Daniel De Jong Flamenco Spruce/Brazilian Rosewood Natural 2004
Daniel De Jong flamenco, made in Tasmania 2004, natural French polish finish. Daniel De Jong keeps a pretty low online profile these days, but for many years from the early 00s, he was making brilliant classical and flamenco guitars in the style of the Spanish masters Torres, Hernandez and Romanillos. This particular guitar was ordered and solely owned by Hobart's busiest and best renowned flamenco player, so it has sing for it's supper night after night for many decades. It's the only guitar Daniel ever made using Brazilian rosewood: not surprising given the cost and difficulty involved in getting your hands on enough to make a guitar from, but surely a special endowment indeed. Dalbergia nigra, or Brazilian rosewood, has a uniquely even cell structure that allows for unsurpassed resonance, volume and low end power, and has become so rare that CITES keeps a very close eye on movements of anything made from the stuff anywhere in the world. Needless to say, this guitar sounds incredible: sonorous lows, amazing punch and attack, extraordinarily complex mids and a crystal-clear top end that adds detail and beauty to every note. It's remarkably responsive and will surely reward a discerning player; it's one of those guitars that just loves to be played. It has had a pretty noteworthy repair: it suffered a broken headstock in accident. Tasmania's finest repairer Paul Minuer has replaced the headstock, tracking down some suitably high grade mahogany to match the neck, a gorgeous ebony faceplate and some very high end (approx $800A for the set!) German-made geared pegs that offer the traditional look but with enhanced stability and easy adjustment. It's priced accordingly, and frankly you're always doing well to get a guitar of this caliber for under five figures. Life is grand, right?
Model: David De Jong Flamenco
Made: Tasmania, Australia; 2004
Serial: signed and dated, no serial
Finish: natural, French polish style
Body: white spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides
Neck: central American mahogany, ebony fretboard
Weight: 1.390kg
Mods: headstock and tuners replaced
Accessories: white moulded hard case
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has scuffs on the bass edge and the front around the posts. The is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples and scuffs on the back only. The back has dimples on the shoulders and down the middle, scuffs along the back and bottom edge and some light rub wear around the whole body. The sides have rub wear in the elbow area and bottom side where it sits on the lap. The front has dimples on both shoulders and behind the bridge, scuffs in the elbow area, rub wear around the bridge, fingernail marks around the guards and the treble side of the fretboard .
Overall: very good condition (8/10)
Playing condition notes: Action is moderately low, neck is straight, intonation is good. Wearing fresh Rotosound high tension nylon strings.
Fret life: 9/10, minor wear only