A closer look at Django's Selmer 503 !

klaatu

Michael Bauer wrote:

Di Mauro? Joseph di Mauro the elder used diamond fret markers like that. Did Antoine as well? Great picture!

Michael, the Antoine Di Mauro Choruses on Jacques' site have diamond inlays, as do most of the ones in the Di Mauro archive.

And BTW, I don't believe the Di Mauros used the name "Sweet Chorus;" all the ones shown in the Di Mauro archive are called "Special Chorus."
See http://www.di-mauro.fr/musee.htm

But nice detective work, thickpick! FINALLY, a definitive answer to this question that has been bugging Djangonuts for years.

Still, it's too bad if that guitar did indeed get burned, whether it was actually Django's or not. Those Di Mauro Choruses are way cool.

spatzo

It looks that there is an object similar to a pretty long plectrum under the strings of fret number 1 or not?

Hi Mario, I will check the dates of the Trio in Italy and I hope to have opportunities to meet.


Best

Super Mario Maccaferri

klaatu wrote:

I don't believe the Di Mauros used the name "Sweet Chorus;" all the ones shown in the Di Mauro archive are called "Special Chorus."
Still, it's too bad if that guitar did indeed get burned, whether it was actually Django's or not. Those Di Mauro Choruses are way cool.

Yeah my mistake, but you get the picture. Di Mauro. F Hole. "Chorus". Both a special AND sweet instrument, actually

And I guess it was burried, not burnt. After all, pharaohs were burried with plenty of stuff they were supposed to need in the afterlife, so isn't it logical king Django took at least one guitar with him ?

Teddy Dupont

Here is one of the first photos of Django playing the "Django Reinhardt" model Selmer from 1940 (his name inscribed on the headstock). This model was discontinued in March 1940 with only about 40 being produced and since the photo was taken in late September/early October it is unlikely that Django would have got another new one after this date and hence it is almost certainly No. 503. Notice how it the guitar is already scratched and has numerous surface blemishes.

spatzo

So some news about that famous Selmer, I just asked Charle for some info and he said that they did not make any repair on this guitar before its presentation to the Museum. They simply made it presentable. There was not a subway ticket anymore. The guitar, before being given to the Museum, was used by Babik Reinhardt during moreless ten years after the death of Django.

sfishman59

Teddy Dupont wrote:

Although I think Dregni produced a good biography of Django, there are many instances in the book where his claims are very questionable. He often makes categoric statements that are, in reality, merely assumptions or supposition about events and people from long ago, some of which he obtained from very second hand sources. I accept that this makes for better reading but it undermines the book's credibilty and breeds misinformation.

I doubt that anything of real value was burnt on Django's funeral fire, least of all his Selmer. There is also a photograph of Joseph Reinhardt laying what is claimed to be Django's guitar on his coffin before it was buried and that guitar is certainly not a Selmer or any guitar that Django was ever photographed with. All the indications are that Django only had one Selmer when he died.

I picked a couple photos out of the French TV documentary DJANGO REINHARDT TROIS DOIGTS DE GENI: They're a little different than the ones posted if anyone wanted some different shots.