Selmer 807 = or ≠ Django's 503?

bluemoves

Hey guys,

Are these plans the closest one can get to plans for actual Django's actual 503..?

(I haven't seen any plans for a 503.. but this looks the closest I've seen)

I don't even know.. are they the same guitar and Django's was just the five-hundred-and-third one they built??

If not - in what way/s do they differ?

Thanks so much.

https://www.lmii.com/plans/3537-plan-1930s-selmer-model-807-jazz-guitar.html

Buco

503 famously had 4 top braces, one less than usual 5. Here's a good discussion about Selmers, you'll see the x-ray picture of 503 in there

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/12643/selmer-guitars-background-and-observations/p1

Bones

I remember seeing a long video showing inspection of 503(??). Anyone remember that vid?

billyshakes

@Bones Is this the one you were thinking of?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeSo66p7G_8

wim

Yes, that pornographic video is still up --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeSo66p7G_8 (edit: billyshakes beat me to it)

It's Jean Barault handling the guitar. He was studying it in depth before making his first 503 replica.

The RF Charle poster is great (I have one on my wall), but maybe Barault's book might be an even more useful resource here. And is avail on djangobooks --> https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/jean-barault-how-to-make-a-selmer-guitar

The biggest difference is 503 (and her replicas) are missing bottom brace as Buco mentioned, the guitars have a very thin top so it's easily revealed by putting an LED light inside the body at nighttime:

billyshakes

I think I know what my pumpkin design will be this year for Halloween!

Bones

Billy, that's the one, thanks!