret polishing is impeccable. It even has that new guitar smell! Going out to the local guitar shop to buy a new strap, won’t insult it with a tatty old one. Buying a guitar sight unseen is always a time of mild stress, will it be what they claim? Will the neck be a small tree trunk, etc.? I read all the patrons’ comments and went ahead. Guess what? They were all right on the nail! It’s a pleasure to play and is beautifully styled. I will never achieve Roberts level of playing but I’m going to have huge fun trying! I always wanted

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Patrick Browning, Pittsburgh, PA

Thank you for being you – I love the books , DVDs and the Conti Guitar is unbelievable. I would like to thank Mike for getting it in my hands around my busy travel schedule and the guitar tech who set it up. It’s true, I unpacked it and tuned it up and it played perfectly. You have no idea how long I have dreamed of being able to play chord melody but until I began your program I really didn’t make any real progress. Thank you!

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Sylvain Goek, Bremen, Germany

I received the Conti Guitar and the Henriksen JazzAmp last Tuesday, in due time. Everything arrived in perfect shape. What can I say about the Conti Guitar? Well, the guitar matches your description in all points. Noble materials, high quality finish. Plugged into the Henriksen JazzAmp, the guitar delivers a clear and warm sound. I would like to thank you guys for your competent and individual support during my purchase (the online support by chat during my order on your website was a unique experience, Steve!) and for the learning material. Congratulations to RobertConti.com for the quality of their products and for the great service.

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Mark Bauer – Cincinnati, OH

I’ve had my Conti Guitar and Henriksen 112 amp for about one month now, and I couldn’t be more pleased. I’ve played three gigs out already and have been very happy with my tone in each venue. I made a small bridge adjustment (raised it slightly) out of the box due to some minor buzzing which is likely because of the high humidity where I live. Since then, all I do is tune and play. The intonation is outstanding and the ease of play is superior to my other archtops. My experience with Mike and the guys during my purchase has been outstanding. Thanks for providing such a high quality, reasonably priced guitar. I will enjoy this rig for years to come.” UPDATE 7/22/2011: “Have I told you how much I LOVE this guitar! Finally I have an axe that produces a beautiful clean jazz sound with the lightest touch…and

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Hans Rønningen, Gjettum, Norway

I am very pleased with my Conti Guitar, thank you. I work as an actor/musician in a theater in Oslo, and I think I will use it in my job this winter. It sounds great and is so light weighted. Very nice. I love the playability and I am happy to have it in my collection.

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Douglas Martin, Woodinville, WA

I finally got a second to write you and tell you how much I’m enjoying this wonderful guitar. It’s hard to fault this guitar for form, fit or finish. I think it’s on the level of a custom shop Gibson, but with some better appointments. I currently have a Gibson ES-165HE and a ES-135 that have both been professionally Plek’ed and they don’t play as well as this Equity right out of the box. I’m really enjoying the lightweight thinline body, can play it for hours and not feel weighted down – my ES-135 feels like I’ve strapped on a bag a bricks by comparison. All I can say is I’m quite impressed with my blonde Conti Guitar, especially the fast, low action Ebony neck. Thanks guys for sending me the close up pictures and helping me feel comfortable about spending 2 large on a guitar I’ve never seen or

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Geordie Thompson – Perth, W. Australia

My Sunburst Conti is a dream guitar and the light weight is a real key factor for me as I had trouble standing for long periods with a full size archtop. This one made all my fellow muso’s jealous with is smooth tone and great feel. Thanks Robert and the Conti team, the support has been fantastic and it’s all a matter of practice now!

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Lou Cicconi with his Conti Equity Archtop

Super sweet machine…

“My Conti Equity is a super sweet machine. It’s kinda like a Byrdland with one pickup. Being a big old guy, the big boxes, though I have several, are sometimes uncomfortable. This fits much better. And at 17″, with great wood (I might add) it doesn’t sound bad at all acoustic. Too bad an American equivalent would probably cost around $5,000.00 or more.” -Lou Cicconi – Odessa, NY

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This thing is flawless and perfect!

