Argies and Django?

Steveareno

I assume Django, the Ferrets and their contemporaries used Argies? There's a photo of an old Argie string package in Michael Dregni's "coffee table" book (along with a tortoiseshell pick). I guess that's what all the French cats were using back in the day. Can anyone verify, or know more about their string choice and what was available back then?
Swang on,

MichaelHorowitz

This is a good question and something I've often wondered. The story goes that Selmer commissioned Savarez to make strings suitable for their jazz models which resulted in the Argentine brand. Whether or not there were alternatives and what Django and his contemporaries used is, as far as I know, not known for certain. Seems safe to assume Django and his contemporaries used Argies as I've never heard otherwise but there may be more to the story.

Once I met a guy who had Baro Ferret's old Favino (which he bought directly from Baro). It still had a set of the old Argies in the accessories pocket of the case. Cool to see the old packaging! I guess Baro, at least sometimes, used Argies.

Apparently the pre "new concept" strings were very fragile and often wouldn't even get you through the gig.

If anyone knows any more about this I'd love to hear it!

'm

David F.

Not surprising that they've improved; since Django and Baro's time, all drawn steel products--wire, tubing, extrusions--have improved tremendously. Just think of what electric guitarists do to strings now what with locking whammy bars, etc. Those certainly have to last through more abuse!

Michael Bauer

I did read somewhere that Argie 11's did not exist when Django was alive. All they had were 10's.

MichaelHorowitz

Michael Bauer wrote:

I did read somewhere that Argie 11's did not exist when Django was alive. All they had were 10's.

I heard the 11s were Romane's idea....i don't think they had them till the 90s.

Michael Bauer

That may explain in part why shorter scaled guitars like Sel-Macs fell out of favor early on. The other obvious reason was increased fret access, but I wonder if insufficient string tension was also a factor.

MichaelHorowitz

Michael Bauer wrote:

That may explain in part why shorter scaled guitars like Sel-Macs fell out of favor early on. The other obvious reason was increased fret access, but I wonder if insufficient string tension was also a factor.

In those days I think they just cranked the action really high.....

Michael Bauer

In some places, like Halifax, they still do! I'm thinking of you, Benny! If I set the action too low to drive a bus under, Benny calls me an "electric guitar wimp"!

Steveareno

What's up with the Gaucho on the package? Always liked that guy (looks a little like Gonzalo). Anything to do with flamenco or tango music?
Swang on,

Heretic

My guess is that they are named Argentine, because silver is argentium in Latin, and the gaucho is a symbol linked to Argentina.
I know, it's circular logic, but that's my tuppence.

klaatu

Michael Bauer wrote:

In some places, like Halifax, they still do! I'm thinking of you, Benny! If I set the action too low to drive a bus under, Benny calls me an "electric guitar wimp"!

Oh, not necessarily a bus, Michael - a good-sized gypsy caravan would do.

Actually, I picked up the expression "electric wimp" from my bandmate, who admits that he is one (can't handle wound G strings, for instance).