1977 Brazilian Rosewood Guitar questions

dmonroz · #1 01-25-2014, 04:53 PM

I have a 1977 Digiorgio, made in Brazil in 1977. It is the Author or Autor 3 model, handmade by Renaldo? Digiorgio and signed. It is spruce top, rosewood back and sides. We have had it since new, and until recently have not had a consistent desire to learn to play. Recently we found about a very talented gentleman in our area that repairs and sets up guitars, he has a great reputation. We took the guitar to him today, and he told us there had been compression around the wood where the neck connects, so the neck is not parallel with the guitar top, resulting in very high action. Since he doesn't know how it is constructed, he did not want to take it on as a project (he is also extremely busy).

Is anybody familiar with this guitar? Any suggestions as to someone in the US who has the ability to take this on? Is it fixable? Or worth investing in a fix? Any other comments or suggestions would be welcome! Thank you in advance.

bohemian · #2 01-25-2014, 04:57 PM

And how did you determine it was brazilian rosewood ?

Any fotos ?

dmonroz · #3 01-25-2014, 05:01 PM

I can try to post. We lived in Brazil at the time, and bought it at the Digiorgio factory in Sao Paulo, Br. and we were told this was a very high end model, Brazilian rosewood, made by one luthier, etc.

dmonroz · #4 01-25-2014, 05:32 PM

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dmonroz · #5 01-25-2014, 05:46 PM

my attempts to post a few more pics have been unsuccessful. Will keep trying.

dmonroz · #6 01-25-2014, 05:54 PM

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1...r/IMG_0186.jpg

bohemian · #7 01-25-2014, 07:47 PM

The guitar is made form laminate brazilian and what appears to be mahogany on the inner laminates.

It may be upper end for Digiorgio who are known as mass producers.

The fingerboard also appears to be brazilian rosewood.

Ned Milburn · #8 01-25-2014, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmonroz

Since he doesn't know how it is constructed, he did not want to take it on as a project (he is also extremely busy).

This should be in the build & repair section, me-thinks.

If the man didn't know how it is built, he shouldn't be doing serious work on it.

For classical guitars, the action can be up to 3.5mm (high E) and 4.5mm (low E). Measure from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string, since the strings have up to 1mm thickness and can skew the measurement.

If it is set up for flamenco playing, the action can be as low as 1.75mm (high E) to 2.25mm (Low E), but better is near 2.25 to 2.8 or so.

How high is the bridge? How much does the saddle protrude from the bridge?

The side and back wood looks to be mahogany/rosewood ply. Look at the inside of the guitar for the wood type. This seems to have been common with some brazilian guitars.

dmonroz · #9 01-26-2014, 08:40 AM

Thank you for your replies. It was helpful information, hopefully, I will be able to get the guitar repaired.

Portland Bill · #10 01-26-2014, 01:42 PM

A neck angle problem is not a simple and cheap fix,in my opinion isn't worth it on a factory made guitar like this.

dmonroz · #11 01-26-2014, 05:59 PM

Thanks for saying that. I am realizing that is probably the case.

Vognell · #12 02-01-2014, 10:16 AM

Most classical makers build in a slight angle to the neck - in my case the nut end of the neck is raised 1.5mm from a straight line through the body and 12th fret.

I brought a classical guitar to a "talented" repairman who gave me the same story you stated (neck came forward, you have a "positive" angle in relation to the body). A little poking around and I found out the dude was full of _____. I brought the guitar in because of a pronounced bowing of the neck, which he never even commented on.

For an electric or steel string, the neck is set back from the body by a few degrees, on a classical it comes up somewhat. My "skilled" repairman did not know this. Depending on how far "forward" the neck is, you may not have a problem.

Your repair dude wasn't in the Orlando area, was he?

Mickey_C · #13 02-10-2014, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bohemian

The guitar is made form laminate brazilian and what appears to be mahogany on the inner laminates.

It may be upper end for Digiorgio who are known as mass producers.

The fingerboard also appears to be brazilian rosewood.

I have a Gianni from Brazil that I found in a pawn shop in 1995. It is LAMINATED brazilian rosewood. I still laugh about it. It was $50. It's probably from the mid-60's, I found a catalog that showed the guitar. It's the kicker guitar in the house - the kids plunk on it. I chuckle every time I pick it up - it's not a bad guitar, and it's brazilian rosewood. Well... laminated.

msilva12000 · #14 03-26-2014, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmonroz

I have a 1977 Digiorgio, made in Brazil in 1977. It is the Author or Autor 3 model, handmade by Renaldo? Digiorgio and signed. It is spruce top, rosewood back and sides. We have had it since new, and until recently have not had a consistent desire to learn to play. Recently we found about a very talented gentleman in our area that repairs and sets up guitars, he has a great reputation. We took the guitar to him today, and he told us there had been compression around the wood where the neck connects, so the neck is not parallel with the guitar top, resulting in very high action. Since he doesn't know how it is constructed, he did not want to take it on as a project (he is also extremely busy).

Is anybody familiar with this guitar? Any suggestions as to someone in the US who has the ability to take this on? Is it fixable? Or worth investing in a fix? Any other comments or suggestions would be welcome! Thank you in advance.

Romeo Di Giorgio was an Italian immigrant to Brazil where he started a factory in 1908. DG guitars are the guitars of the Bossa Nova movement back in the 60's. Baden Powell played this model for 15 yrs.
The Author 3 is part of the DG professional line. All guitars from the 1960's to 80's on the professional line are good guitars. As a factory, you always have some hit or misses in quality.
As set up on a classical guitar is standard 4mm/3mm, and I've have had several DG guitars with 4mm throughout. The best way to see if you can lower the action or the neck is warped is to take out the saddle and measure the action from the fret to the bottom part of the string. If the action is lower, then you can lower the saddle. If not, either this was the factory set-up or the neck is warped(if action is higher than 4mm, that's a sure shot!).
A 1977 Author could easily fetch $ 1.5K/$2.5K as those are hard to come by. I have to DG guitars: 1966 Author that I'd sell for $ $ 7.5K to $ 10K. a 1984 Fora de Serie(custom made) Solid Cedar/Solid Brazilian Rosewood. New about $ 4.4K in Brazil.
I would not give this guitar to anyone to repair unless his/her work is known to you!
Good Luck,