How many playable Selmers remain?

rimm · April 2011

I do know that Fintan thought that number 181 was a bit of a dog and he had to put brand new strings on it to make it sound half way decent for recording-he totally loves my Moustache number 53 though, makes it sound like a cannon.

:shock:

'First time I had sex, seven years old'

rimm · April 2011

Oh and I have three more for you to check out, Ian Date has number 507,142 and 861!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3SG2GQFb_w
http://datebrothers.com/wp-content/uplo ... er_142.jpg

Michael Bauer · April 2011

Well, now 861,862, 863 and 866 are accounted for.

Redblues, you are correct about George and Selmer 503. I chased that guitar for a year and got him to finally send it to me, but was very disappointed in it. Head to head, 862 just destroyed 520. I think the one way 520 might be better is if the owner played fingerstyle. Selmer 520 had a fantastic lower register which would lend itself to fingerstyle playing, or Unaccompanied Django tunes. To my taste, it just didn't have enough upper mids and high end to really excel acoustically. It did record well, though.

redblues · April 2011

Ian Date has number 507,142

Nice, neither are listed on Jacques site http://www.gypsyguitars.com/inventory.php?status_id=5

Meanwhile, i have found a 1934 Selmer #403
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX4ILJtxXVE

Seems legit, text says it was a transitional oval hole, 12 frets, before they moved to the 14 fret model

redblues · April 2011

I think the one way 520 might be better is if the owner played fingerstyle. Selmer 520 had a fantastic lower register which would lend itself to fingerstyle playing, or Unaccompanied Django tunes

Love those insights into these instruments Michael, very cool indeed.

Meanwhile, I have found another. A 1932 Maccafferri without a definitive number unfortunately, estimated #100-#150 with resonator, has the classical bridge, but strung with steel strings. This fits with the timeline, given the #181 had resonator but had the tailpiece and floating bridge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcbCfWvpdKE

A really enjoyable video, we take this stuff for granted now, but I can only imagine what this may have sounded like to audiences in the 1930's.

redblues · April 2011

Unconfirmed Selmer #629, I know who posted the vid, straight guy (frater recently linked a vid of his playing, excellent), but have no independent confirmation that is the #629, such as close ups or pictures,

Sweet vdeo though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-qCefzQexs

redblues · April 2011

Selmer #760 found. Living in Japan with the lead player of Note Noire,

redblues · April 2011

Reasonably well known but, Christophe Lartilleux owns Selmer #634 from 1946

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXfoPouLYAk

If you shopped Django's head on there you're back in 1953.