Reviews

Worldwide Students Speak

4837 reviews
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Entrada Archtop Guitar
David Harrison - United Kingdom
Found the perfect electric guitar…

The superb Conti Entrada was received extremely well packaged through FedEx International ahead of schedule. The supplied gig bag provided a safe and secure environment and the guitar was revealed in perfect condition.

Once tuned, the Entrada played perfectly, no adjustment was needed to the intonation or playing action. The fret ends and fingerboard were exquisitely finished as was the tailpiece and headstock. A nice touch is the volute on the reverse of the join between the headstock and the neck. A sign of a quality instrument.

The body finish is perfect with the stain revealing the attractive grain through the lacquer. Played acoustically, the tone is rich, consistent and surprisingly loud, very satisfying! Plugged in to a Roland Jazz Chorus combo, using the clean channel with no effects, there is a charming, well rounded acoustic feel which is perfect for the music I currently play (jazz vocal/guitar duo – Fitzgerald/Flack/Streisand style) in a lounge environment. It is particularly pleasing that the pick up voicing is perfectly adjusted for left handed use, so all strings sound at the same volume.

All in all I have found the perfect electric guitar after many years of searching. Many thanks to Conti Guitars.

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The Comping Expo
Robert Amster MD

Excellent, comprehensive explanations and insightful exercises to do.

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Vol. 4 Satin Doll
User: Mitch on TrueFire
Information is timeless!

What a master! This course may be old - but the information within is timeless!

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Entrada Archtop Guitar
Lonnie Smith - Canada
Far superior to a $5,000 archtop I sold…

Beauty, playability, consistency, quality and value all describe my two Conti Entradas perfectly, but not completely. The purchasing process was undoubtedly the most customer focused experience I’ve ever encountered (for any product purchase I’ve ever made). From working with Steve in finalizing the guitar options, Mike on the supply/shipping/delivery side, and finally Robert and his incredibly enjoyable and personal videos; just an outstanding effort by a highly professional team that places the customer first.

They are the finest guitars I’ve ever owned (far superior to a $5,000 archtop I recently sold). The craftsmanship and value of the Entrada make me question why anyone would purchase anything other than a Conti Guitar.

I’m also about a third through the Source Code family of videos and Robert’s instruction is concise, insightful and highly enjoyable; a tremendous teacher without peer.

My sincere thanks to the great Conti Team!

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Entrada Archtop Guitar
David Skinner - College Station, TX
Wonderful instrument, superb buying experience

As with all things Conti, my new Entrada arrived on time, and the day after I watched the video of Robert ‘leading by example’ on it. As I got more used to the fingerboard and the balance of the instrument, my thought was that it plays itself! Notes just fly off. The tone is acoustic and warm, and the pickup worked great through my studio board (Audient preamp into a UA Apollo). I’ll use my Bose L1 compact at a gig tomorrow night…can’t wait! Thanks for a wonderful instrument and a superb buying experience.

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2 Hour Lesson
David Skinner - Bryan, TX
A direction that will allow me to improvise lines easily...

What I learned in my first lesson with Robert is that he is as energetic and friendly as he is in his DVDs. I’ve watched hours of the DVDs and it was a privilege to be able to personally converse, for two hours. Within the first 15 minutes, Robert watched me play and asked a few questions, and then had his tech email me three pages, which we spent the remainder of the lesson on. During the analysis of those pages, he answered the question I had not asked, which was how do I apply the Etudes from The Precision Technique and the few lines I learned in the Jazz Lines to a song. By focusing me on Green Dolphin Street, he answered this question and gave me some wonderful homework. The most important impact of the lesson though, was that Robert has helped me integrate and focus all of the skills and knowledge I’ve developed over the years into a direction that will allow me to improvise lines easily. Handing someone a scale book or a list or arpeggios to learn is like handing someone a fishing pole and walking off without telling them to thrown the line in the water. Robert wants you to land a big fish…tonight at the gig.

Signature Chord Melody Arrangements Vol 5

Again an excellent and tastefully selected collection of standard melodies.
Very useful for gigs that involve background settings such as restaurants, wedding events and formal dinner settings where tasteful and unobtrusive music is required.
Can be played with a plectrum of fingerstyle as you wish-either one chord per beat as written or adapted to your own personal preferences.
Highly recommended for the chord melody guitarist,.

So Many Products, Where Do I Start?

Before you consider any teacher, take the time to review the credentials of that teacher.

By credentials, we don’t mean pieces of paper which only prove that someone sat in a classroom for 4 years.  That’s not going to cut it for playing jazz.  Jazz credentials are on the bandstand experience playing jazz guitar at a high level of skill for numerous years.  Robert Conti is the rare combination of pro player and teacher who has a knack for delivering information straight to your fingers.  Now, on to the products. . .

Can You Drive A Car Without Being A Mechanic?

