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Dominique DELARUE
St. Chamas, France, 2010
Western Red Cedar Soundboard, Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
Ebony fretboard with 650 mm string length
$ 11000 SOLD
The guitars of Dominique Delarue bear a close resemblance to those of Daniel Friederich who is his primary inspiration. This opinion, which I have long held, was confirmed by none other than famous luthier Dominique Field during a chat I had with him on a recent visit to Paris.
Delarue guitars have already made a major impact on the American concert guitar market. These two arrived in Philadelphia in May 2009 and bear the serial numbers 325 and 326. They are both very powerful, clear and warm sounding instruments exquisitely French polished and equipped with deluxe Irving Sloane tuning machines.
The tone of this instrument is superior to most concert guitars costing far more. Fabulous resonance, clarity and projection throughout the fingerboard. Performers who have bought Delarue instruments say they have a uniquely lively spirit that inspires one to play at his or her best.
What follows is the published review written by Josiane and Philippe Spinosi who used one of his guitars along side a Gerard Audirac guitar when they made their second U.S. tour in 2001. It is an excellent instrument analysis from the point of view of professional performers. (See also Allen Krantz's opinion in "What Customers Say")
If you want to hear Delarue guitars played by professional artists, here are three web addresses featuring two French players and one American:
www.myspace.com/nadiagerber
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWrCtxubJQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJl_p94H3Nw
Review of a Dominique Delarue concert guitar by Josiane and Philippe Spinosi
from Guitare Classique no. 12, January 2002:
The guitar that we tried is the Grand Concert model No. 239, dated October 2001. An instrument of classic construction exhibiting extreme
care in the finishing details. The beautiful cedar soundboard is embellished by an elegant rosette made up of diamond and herringbone patterns and a rosewood bridge with delicate wood inlays. The back and sides are of Indian rosewood and the very thin double and triple purfling strips along the edges of the soundboard and the back show off
the balanced contours very gracefully. The headstock is faced with rosewood veneer with large and symmetrical grain finely divided by a thin white filet, and it is mounted with handsome and precise Sloane
tuning machines with ebony buttons.
We tested this guitar under the most demanding conditions possible during five successive concerts and it proved to be a magnificent instrument. For a cedar top guitar it has exceptional clarity. We were impressed by its tonal precision over the entire range of the fingerboard. The guitar is highly responsive and imposes no restrictions on the player's intentions. All tone colors are easily produced. The dynamic range is broad and it is a great pleasure to play diminuendo all
the way to pianissimo without losing resonance.
Just as remarkable is the continuity across the strings. The G-string poses no problem in this regard and and the fluidity of melodic lines is perfect. Plenty of power is always there which allows for playing the most vigorous compositions while always leaving a margin without an impression of saturation. A little more care must be taken with the higher notes above the 12th fret. But this is a new instrument and this part of the register will certainly open up more as it matures. We must add that the guitar was very easy to control and the dominant physical sensation it gives is one of suppleness.
Dominique Delarue has produced a masterpiece with this guitar, combining great projection, indispensible in a concert instrument, with tonal refinement and precision and so opening the way for the performer's full creativity.
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