Dimauro Boogie Woogie questions

fretwear

Hi folks, long time lurker first time poster...8 )

Have a few questions, first how can one tell the age or decade of an A. Dimauro boogie woogie, I see some have the distinctive tail piece others have a trapeze style? Different woods and pick guard materials, all with no serial number or date of manufacture.....

Do all have the backs continue and cover the heel or did some have a separate heel cap?

Do they all have a flat fret board or some have a radius, if so what radius is common?

And finally, what strings are recommended to compliment the shorter scale length and voice of a DiMauro Boogie Woogie guitar?

Thanks in advance for any info!

ChrisMartin

From what I have seen most were probably made from the '40s to the '60s although as Antoine started his first workshop in 1936 it is possible he was making them as early as that and as late as '75 when Joseph Jr took over. Antoine is usually reported as moving to Paris in 1932 but he was initially working for a furniture maker and only started making instruments in '36. Even after 1975 Joseph may have still been using up leftover parts including necks with the A. Di Mauro mark. I have seen them both with a one piece back covering the neck heel and others with a separate heel cap, but even then always flush fitted to look the same. This may have been just a convenience for when suitable timbers were not quite long enough? Francois Charle writes in the Selmer book that by the '60s they were importing some necks made in Italy to keep up with demand so later ones may have some differences there. Most would have had a natural finish but they did introduce a sunburst option probably late '50s or early '60s. Tailpieces were either the unique Di Mauro design or trapeze style with the latter seen in different lengths, presumably these were 'bought in'. Likewise, tuners were the yellow button Delaruelle type, but of course down the years many have had hardware replaced anyway. Necks were made of various woods, beech, pearwood, mahogany depending on what was available but I have never seen or heard of any with radiused fretboards. Pickguards were most often celluloid tortoiseshell pattern but again there were variations, black and even white has been seen but again it is possible these were later additions. Bridges were usually a simple single piece, either with or without a separate plastic (or bone?) saddle but they did not have the typical Selmer style 'moustaches' although again many have been added down the years. Finally, for the GJ sound Argentines work fine but they also make fine fingerpicking guitars when strung with bronze strings. Whatever, they are great guitars with an unbeatable tone to weight ratio!

ChrisMartin

And two different back treatments, this one a one piece curly maple laminate.

ChrisMartin

And a sunburst with a separate heel cap.
Dang, it does not let me upload the photo, I will try again later.........

vanmalmsteen

This is mine, no idea what year it is, if anybody has any idea I would appreciate .

vanmalmsteen

And this.....is what it sounds like!

ChrisMartin

vanmalmsteen wrote: »

And this.....is what it sounds like!

Yes, picking close to the bridge does give an almost banjo sound, but for rhythm playing over the soundhole does a decent job of 'la pompe'. There is a short demo on Youtube with Denis Chang trying a few guitars, the Boogie Woogie is at about 6.37.

vanmalmsteen

Good tip! I think I tend to play to far back

AndyW

coincidentally, I am thinking of bidding on this:
[ I'm wondering about the pickguard shape - original ??]

fretwear

that's (I think) a Dimauro jazz model I saw a few examples whilst searching out info about Dimauro, Boogie Woogie, Chorus etc.......
Not certain of anything though

fretwear

here's a couple of pics I found, the pick guard is a very distinctive shape, different from the Boogie Woogie.

http://www.williampetit.com/guitar-selmer.htm

http://www.guitare-village.com/occasion/jazz/jazz.php