GUITAR-SITAR
Djanaï guitare-sitar Michel Gentils bluesy
Chandra guitare-sitar Michel Gentils
Nilam guitare-sitar Michel Gentils
Des sillets innovants
Finding the sound of the Sitar
In order to reproduce this unique sound of the sitar, it took years of work and research. To perfect our models we went to India to meet the luthiers who make this piece in an artisanal way.
Bridge saddle
Inspired by the Indian sitar, the bridge saddles of the "Michel Gentils signature" guitars made by Julien Jalaguier are worked with precision to the hundredth of a millimeter. Mastered today by very few luthiers around the world, this multi-millennial technique consists of "sculpting" the sound to achieve maximum harmonic richness and give a soul to the instrument: the "jawari". This adaptation of the sitar saddle to the guitar is the trademark of the "Michel Gentils signature" guitars. Upon leaving the workshop, each guitar is then validated by Michel Gentils in terms of settings and "jawari". Halfway between traditional lutherie and innovation, between West and East, new avenues of sound exploration are available to guitarists.
Sillet indien en os 6 cordes
Sillet en os 2x3 cordes sympathiques
Modèle signature Michel Gentils "Djanaï"
Sillet en os 6 cordes
Sillet en os 2x3 cordes sympathiques
Modèle signature Michel Gentils "Djanaï"
Sillet de tête
Le modèle 6 cordes présente un double sillet de tête, dont l’un avec deux ouvertures dédiées aux cordes sympathiques, permettant un réglage précis de la hauteur de chaque corde pour un jeu plus confortable.
Une précision optimale du son
Des mécaniques ultra précises
Les mécaniques japonaises Gotoh SGL510Z assurent une précision inégalée.
Avec un ratio de 1:21, elles sont parmi les plus précises et durables au monde.
Mécanique GOTOH ratio 1:21
Modèle signature Michel Gentils "Chandra"
Transformer le son
Harmonie & Résonance
Table d'harmonie
Hybrid Radiused Fan Bracing
The Red Cedar top, chosen by Michel Gentils for its round, warm and sustain-rich sound, offers a warm resonance and effective sound projection. Light and aesthetically appealing, Red Cedar stands out for its acoustic properties, its stability in the face of climatic variations and its rich history in lutherie. The "Hybrid Radiused Fan Bracing", designed to preserve the radius of the top, skillfully combines the influences of classical and folk guitar. This design offers exceptional richness of timbre and sustain, thus reinforcing the sound specific to the models in this series.
Guitar back
Active back
The "active back" bottom improves the timbre of the instrument. Studies have demonstrated an enrichment of the sound spectrum resulting from this type of bracing, with an additional resonance frequency between 220 and 250 Hz.
Triple sides
Reinforced to last a long time
The triple rib ensures better mechanical resistance, minimizing the risk of cracking and offering optimal longevity to the instrument. The use of selected woods such as padouk, spruce and mahogany guarantees an aesthetic and light combination.
Padouk
Epicéa
Acajou
Double ouïe
Captez le son avec autant de précision que votre public
The dual sound holes improve the guitarist's sound perception, providing optimal hearing comfort.
The proportion between the sound hole and the sound hole ensures ideal sound projection.
for the musician and the audience.
Cutaway
22 frets & extended range
Florentine type, the cutaway fits perfectly into the series offering 22 frets. It allows access to higher notes. Contrary to popular belief, it does not affect the sound of the guitar. On the other hand, it significantly increases its ambitus, that is to say the extent of the range between its lowest and highest note.
Custom tension transmission system
Tailpieces
The combination of the floating bridge and the tailpiece allows for extended mechanical transmission offering the best possible sustain. Each tailpiece is custom-made according to the number of strings and their spacing.
Modèle signature Michel Gentils "Djanaï"
Resonating system
Sympathetic strings
Like Indian sitars, the sympathetic strings add a natural reverberation and contribute to the richness of the instrument's sound. The carbon reinforcements, specific to the Michel Gentils 6-string signature model, precisely preserve all settings. This level of precision is essential to obtain the characteristic Indian sound, a sound to the 100th of a millimeter.
Sympathetic strings
Michel Gentils "Djanaï" model
Choose your new sound
Michel Gentils
"Nilam" model
5600 €
10 strings
Top : Red Cedar
Sides & back : Padouk
Tuners Gotoh 1:21
Bone saddle with indian shape
Armrest
Nut saddle : 48 mm
Scale : 26 inches
Satin varnish
Michel Gentils
"Djanaï" model
6300 €
6 strings + 6 sympathetic strings
Top : Red Cedar
Sides & back : Padouk
Gotoh 1:21 + Riot black 1:40
Bone saddle with indian shape
Armrest
Nut saddle : 45 mm
Scale : 26 inches
Satin varnish
Michel Gentils
"Chandra" model
A partir de 5600 €
10 strings baritone
Top : Red Cedar
Sides & back : Padouk
Tuners Gotoh 1:21
Bone saddle with indian shape
Armrest
Nut saddle : 49 mm
Scale : 26.85 inches
Satin varnish
Le mot de Michel Gentils
"I have the great pleasure of announcing the release of a series of "Michel Gentils Signature" guitars from the French luthier Julien Jalaguier, guitars that sound like the sitar of India.
I started this research in 1985 and have since produced several prototypes, including my famous two-neck guitar made by luthier Jean-Pierre Favino.
For several years, I have continued this research in close collaboration with Julien Jalaguier. He was able to design the violin-making elements that would enhance or even enrich the sound effect of the flat saddle of the bridge, this key piece of Indian string instruments: choice of wood, tuning fork, tailpiece, bridge, etc.
We ended up obtaining a reliable result that far exceeded our expectations: a single note produces a veritable rainbow of notes. The resonance by sympathy is multiplied, the “sustain” is much longer, the dynamics extraordinary. In short, this new instrument is almost an “over-guitar”, a guitar with extraordinary sounds hitherto unknown. It allows you to express yourself better, to go much further than a guitar in nuance, finesse, power. And this Indian resonance which envelops the music in no way detracts from its precision: you can play very slowly or very quickly, each note can be heard distinctly. With Julien Jalaguier, I finally achieved my forty-year-old dream: to bring the guitarist the sonic dimension of Indian stringed instruments, a dimension far superior in this area to anything that a guitar has ever produced. so far.”
Michel GENTILS