axe question....

GypsyJoe

i am totally new to this site and i'm very glad to have found it. i've been searching for a few weeks for little tips and tricks i could practice to build my chops and work some gypsy jazz flavor into my own style.

i'd like all your opinions on my choice of axe though. i typically play and electric guitar. i've owned two acoustics sofar, a takamine and a taylor at one point but, i can never hang onto them b/c i usually have to sell my acoustic. right now, i'm playing my friend's, now DON'T laugh.....

it's a First Act acoustic from Walmart. it cost my friend $60 and i'll say this,... it's a damn fine guitar. batter intonation than any other cheapo guitar you buy for less that $100 and the thing actually has a very good tone, bright but earthy.

well, i'm learning gypsy jazz on this First Act but, my main guitar is a 50's Reissue Fender Strat. i love a good Fender guitar, though they're hard to come by very often. i used to take a Telecaster to some jazz lessons and my teacher would get mad at me.

so, i love the tone of my Fender and the fact that it's electric, whammified, and i can use it to make a gypsy style solo into a searing psychadelic blues creature..... this is why i'm also using my fender to learn. any of you have taughts or comments on what you think i SHOULD be using.

please keep in mind that i'm so damn poor and will never be able to pay for one of those finely made manouche guitars and i'm not even sure i'd ever really like one, sorry.....

Jack

It just depends on what YOU want to do...if it helps ease your mind, you can see that not all gypsy jazz groups use Selmer style guitars by looking through the videos here on the site. Some even use strat copies:
viewtopic.php?t=1521

Best,
Jack.

Michael Bauer

I started out playing any Django I could figure out on electric for a good while. First, I thought I was the only guy on earth who wanted to play his stuff, and second, I had no clue any Selmer knockoffs were even made. It wasn't until Guitar player did articles on the Sagas that I knew I had to go that route, and I bought two before I found out that anyone else made gypsy guitars. It isn't like you see them hanging in every guitar shop. Play your electric, learn the music, and if the bug to get a gypsy guitar gets you, do it then. There are some cheap GJ guitars out there (Cordoba?). In the meantime, I haven't seen much snobbery in the gypsy jazz scene. If you love the music, people seem to accept you on your own terms.

By the way, I have the original Joe Pass guitar method from ca. 1970. I believe the only picture in it is Joe playing...a Telecaster! I'd like your old jazz teacher to see that! I'm a Gibson guy, but Tele's are special.

Josh Hegg

Play what works for you. One of the big advantages of owning an acoustic guitar that can be heard is that you can get involved in jams. This is the best way to grow your technique. Most jams don't let you "plug in" so having a proper "unplugged" instrument is the only way. A plat top.. no matter how loud it sounds in your room at home can not touch the volume and cut through tone of a Selmer style guitar. My ¢.2

Cheers,
Josh