django used....?

Josh Hegg · February 2005

ahh yes. Mea copy, mea copa, mea maxima copa

Cheers

a · February 2005

i can't remember where i saw it, but i've read that django used very heavy gauge strings..or that lighter gauge strings didn't exist until recent decades.
can anyone clarify ?

Cuimean · February 2005

From "Reinhardt - The Single String Genius" by Len Williams, Fretted Harmony, Sept./Oct. 1938:

"The first and second strings are plain wire and (so far as I could see) rather thin in texture; consequently 'blues' effects and 'dragging' can be obtained with comparative ease, and the tone produced is of a brilliant ringing character. I suspect that the bass strings are covered silk, which again (for broadcasting, recording, and microphone playing) are ideal, but would, of course, be useless for the typical 'gigster.'"

joef · February 2005

From "Django's Guitar" by Allan Hodgkiss BMG magazine Dec 1958:

"a rather shabby, much scratched instrument with exceedingly light gauge strings. (The sixth string was approximately the same gauge as a normal fourth). The strings were perfectly balanced so that the first string was similar in gauge to the E string on a violin."

later in the same article:

"Django's guitar was extremely responsive ( I could quite easily raise the fifth and sixth strings a quarter of a tone with finger pressure alone)...

Teddy Dupont · March 2005

joef wrote:

From "Django's Guitar" by Allan Hodgkiss BMG magazine Dec 1958:

"a rather shabby, much scratched instrument with exceedingly light gauge strings....

I think that may be the article where Hodgkiss says the carrying case was in an even more appalling condition with a handle made out of a piece of bent wire. He also implies that when he (Hodgkiss) played the guitar, it sounded quite ordinary and much of the beautiful tone we hear on recordings came from Django himself.

Cuimean · March 2005

I wonder how relative the term "light" has become in reference to guitar strings. I've read that Eddie Lang used a set so heavy that the B string was wound. Modern medium-gauge strings would certainly seem quite light in comparison.

nwilkins · March 2005

Teddy Dupont wrote:

He also implies that when he (Hodgkiss) played the guitar, it sounded quite ordinary and much of the beautiful tone we hear on recordings came from Django himself.

I can't say I'm surprised

stubla · March 2005

nwilkins wrote:

Teddy Dupont wrote:

He also implies that when he (Hodgkiss) played the guitar, it sounded quite ordinary and much of the beautiful tone we hear on recordings came from Django himself.

I can't say I'm surprised

True maybe--but don't knock Llewellyn and Hodgkiss--Lollo Meier told me that those english rhythm boys(with Coleridge Goode) were Fapy's (and Grappellis'!)
fave rhythm section!
Django also,seemed particularly inspired by their lighter feel.

..Theres hope for us Gadjos yet :-)
Stu