A closer look at Django's Selmer 503 !

Jazzaferri

Sweet Did they make you strap the cam to your head :twisted:

WColsher

Thanks, AE!

For those, like me, without the Dregni handy, Spautz is "Mythos und Realität" or "Mythe et Réalité" by Roger Spautz.

Obviously, Mme. Ipsaïenne's story has contributed a bit of "Mythe", though she may certainly be forgiven for not noting the brand, serial number, and string gauges of the guitar about to be immolated on that somber occasion.

Teddy Dupont

Although Django played, owned, gave away, lost, and damaged many Selmers, it seems that he only tended to own one at a time. Certainly when interviewed in 1946, he said the guitar he had with him was his only one and he had owned it for 8 years. The intervewer described it as looking "battered".

During much of the 30s when these guitars were evolving, he seemed to be changing models all the time.

Super Mario Maccaferri

What interview is that, Teddy ? Recorded ??

Btw I just love how this thread lives on this forum, interesting stuff, guys.

spatzo

Hello Mario!


The interview is on paper on the following book:

The Genius that was Django
Compilation copyright Ted Cherret
Photocopied and published in the UK, by
Ted Cherret
73 Woodham, Addlestone
Surrey KT15 3TJ
July 1997
ISBN : 0 9531037 0 6

Just a world on Django's Selmer it was restored by Charle's wife but unfortunately all the DNA of Django was washed out accurately to give the guitar a "better look", even the metro ticket that was under the bridge was pulled off without looking if it was a first class or second class one and without in what station it was bought. (In the fifties in Paris each ticket had the name of the metro station of origin).

Many tks for the video my friend!

Teddy Dupont

In this photo taken just before Django died, you can see what could well be that Metro ticket under the bridge.

Teddy Dupont

........and the two holes around the sound hole that are visible in the photo above are in exactly the same position as those in the video. The other, wider spaced holes in the video would perfectly match the fixings for the Stimer in the photo. I am very suspicious of many Django related claims but I think this was Django's guitar.

Super Mario Maccaferri

You think which guitar is django's guitar ? Sorry but I'm getting lost now... The one in the picture ? of course it is... Or were you wondering about the one in my video ? It is Selmer 503, indeed. I May well be a maniac in my own genre; and a bit too obsessed with djangology in general, but I wouldn't go as far as inventing a story according to which I've filmed the guitar, or try to make a fake 503 and then show it to the world

Anyway...

Spatzo, are you sure the guitar went to Charle's ?
That was BEFORE it was given to the museum, then, right ??

But how old was Roselyne Charle then ? I believe the guitar was given to the museum in 1965... The guy from the museum told me the guitar did NOT leave the museum after that...

Teddy Dupont

Super Mario Maccaferri wrote:

You think which guitar is django's guitar ? Sorry but I'm getting lost now... The one in the picture ? of course it is... Or were you wondering about the one in my video ? It is Selmer 503, indeed. I May well be a maniac in my own genre; and a bit too obsessed with djangology in general, but I wouldn't go as far as inventing a story according to which I've filmed the guitar, or try to make a fake 503 and then show it to the world

:shock: :shock: No if course not! I know the guitar in your video is Selmer 503. The question that was being posed was whether Selmer 503 was actually Django's guitar because Dregni had written saying that all Django's possessions were burnt after he died including his Selmer. I was trying to show that the guitar in the photo of Django from 1953 looked exactly like 503 and therefore I believe the guitar in the museum which you videoed was Django's guitar and it was not burned when he died.

Teddy Dupont

..and here is a photo from 1951 where the filled holes on either side of the sound hole perfectly match those on Selmer 503 and the position of the Stimer location screws fit other holes visible in the video.