Manea Guitars?

[Jefferson Holston]

It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.

http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm

Direct link to photos

Loading Image...

The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to Gruhn's to ask about it.

Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!

Jeff

[Misifus]

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.
http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm
Direct link to photos
http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg
The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to Gruhn's to ask about it.
Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!
Jeff

Is that an inlay of clapping hands on the back?

-Raf

[Jefferson Holston]

Post by Misifus

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.
http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm
Direct link to photos
http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg
The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to Gruhn's to ask about it.
Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!
Jeff

Is that an inlay of clapping hands on the back?
-Raf
--

The Manea website makes a big deal about the picture of the "Luthiers Hands" on the back of his guitars. There's a Harmony Central review where some one said it's a decal that he was able to clean off with some acetone or something. Otherwise, he said he was pleased with the guitar... always have to take those reviews with a grain of salt though. They tend to be written by folks who've just got themselves a nifty new toy, and they're excited about it. Comments about D-28's and Samicks tend to be equally glowing.

Jeff

[Larry Pattis]

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with
guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at
Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.
http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm
Direct link to photos
http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg
The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's
priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've
looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to
Gruhn's to ask about it.
Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive
or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real
discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!

The one thing that jumps out at me with this guitar is the very
small/short right-hand "sweet-spot" due to *so* many frets.

Not a lot of range for the right hand, based on the builder's choice in
this regard.

Just MHO.

[Jefferson Holston]

Post by Larry Pattis

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with
guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at
Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.
http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm
Direct link to photos
http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg
The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's
priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've
looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to
Gruhn's to ask about it.
Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive
or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real
discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!

The one thing that jumps out at me with this guitar is the very
small/short right-hand "sweet-spot" due to *so* many frets.
Not a lot of range for the right hand, based on the builder's choice in
this regard.
Just MHO.

That's a good observation, and something I didn't even know to look for! Not only would I have had to play the thing to figure that out, it's one more of those examples of how my 40 years of noodling ought to have made me smarter than I am.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Larry Pattis]

Post by Jefferson Holston

Post by Larry Pattis
The one thing that jumps out at me with this guitar is the very
small/short right-hand "sweet-spot" due to *so* many frets.
Not a lot of range for the right hand, based on the builder's choice in
this regard.
Just MHO.

That's a good observation, and something I didn't even know to look for! Not
only would I have had to play the thing to figure that out, it's one more of
those examples of how my 40 years of noodling ought to have made me smarter
than I am.
Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff,

For a guitar with any given scale length, this distance (bridge to end
of fretboard) is pre-determined by the scale itself, and number of
frets the builder decides to use...and assuming that the soundhole is
then located snugged-up to the end of the fingerboard.

It doesn't matter if the guitar is a 6 string, 12 string, classical,
and it is also regardless of the body size/shape, parlor, 000, dread,
etc.

It's just a fixed distance, and when you get an unusual beast like this
guitar (24 frets) it just jumped out at me, visually.

I pay attention to stuff like this because I keep examining scale
lengths, and also other ergonomic issues. It's always easy to count
the number of frets...anything more than 20 full frets and this
distance under the right hand will get squeezed a bit.

For the 24" scale I am settling in on, I think 18 full frets and a
partial 19th gives me great range under the right hand.

I am also thinking of doing partial frets (not extending fully over to
the bass side of the fingerboard, and removing some thickness of
fingerboard there, as well) above the 16th fret, so my right hand
thumb/thumbnail doesn't get caught on the edges if I am playing up that
high on the strings with my right hand.

[Jefferson Holston]

"Larry Pattis" <***@spam.invalid> wrote in message news:210120081320125426%***@spam.invalid...
<snip>

Post by Larry Pattis
Jeff,
For a guitar with any given scale length, this distance (bridge to end
of fretboard) is pre-determined by the scale itself, and number of
frets the builder decides to use...and assuming that the soundhole is
then located snugged-up to the end of the fingerboard.
It doesn't matter if the guitar is a 6 string, 12 string, classical,
and it is also regardless of the body size/shape, parlor, 000, dread,
etc.
It's just a fixed distance, and when you get an unusual beast like this
guitar (24 frets) it just jumped out at me, visually.
I pay attention to stuff like this because I keep examining scale
lengths, and also other ergonomic issues. It's always easy to count
the number of frets...anything more than 20 full frets and this
distance under the right hand will get squeezed a bit.
For the 24" scale I am settling in on, I think 18 full frets and a
partial 19th gives me great range under the right hand.
I am also thinking of doing partial frets (not extending fully over to
the bass side of the fingerboard, and removing some thickness of
fingerboard there, as well) above the 16th fret, so my right hand
thumb/thumbnail doesn't get caught on the edges if I am playing up that
high on the strings with my right hand.

