Reissue Selmer Guitars

Ahab · December 2011

I know that a couple of years back Selmer commissioned Jean Barault to build prototype replica Selmers with a view to building more. I understand that they decided against this in the end because Ithey felt that there just wasn't a big enough market to sell them, and the costs that they would incur in starting guitar manufacture again wouldn't be economically viable. Surely though there must be a market for such an instrument?

Given gypsy jazz's increasing popularity, I'm sure they could find a way of making a guitar that would be a serious rival to other makers. I mean no disrespect to the luthiers out there who have to keep afloat running small operations and no-one likes to see a big company undercutting a smaller one, but as someone who is never likely to own an actual Selmer, unless I either get as good as Bireli or win the lottery which are both doubtful, I would snap one up if it was at a reasonable price-point.

Also, I have an affection for Selmer as a name in instrument manufacture, as my father used to own an old Selmer tenor saxaphone from the forties, a balanced-action for those who in the know, and my dad adored it.

Maybe if enough people petitioned Selmer they might take notice. Just a thought.

MichaelHorowitz · December 2011

It's pretty tough for Selmer to get back into the guitar business as they don't really know much about building and marketing guitars. In fact, that was for the most part true back in the 30s as well which is why they hired Mario Maccaferri. Despite the admiration Gypsy jazz fans have for the Selmer guitar, as a business model it was largely unsuccessful. That remains true to this day as the market for these guitars is tiny, especially handmade ones in the $3K and above range. The only builders who can make it are for the most part luthiers who work alone, mostly at home. It's just too difficult to sell more than a handful of Gypsy guitars a year which makes it a pretty unattractive option for a large instrument manufacturer like Selmer. With that said, Dupont has been in discussions with Selmer to build a reissue but it's unclear if and when this will happen. I have also heard that Francois Charles, who owns most of the leftover stock and machinery from the old Selmer workshop, has planned to produce a Selmer reissue at some point. Hopefully these plans will come to fruition! Would be fantastic if someone could bring the Selmer guitar back....

Bohemian · December 2011

Michael,

Why not you ? !

MichaelHorowitz · December 2011

Bohemian wrote:

Michael,

Why not you ? !

Would love to but I'm not a guitar manufacturer and have no plans to start.....I think Dupont is probably the best candidate as he has the resources and knowledge to do it right.

M

Pugs47 · December 2011

I see that the 2010 Selmer reissue currently for sale on the site is Walnut bound. I know Django's 503 was ebony bound but I think I recall seeing 504 in Charles book looking like it was rosewood or walnut. I have a Dell Arte 503 Legend which is walnut or rosewood bound. ??????

frater · December 2011

Michael Horowitz wrote:

I think Dupont is probably the best candidate as he has the resources and knowledge to do it right.

M

I agree Michael, but what could he do closer to the original than a Vieille Reserve? I wonder who's going to pay more just for the Selmer logo on the headstock... but you never know!

Steveareno · December 2011

Didn't Selmer lend their name to a range of amps and electric guitars from the UK in the 60's? Seems like guitars are popular in France and the brand is fairly well known around the world. Would be nice if they got back into producing guitars including GJ models, but it would be disappointing if they were popped out not of high quality. May be better to preserve their mythological status as is.
Swang on,

Michael Bauer · December 2011

The Beatles used Selmer amps in their early club days, and there are pictures of George Harrison playing a Selmer Futurama electric as well. I've never seen one of the guitars, but the amps were pretty good and more affordable than Vox and Fender products of the day. The guitars were not made by Selmer, but by CHSN in Czecholslovakia, and later by Hagstrom in Sweden.

The amps were built in Britain, I beleive, and I have read that some were even built in the US. T

Selmer owned Selcol made plastic guitars in the 60's as well. Apparently, the Maccaferri influence wouldn't die! I've never seen one, but I believe they were more toys than the Maccaferri plastic guitars.