Driving a car is a great analogy to learning to play jazz guitar. In much the same way that you are able to drive a car without knowing its internal mechanical functions under the hood, you are also able to play jazz guitar without knowing the “how and why” behind what you’re playing. The Conti learning products are designed to put you in the driver’s seat of that automobile to get you driving (playing jazz guitar) immediately.

Want More? Get Under The Hood

Alternately, in order to understand what actually makes your car operate, you would read a technical manual that goes into great detail about the various parts of your engine, electrical system, transmission, wheels, etc.  The technical manuals Robert Conti produced for jazz guitar are the Source Code DVD Series.  These are seven volumes of info-packed DVDs/Books that present the “how to, and nuts & bolts” driving the lines or chord melody you already have under your fingers. It is much easier to comprehend the underlying “why does this work so well?” of theory after you’re actually able to play the lines or chord melody.

Start By Determining Your Current Skill Level

Each day, scores of guitarists begin their journey to learn jazz guitar. Most guitarists quickly discover that playing jazz guitar requires a bit more technical dexterity to play new chord forms and single note lines – the staple of jazz guitar playing. Aspiring jazz guitar students will generally fall into two groups. This narrative will assist you to determine exactly where you should begin, to gain the most traction and enjoyment in your learning experience. Your first step is to determine if you are a Group 1 or Group 2 type student. Then, simply read the guidelines to select the product you will need to achieve your goals.

Group 1 (Generally Entry Level)

These are players who have acquired some basic chord playing skills over a year or two, and then discovered, the alluring sound of jazz guitar.

Technique – The Currency of Playing

If you’re already aware that you need to improve your Left/Right hand coordination and picking skills, start with The Precision Technique in the Source Code DVD series. While you can spend several months mastering the specialized data in this Book/DVD, it isn’t necessary. In fact, after you have mastered only one or two exercises, you will have acquired enough skill to begin working with the Ticket To Improv Entry Level DVD series. Note the emphasis on “mastered.”

For another perspective to determine your skill level, watch the following videos to see students playing entry level material from the Ticket To Improv DVD series. After watching, if you feel that your current level of technical ability is at or near the same level as the skill they display, then you can skip The Precision Technique DVD, and begin with the Ticket To Improv DVD series.

Adam Hinchliffe, United Kingdom

Mario Ochoa, Florida, USA
(note: solo begins at 31 seconds)

While you enjoy working with the data in the Ticket To Improv DVDs, you can, and should continue working through The Precision Technique DVD, although at a slower pace, as those studies, along with playing the lines in the Ticket To Improv series all serve to improve your technical skill. If technique is the currency of playing, if you don’t have it, you’re broke.

Based on the time you can allocate to practice, after mastering at least two of the Precision Technique studies (any two), the ideal study plan for entry level players should ideally include:

  1. The Ticket To Improv DVD Series
  2. The Chord Melody Assembly Line
  3. The Precision Technique DVD*After completing #1 & 2 above, you will have gained enough insight to select the appropriate DVD(s) for your continued course of study.

*Once you understand the quick and easily achievable Conti Fingering Protocol, you can then continue working with the other studies as a short routine daily primer.

Group 2 (Generally Adv Level)

You have already played for several years in a variety of music genres, such as Blues, Country or Rock. You have already acquired greater levels of chord playing and single note skills. The additional level of acquired skills will make your transition to playing jazz guitar much easier. In general, these players are looking for Pro Level “take it to the gig tonight” lines and ideas that they can learn and apply immediately.

Although you are in this advanced group, if you still feel that you need to improve your Right & Left Hand coordination skills, you can also utilize the The Precision Technique to upgrade those skills very quickly. When a guitarist makes his/her transition to jazz after several years of prior experience playing other genres, they’re able to reach higher level skills “on the fly,” as a direct result of playing jazz.

Advanced Improvisation Examples

Lucas Costner, Tennessee, USA

Adam Hinchliffe, United Kingdom

If your playing goal is single note playing at an advanced level, select any of the following advanced improv DVDs:

  • The Smoking Lineman Improv Series – 5 Volumes (Bebop Tunes)
  • The Sound Of Rio Improv Series – 5 Volumes (Bossa Nova Tunes)
  • Big City Blues Improv Series – 5 Volumes (Blues Tunes)

Did you notice that Adam Hinchliffe appeared in both the Entry Level and Advanced Groups? That's the power of the Conti approach - short term, noticeable playing progress.

A Note On The Source Code Series

Each title in The Source Code DVD Series is tightly focused on a single facet of playing. The Source Code Series is the perfect solution for aspiring jazz guitarists and all other players who want to learn the devices that I employ to create what fans call “edge of your seat lines” and reharmonized chord melody arrangements. The Source Code DVDs are perfectly focused on the “Source” or the “the How To Nuts & Bolts” of my Chord Melody Arrangements, Technique, Solo Improv Lines, etc.  I have prepared overview videos for each volume in the series to provide a great understanding of the goal of each of those titles.

Ready to dig in and start achieving your goals?

Now that you have a general guideline and understanding of the Conti products, click the button at right to start your jazz guitar learning journey the old school way – by playing.