Of course! That's one of those bits of knowledge I'd long ago filed away for future reference, never to think about it ever again. This is another one of those guitars, about which I was more curious than serious. But you're observation makes it pretty clear that this isn't something that would work for me because it has frets precisely where my right hand tends to want to play.

Thanks again for the observation, it's these little lessons that keep me hanging around here.

Jeff

[Larry Pattis]

Post by Jefferson Holston

Post by Larry Pattis
Jeff,
For a guitar with any given scale length, this distance (bridge to end
of fretboard) is pre-determined by the scale itself, and number of
frets the builder decides to use...and assuming that the soundhole is
then located snugged-up to the end of the fingerboard.
It doesn't matter if the guitar is a 6 string, 12 string, classical,
and it is also regardless of the body size/shape, parlor, 000, dread,
etc.
It's just a fixed distance, and when you get an unusual beast like this
guitar (24 frets) it just jumped out at me, visually.
I pay attention to stuff like this because I keep examining scale
lengths, and also other ergonomic issues. It's always easy to count
the number of frets...anything more than 20 full frets and this
distance under the right hand will get squeezed a bit.
For the 24" scale I am settling in on, I think 18 full frets and a
partial 19th gives me great range under the right hand.
I am also thinking of doing partial frets (not extending fully over to
the bass side of the fingerboard, and removing some thickness of
fingerboard there, as well) above the 16th fret, so my right hand
thumb/thumbnail doesn't get caught on the edges if I am playing up that
high on the strings with my right hand.

Of course! That's one of those bits of knowledge I'd long ago filed away for
future reference, never to think about it ever again. This is another one of
those guitars, about which I was more curious than serious. But you're
observation makes it pretty clear that this isn't something that would work
for me because it has frets precisely where my right hand tends to want to
play.
Thanks again for the observation, it's these little lessons that keep me hanging around here.
Jeff

Sometimes I throw off a good one.

Actually, this appears to be a pretty nice guitar in most respects, and
priced to sell...it just needs the right buyer...maybe someone that
wants to take a flatpick to it, and have some fun!

[David L. Martel]

Larry,

When you say sweet spot do you mean the cut away? To me the sweet spot is
the place where the guitar sounds really good, often between the 5th and
10th fret. The cut away does seem small. I don't play a 12 string much but I
never need to go too high up the neck I do think that extending the fret
board into the sound hole is silly.

Dave M.

[Larry Pattis]

Post by David L. Martel
Larry,
When you say sweet spot do you mean the cut away? To me the sweet spot is
the place where the guitar sounds really good, often between the 5th and
10th fret. The cut away does seem small. I don't play a 12 string much but I
never need to go too high up the neck I do think that extending the fret
board into the sound hole is silly.
Dave M.

No, Dave...I'm talking about the sweet spot(s) under the right hand,
which is usually somewhere directly over the soundhole, or inching
towards the closer-to-the-bridge-edge of the soundhole.

For players that try to use the different tonalities available under
the right hand (crisper towards the bridge, warmer towards the
fingerboard), the simple distance from the bridge to the end of the
fingerboard is important...and this guitar has a bunch of extra frets
(hah!).

This is the builders choice, of course, but in doing so, the end of the
fingerboard (and thus the soundhole) is pretty darned close to the
bridge. The "playable distance" (under the right hand) from bridge to
end-of-fingerboard is extremely short on this guitar, and will reduce
the variety of tonal differences available.

What the hell, it's a 12-string, and most people just use 'em like
musical baseball bats...not much nuance or subtlety...

8-)

All kidding aside, and without ever having touched this particular
guitar, the possibility of a limited range of tonalities under the
right hand would be the *first* thing I would be exploring if I did
have this guitar in my hands...be it 6 or 12 string.

[David Kilpatrick]

Post by Larry Pattis
All kidding aside, and without ever having touched this particular
guitar, the possibility of a limited range of tonalities under the
right hand would be the *first* thing I would be exploring if I did
have this guitar in my hands...be it 6 or 12 string.

It's not that unusual with jumbo bodies. 12-fret parlours can be great -
about a foot to play along from bridge to over the top frets.

However, this guitar seems to have been made with something useful in
mind, and that is a full octave of mandolin pitch on the top courses,
enabling it to double for mandolin style high solos because it has two
octaves on the top two strings, and unison double courses.

David

[Jefferson Holston]

<snip>.

