Some basic questions

pdg · May 2020

Don't forget all the great solos Django played on his short-scale (640mm) 12-fret D-hole guitars, before the 14-fret 670mm oval hole was invented. You don't have to go to the 670mm scale.

Even Bireli played Hahl guitars with a 650mm scale for over a decade.

Proper setup -- action, truss rod, choice of strings -- is very important. (Though everyone has their favorite balance.)

I think the ladder bracing of gypsy jazz guitars combines with the rest-stroke attack on the light copper-wound strings, to produce notes with the initial attack that are part of the style. I personally think other guitars sound better for fingerstyle playing, but 12-fret D-holes are best if you want to play lots of fingerstyle.

If you anticipate moving up to a better instrument in the future, a well-known brand like Altamira or Eastman, possibly a used one in good condition, may be easier to get your money back out of.

ChrisMartin · May 2020

vanmalmsteen · May 2020

Had he lived long enough Django may just have adopted the Stratocaster!

adrian · May 2020

diwa130 wrote:

How those guitars sound with other styles. Fingerpicking for instance.

I've done fingerpicking on my gypsy guitar for 15ish years. It can totally work. Lots of examples in my playlist here. One representative example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTk6-_FXiuI

Adrian

flaco · May 2020

There are two aspects here: 1) can you play other music on a Gypsy jazz guitar, and 2) can you play Gypsy jazz on a flat top acoustic. The answer to both of those is "yes" as many of the posts have already demonstrated. I'm fortunate to have some really nice instruments. I have a vintage Martin D-18, a Shelley Park Encore, and a few electric guitars. I play everything on all the guitars. I'm as likely to play Metallica on the Shelley Park as I am to play it on electric! The Park is my favorite guitar to play so it's the one that I play the most. My Django-style playing is a work in progress and mostly I play bluegrass flatpicking-style music, which sounds great on the Park. The bottom line is - I think for playing at home any of these instruments can be enjoyable for any style. Gigging is a different story, and I would go for authenticity there. However, the most important deciding factor to me is what is going to inspire you to practice and play? That's where I think getting the Gypsy guitar is important.

To summarize: it's not required but if you are really serious about learning Gypsy jazz guitar you will progress faster on an authentic guitar. In the meantime, it works for other styles of music although it may not sound "authentic" depending on the style.

Earlier in the thread it was mentioned that people sometimes mistake the sound of a Gypsy guitar for nylon string. That's how Willie Nelson ended up with his famous nylon string Martin. He's a huge Django fan and wanted to get a guitar that had that sound.

MikeK · May 2020

I agree with Wim Glenn, Buco & Flaco, with an additional thought or two on the matter. In my opinion, if you're going to get serious about playing gypsy jazz, it's well worth the expense to go ahead and get a GJ guitar. As folks have mentioned, you can get a very nice used Gitane (for example) in the $500 range. You can also get a very nice new Altamira (again for example, as I did from Michael on this site) in the $1000 range. Either of these options will be a wonderful way to commit yourself to the study of this magical music, which can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment for you, and possibly others that play with you and/or listen to you play. In the event that you dont take to it, these types of guitars tend to hold their value well, and you could sell it. As far as playing other styles on them, I've used my D-hole Altamira to play singalong folk stuff at family gatherings & it sounds great. It also sounds great doing finger picking style stuff for fun. But if you want to be taken seriously by other serious GJ players as you delve deeper into this style, I think you'll want to at least initially play the type of guitar that is made for this music. As far as players using other types of guitars, as others have mentioned, my suggestion is this: consider learning how to play this music on a GJ guitar, where you'll be inspired to tap into the vast and mystical history of this unique style. Once you're gig-ready, and you've found your own unique voice with it (which hopefully we all do), you can try to play it on whatever you want to play it on. You will have, in my view, earned the right to do it your own way. A couple of tremedous guitar players in Asheville NC (where I live) who gig with me regularly play archtops a lot of the time and they sound tremendous. Those are just my thoughts, others may disagree.

vanmalmsteen · May 2020

I would actually love to get a ES150 kind of deal (Charlie Christian) to play Some gypsy jazz . Anyone ever tried it? there is a guitar Here on the website called ‘The Loar’ Old school non-cutaway arch top. Even has a P90 pick up. Well under $1000

seems like it would be a blast to play some gypsy jazz with that, it’s the same Era and repertoire

MikeK · May 2020

I've heard that The Loars can be hit or miss. While some are nice out of the box, others desperately need to be set up by a pro. My friend uses a Godin 5th Avenue (very similar to The Loar) on a lot of our gigs and he sounds great. To me, it's like Charlie Christian merging with Django. When I walk up to the banstand & see it there, I know I'm in for a good night. Of course, he's playing la pompe & rest stroke picking, so it fits in perfectly. I have an Epiphone Joe Pass that I've used a few times on GJ gigs, but it's more of a fleeting novelty for me to use it. I always bounce back to my trusty Altamiras. But I had my luthier move the 9th fret marker to the 10th fret on the Epiphone, just to keep my head straight if and when I use it for this music.

Buco · May 2020

@vanmalmsteen Alfonso Ponticelli uses ES150 style archtop to play electric era Django. Oh and on a lot of occasions he prefers to play old school GJ on his flamenco guitar(he also has Holo and), he is expert flamenco player too so it's probably just very comfortable for him too. Which by the way if you don't know of him check him out, he's a beast.

@MikeK you're right that certain guitars just inspire you to make a certain type of music. But comment reminded me of something else. Which is, when you're acquiring new skills learning this style of music, a proper guitar guitar is also a sounding board. Meaning it will tell you if your technique is getting there or not. It's giving you feedback, are you doing it right or not. Think of it as a teen who lucked out to end up in a back seat of a car with an older, experienced lover. If you're already a seasoned player and your hands are trained, then you'll get the best of any guitar to speak it's best GJ impersonation, you already know how to do that.