#1
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Any Django Reinhardt aficionados here?
I am interested in the life, guitars and playing style of this great man. I gather that he played numerous makes of guitar but my query is specific to the era of his Selmer Maccafferi guitar. Does anyone know what type/gauge of strings that he used....and if possible, what string height/action he had it set up to? Thanks.
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#2
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They were probably a lot like the current "Argentines" made by Savarez, which are a silver-plated wound string. Light gauges, probably 10's or 11's (remember, the scale length is longer on a petit-bouche SelMac style)
Action, I would have no idea, but A lot of gypsy players play with action that's as high as they can play cleanly on, as it produces more volume. When I had a gypsy guitar the action was about 3mm on the bass side, and a shade over 2mm on the trebles. That always felt pretty good to me. |
#3
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Thanks for posting mr. beaumont. I didn't think that the strings would be that light.....but if the Maccafferis of that time didn't have truss rods (just a wild guess), then heavier strings may have damaged the neck. While I'm here, I've managed to check out your tube videos.....nice sounds coming from your guitars man. One specifically intrigues me....the nylon strung guitar that you play "There ain't gonna be nobody else like you" sounds lovely. But looks rather unusual! What make of guitar is it?
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#4
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Quote:
Yeah, the strings are pretty light. The no-truss rod may have been part of it. The other thing is the added tension due to the scale length...play a gypsy guitar with .011's for an hour (and play hard, like the style demands) and boy, those .011's will feel like they're shredding your hands! Plus Django did all kinds of bends and vibrato, so he needed the strings to have some give. Man, he was something, wasn't he? Maybe the best "pure improviser" to ever pick up the guitar. |
#5
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The guy was a genius. His playing technique was incredible considering the injuries he sustained to his fretting hand. I must check out my local Yammie stockists to see if they have any to try. The only silent guitars that I've seen are the ones that are actually shaped like the outline of a "real" guitar. Unfortunately I don't like the look of them (apolicies to all owners of these guitars out there). I try to play some jazz chords on my steel strung acoustic but I'm looking for a nice (shorter scale) nylon strung in the hope that it will be nicer to play for my old arthritic fingers.
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#6
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I'm all about nylon strings right now...more expressive, easier on the fingers...what's not to love?
I think the actual model is SLG100N. They do have a frame, not sure you can see it in the video, that's "guitar shaped," but only the center piece is solid. I joke that guitar matches whatever shirt I wear. |
#7
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I think the actual model is SLG100N. They do have a frame, not sure you can see it in the video, that's "guitar shaped," but only the center piece is solid. I joke that guitar matches whatever shirt I wear.[/QUOTE]
Oooops...me and my big mouth. I apologise if I've offended you. Maybe I should actually play one before making judgements on appearance. As for nylon guitars....I've been looking at Alvarez crossover guitars. Has the best of nylon. They are like nylon string classical guitar meets acoustic specs.
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#8
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Hey, definitely not offended, no worries!
My advice on crossovers is don't go with too narrow of a nut width. Nylon strings are wider in diameter than steels, and if they get too close together, it gets really clunky. |
#9
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Advice gratefully accepted. I wouldn't have realised this and I do generally prefer narrower nuts. I thought I would be OK with a 3/4 or 7/8 size nylon classical but the wider and flat fingerboard wreaks havoc on my little fingers.
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#10
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All GJ fans should be aware of the D'jangobooks forum. Michael Horowitz is a great guy, with the largest selection of quality Sel-Mac guitars on the west coast (if not the whole US). If you ever find yourself in the Puget Sound region in late September you've got to take in D'jangofest NW on Whidbey Island.
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#11
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Thanks for the link for the D'jangobooks forum Mandobart. I like the look of it.
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#12
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I've always been rather a stickler for getting the action as low as I can on all (there's only two) of my acoustics. Check the relief......get the feeler gauges out and check the action. Nice and low action.....maybe a tad on the low side but I justify this and say to myself that it's OK to buzz on demand.....cos I'm a "modern" acoustic player and a bit of buzz is the mark of an artisan.
But now I'm a La Pompe lad.....need big sound projection....and without amplification. So I whack up the action at the 12th fret to around 3mm on sixth string and 2mm on first string.......and I'm loving it!
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