Post by Larry Pattis
What the hell, it's a 12-string, and most people just use 'em like
musical baseball bats...not much nuance or subtlety...

I prefer Weapon of Musical Destruction (WMD), or just plain musical nuke.

Jeff

[Misifus]

Post by Misifus

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with
guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at
Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.
http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm
Direct link to photos
http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg
The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but
it's priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com
. I've looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent
a note to Gruhn's to ask about it.
Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test
drive or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's
real discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!
Jeff

Is that an inlay of clapping hands on the back?
-Raf

As an aside, I was driving home from my daughter's house this evening,
and Mr. Dumitru Manea called me to answer my question about his guitar,
and to explain that he wasn't happy with George Gruhn selling his
instruments at that price. He explained that Gruhn couldn't give a
maker's warranty, such as would come with a guitar bought from him directly.

Mr. Manea further explained that he had invested over $400,000 in
production machinery for his new operation. I had to explain that I
wasn't really in the market for another new guitar right now. He was,
however, very eager to be of whatever help he could.

-Raf

[Larry Pattis]

Post by Misifus
As an aside, I was driving home from my daughter's house this evening,
and Mr. Dumitru Manea called me to answer my question about his guitar,
and to explain that he wasn't happy with George Gruhn selling his
instruments at that price. He explained that Gruhn couldn't give a
maker's warranty, such as would come with a guitar bought from him directly.
Mr. Manea further explained that he had invested over $400,000 in
production machinery for his new operation. I had to explain that I
wasn't really in the market for another new guitar right now. He was,
however, very eager to be of whatever help he could.
-Raf

He also called my home when I was out at the grocery store this
afternoon.

His website has some interesting details about his life history.

http://maneaguitars.com/

[Derek]

I do like the offset fretboard markers. Symetry is overrated imo.

[Mike Brown]

Post by Larry Pattis

Post by Misifus
As an aside, I was driving home from my daughter's house this evening,
and Mr. Dumitru Manea called me to answer my question about his guitar,
and to explain that he wasn't happy with George Gruhn selling his
instruments at that price. He explained that Gruhn couldn't give a
maker's warranty, such as would come with a guitar bought from him directly.
Mr. Manea further explained that he had invested over $400,000 in
production machinery for his new operation. I had to explain that I
wasn't really in the market for another new guitar right now. He was,
however, very eager to be of whatever help he could.
-Raf

He also called my home when I was out at the grocery store this
afternoon.
His website has some interesting details about his life history.
http://maneaguitars.com/

The guitars would have to be VERY good for me to consider one at that price.

I would also prefer a much less ornate instrument (which might cost less
too.

MJRB

[Sacramento Dave]

"Jefferson Holston" <***@KEEPYERSPAM.verizon.net> wrote in message news:iltkj.11221$***@trnddc07...
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with guitars
built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at Gruhn's. It's
#AM6186 on the catalog page.

http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm

Direct link to photos

http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg

The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's
priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've
looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to
Gruhn's to ask about it.

Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive
or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real
discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!

Jeff

I would not buy one just because of the hands( even if they do come off ,
with acetone hum )

[Jefferson Holston]

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with guitars
built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at Gruhn's. It's
#AM6186 on the catalog page.
http://www.gruhn.com/catalog/catalog.htm
Direct link to photos
http://www.gruhn.com/photo/AM6186.jpg
The curious thing is the Gruhn website calls this a new guitar; but it's
priced at about $3k less than the pricing on www.maneaguitars.com . I've
looked at this thing for probably six months now... just sent a note to
Gruhn's to ask about it.
Since this is such an unknown, I doubt that I'd buy it without a test drive
or (at least) a strong recommendation from someone here who's real
discerning and knowlegeable. But it looks *really-really* cool!
Jeff
I would not buy one just because of the hands( even if they do come off ,
with acetone hum )

The hands thing puts me off a bit too.

Jeff

[w***@gmail.com]

Post by Jefferson Holston
It's the GAS thing again dammit!! Does anybody have experience with guitars built by Dumitru Manea. I'm kind of curious about a 12er at Gruhn's. It's #AM6186 on the catalog page.

IN RESPONSE

I am his secretary Wendy. I know this post is old however Dumitru Manea is one of the finest guitar craftsmen in the world. His guitars and other various products are sold to some of the finest musicians and companies in the world. They are all hand made only by Dumitru and made only with the finest and highest quality there is. If you ever wanted to have a show case piece, Dumitru's guitars are the way to go! These are guitars you can not find any where else in the world, by any one else, and certainly not something you get at a guitar shop or at Sam ash. For example, just to go to his soon to be open shop you must be a member.. His website is a2z4u.biz andmaneaguitars.com

[m***@gmail.com]

Have you checked out my website lately? www.maneaguitars.com There is a lot of great informantion that could come in handy.