I got hold of my Conti Entrada guitar just this evening when I arrived home from my workplace in New York. I let the package acclimate for a few hours before opening it and unwrapping the guitar. This thing looks gorgeous! I played it for almost 2 hours and really enjoyed the feel and playability. What can i say… this thing is flawless and perfect! I’m happy to have this guitar and would be my companion for a very long time. I’m also pleased and inspired to see Robert’s video with his jazz rendition of some of my favorite tunes along with his instructions on the care and maintenance of the guitar. Thank you Robert Conti! Lenito S. – Livingston, NJ

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Paul Getty with his Twin Pickup Blonde Entrada Archtop

New Blonde in the Neighborhood

“Since laying my hands on this Conti Entrada a few weeks ago, it has quickly become my “go-to” guitar. It is not only a pleasure to play due to its flawless out-of-the-box set-up that allows fast, effortless playing, but it also sounds terrific through my large collection of amps, pedals, and computer modeling software. I have about 25 guitars in my collection ranging from a Gibson L5, Super 400., Les Paul Custom, PRS, Fender Strat, – most of the classics. The Conti Entrada not only stands up to head-to-head comparisons with these great guitars, it goes beyond in many respects as a very easy to play guitar that delivers a very wide range of sounds from jazz to blues and rock. It is also very comfortable and relatively light weight yet delivers a very creamy and full big-box sound. If this is your first guitar or your 20th guitar, you

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Gabriel Anfosso, Blonde Heirloom Archtop

Best guitar I’ve ever owned!

“Oh please let me say a few words….I’m SO happy because of you, you are like a father, it’s a real present, a real chance to know you. I don’t want people think I exaggerate. I’m a Professional jazz player and singer, one year and a half I began to work on your material, more and more…..and more. A private Lesson with you, a real gift, hours of pleasure and joyfulness. I work and I work again, my buddy players: “oh you play so nice things now it’s incredible.” To thank you and because I knew it would be great, I decided to purchase a Conti Heirloom Blonde…the best guitar I’ve ever owned!  (I played Gibson 175, Ibanez JP 20, for years, an excellent Epiphone emperor too.)  Photo of me here in December, sound check of a great private gig in Paris). So I’m so happy with what I learn

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Harry Trombley with Natural Blonde Conti Heirloom Archtop Guitar

Plays and feels as good as it looks…

“My Heirloom has arrived and acclimatized to its new environment here in Canada. It plays and feels as good as it looks. The shipping experience was excellent; no problems. I want to thank all of you at Conti Guitars for all the help and service that made my purchase flawless. I would recommend you to anyone who asks.” Harry Trombley – Richmond, BC, Canada

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Robert Gardner, Left Handed Heirloom Archtop

So so easy to play…

The Search For A Lefty Begins… La Palma, Canary Islands I’m a left hander, and only other left handers will understand how difficult and frustrating it is to try and find a shop that actually has some you can try, lots of famous makes dont supply them. The island I live on in the Canary Islands (La Palma) has one guitar shop, and I’ve seen one lefty there in fourteen years. This year on a trip back to the United Kingdom, I went around central London. I couldn’t find one single lefty archtop. Sure, they advertise them online, but they never have them in stock. They are as rare as Hens Teeth! I really didn’t want to spend a couple of thousand dollars on a guitar without trying it first. It would be crazy, wouldn’t it? But when you’ve been looking for over a year, you are left with no

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Robin Masters with 2 Entrada Archtop Guitars

Quickly became my go-to guitar…

“I bought my first Entrada (Ruby) in October 2017, and it quickly became my go-to guitar.  It’s such a beauty with a nice round mellow tone, and a build quality I would’ve expected to pay a lot more for.  Its focus on playability is of the highest standard. On arrival, the setup was perfect after such a long journey, and it merely needed tweaking back in tune. It’s such a pleasure to play, with its low and light action.  It spent most of the year sat on its stand beside my chair where I could pick it up at will, and it often demands I do that. When I saw the launch video for the second generation Entradas, with their refinements, I knew I had to have one, and so I bought my second in October of this year (Port Wine), and I couldn’t be more pleased.  The Kent Armstrong Vintage 57 pickup, The Imperial style tuners and the

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Photo of Harrison Root with his natural blonde Conti Entrada Archtop Guitar

Wonderful instrument at an affordable price

“Just wanted to give you guys an update about what I think about the guitar! Straight out of the box it plays and sounds great! It is set up perfectly and plays wonderfully. I could not believe the difference in tone it had compared to my other guitars! I have played it every day since I received it. Thank you guys very much for producing such a wonderful instrument at an affordable price!” -Harrison Root – Ph.D. Candidate, The Sessler Group – Austin, Texas, USA

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