Durango Guitar Works

[HoochieCoochieMan]

Has anyone come across these guys?

http://durangoguitarworks.com/

Largely as a result of the warm welcome and encouraging reactions I've got on this site (thanks again, everyone) I'm seriously considering treating myself to a new guitar. I like the look of their stuff especially because with my arthritic hands I really like a short scale, and 24" scale guitars with humbuckers, like this one, are very hard to come by. At the moment I mostly use an Ibanez GRGM Mikro, because it's a minuscule 22.5", but its tone is quite patchy and intonation a bit random (this is the guitar I used on almost all the postings on soundclick).

I'm also tempted by the Hagstrom Ultra Swede, after being totally seduced by the Hagstrom sound of VikingBlues's Viking. Unfortunately I haven't been able to try one out, living as I do in a musical backwater, but I would gamble that the ease of playing the very slim neck might compensate for the longer (24.75") scale. Does anyone have any experience of this guitar?

Otherwise, I don't really go for Mustangs, Jazzmasters and modded Tele's because I'm not really too keen on a Fender-style sound. I prefer the fat, full-bodied neck-pickup sounds that you get from humbuckers with lots of sustain through the body.

Thanks for any ideas, guys.

[Bluesmole]

Have a look at the Adam Black Libra UK. Made in Braintree, Essex, with high output humbuckers. I bought one recently and am amazed at the quality for only £399. It has an ash body and rock maple neck. I have a thing about ash sounding better than alder, hence my 52RI tele.

Don't Vigier have very thin necks and come to think of it, some of the Yamaha range of electrics.

[HoochieCoochieMan]

Thanks BM. I checked out the Adam Blacks, but they have a regular 25.5" scale, that's too long for me. I think Vigier's do too, though I'll check them out as well. I guess Yamaha have a bit of everything, though I've never come across anything I like.

Still looking for my 24" HH ...

[VikingBlues]

I'm also tempted by the Hagstrom Ultra Swede, after being totally seduced by the Hagstrom sound of VikingBlues's Viking. Unfortunately I haven't been able to try one out, living as I do in a musical backwater, but I would gamble that the ease of playing the very slim neck might compensate for the longer (24.75") scale. Does anyone have any experience of this guitar?

If you find anything that says the Swede neck is similar to the Viking neck then i can confirm that the very slim neck is a help in playability. I believe that Hagstroms slim necks are due to their innovative truss rod design. Whatever the reason it does make it easy to play.

[vancouverois]

A quick demo on youtube:

[youtube]Eps5tFOEETg[/youtube]

[Strummer07]

Just a thought , (and depends on your budget of course ) But the Gibson ES339 has a 24.25 scale length .....and a pair of rather lovely Gibson Humbuckers

easier stretches and a different feel altogether.

Its a joy to play compared with my Fender Strat .still enjoy the Fender mind ....but I could be tempted to trade in my Acoustic ( Takemine ES261SBL ) which has a standard 25.5 " for a shorter scale length model ..

[HoochieCoochieMan]

Vancouverois: Thanks for the link. I hope this pair of zombies don't actually work for the company. If the spec of the guitar weren't so unusual, seeing - and hearing - those two would certainly have turned me off. As it is, I'm still giving the benefit of the doubt, for now: 24" (610mm) scale, HH and smallish strat-shaped body. But there's absolutely no user feedback I can find on line.

Strummer: Would that I could afford a real Gibson! I checked the 339 out anway, and it looks as if it has the standard Gibson 24.75" neck. That's already a struggle for me - I still have my '80s Heritage H535 (made on Gibson machines by ex-Gibson workers in Kalamazoo) and I have real difficulty with it sometimes, even though I have strung it with a set of 8s. So I keep looking.

[donreesegtr]

Hi HoochieCoochieMan,

I just joined the forum to offer my input on the Durango Guitar Works company. I came across the website about a month ago, after having searched for a short scale electric for years now. I sent an email which was promptly answered by the owner. After getting the green light from my wife, and doing plenty of digging myself on the company, I ordered the Contender for US $299.00. I was given several emails along the way regarding the status of the guitar (Jimmy spent some extra time at shipping going over the neck), and it was shipped for free.

Once I had received the guitar, I couldn't believe what $299 bought me! I also have a Ibanez Mikro that I have upgraded most everything that I can to play better. There's really no comparison. This feels and sounds like a real quality instrument. The tones are very usable, varied, and simple. The body has a bit of an arch to it, and is sculpted to feel thinner at the waist, which is to say, very comfortable. It's a light instrument that sits on a strap very well, as well as on the leg when sitting.

I plan to start a few YouTube demos of it, since I would love to try and help the company's name get out there. I have to agree that the two guys used on the website demo don't give a whole lot of confidence to someone looking seriously into DGW! I am a professional musician myself; I teach guitar lessons and run jazz groups, as well as instruct some college music classes.

I'll be most happy to chat with you about the guitar, or answer any questions that you might have. Other than a very satisfied customer, I have no connection with the company.

Best wishes!

Don

[ElMano]

Hay There I dont know how it is in your country but over here in Holland i hav bought me a Greg Bennett Avion I from Samic It is a marvelous 7/8 scale LP copie out full mahogany . I allso had problems with artrose and i din not play for about 30 years I got from my lovely wife this guitar as a present and i played the hell out of it. After tree years playing on the GB i started a band and now i played about 25 gigs a year and all ways bring the GB as backup If i had to practice on a new song i mostly started on the GB Avion It is far more valuable then you pay for it.
http://www.gregbennettguitars.com/