[Steve Daniels]

On Thu, 26 Feb 2015 18:18:40 -0800 (PST), against all advice, something

Post by m***@gmail.com
Have you checked out my website lately?

Nope, 'fraid not.

[don hindenach]

On Thu, 26 Feb 2015 18:18:40 -0800 (PST)

Post by m***@gmail.com
Have you checked out my website lately? www.maneaguitars.com There is a lot of great informantion that could come in handy.

damn.

that is one of the more annoying sites I have visited lately

what were you *thinking?*

[hank alrich]

Post by Steve Daniels
On Thu, 26 Feb 2015 18:18:40 -0800 (PST)

Post by m***@gmail.com
Have you checked out my website lately? www.maneaguitars.com There is
a lot of great informantion that could come in handy.

damn.
that is one of the more annoying sites I have visited lately

Would you characterize the annoyance as viral, or bacterial?

Post by Steve Daniels
what were you *thinking?*

I was thinking I wouldn't go there, but then apparently you did, which
has piqued my curiosity, but I still don't want to.

[don hindenach]

On Sun, 1 Mar 2015 11:23:28 -0600

Post by hank alrich

Post by Steve Daniels
On Thu, 26 Feb 2015 18:18:40 -0800 (PST)

Post by m***@gmail.com
Have you checked out my website lately? www.maneaguitars.com There is
a lot of great informantion that could come in handy.

damn.
that is one of the more annoying sites I have visited lately

Would you characterize the annoyance as viral, or bacterial?

yes!

Post by hank alrich

Post by Steve Daniels
what were you *thinking?*

I was thinking I wouldn't go there, but then apparently you did, which
has piqued my curiosity, but I still don't want to.

good move. silly ever-hopeful me. save it for when you need something extra to scream about.

Post by hank alrich
--
shut up and play your guitar * HankAlrich.Com
HankandShaidriMusic.Com
YouTube.Com/WalkinayMusic

[Steve Daniels]

On Sun, 1 Mar 2015 20:06:52 -0500, against all advice, something

Post by don hindenach

Post by hank alrich
I was thinking I wouldn't go there, but then apparently you did, which
has piqued my curiosity, but I still don't want to.

good move. silly ever-hopeful me. save it for when you need something extra to scream about.

I found it remarkably content free. It's was almost liberating in its
sparseness.

[don hindenach]

On Sun, 01 Mar 2015 22:17:13 -0800

Post by Steve Daniels
On Sun, 1 Mar 2015 20:06:52 -0500, against all advice, something

Post by don hindenach

Post by hank alrich
I was thinking I wouldn't go there, but then apparently you did, which
has piqued my curiosity, but I still don't want to.

good move. silly ever-hopeful me. save it for when you need something extra to scream about.

I found it remarkably content free. It's was almost liberating in its
sparseness.

yes. that. :-)

[m***@gmail.com]

Master Luthier Dumitru Manea makes some of the best products in the world for those who understand and appreciate fine art. Not a fancy website, but the message is good. For anyone that spends their entire lives on a project we all need to respect that (them)... We all need to find our calling on this planet and do that. Cheers every one!!!

[gtr]

Post by m***@gmail.com
Master Luthier Dumitru Manea makes some of the best products in the
world for those who understand and appreciate fine art. Not a fancy
website, but the message is good. For anyone that spends their entire
lives on a project we all need to respect that (them)... We all need to
find our calling on this planet and do that. Cheers every one!!!

When when pimping your website it's wise to actually provide the name
of the website.

[m***@gmail.com]

Post by m***@gmail.com
Master Luthier Dumitru Manea makes some of the best products in the world for those who understand and appreciate fine art. Not a fancy website, but the message is good. For anyone that spends their entire lives on a project we all need to respect that (them)... We all need to find our calling on this planet and do that. Cheers every one!!!

www.maneaguitars.com

[Tony Done]

On Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 12:48:48 PM UTC-5,

Post by m***@gmail.com
Master Luthier Dumitru Manea makes some of the best products in the
world for those who understand and appreciate fine art. Not a fancy
website, but the message is good. For anyone that spends their
entire lives on a project we all need to respect that (them)... We
all need to find our calling on this planet and do that. Cheers
every one!!!

www.maneaguitars.com

A few more pics would be good. Are all the pedals BYOC?

[m***@gmail.com]

Yes, and I make them my way. They are very good FX Pedals with true bypass. I like that.