Click here for a small discussion of rosette details. In terms of sound, the models differ more to the player than to the listener. Because of how the soundhole affects the way the sound emanates from the guitar's body, the player hears perhaps more accurately what the D-hole model sounds like to others. By contrast, with its small soundhole, the oval-hole model seems to project more directionally. Because of its longer scale, the D-hole model can be played harder as well.
All models have solid French spruce tops.
The tonewoods of the body certainly color that sound, and these tonal differences are again a bit more evident to the player than to the listener. These guitars are traditionally played with Argentine strings, a very light, special composition string made in France. They are also generally played with rather high action, for clearer notes and better vibrato. There is, however, one American stringmaker offering a superior string for these guitars, called Manouche-Tone Strings . Of the two steelstring models, three out of four buyers initially prefer the oval-hole, mostly because it's what Django played.