Help from the Gypsy Jazz guys!

p90fool

I'm looking at having a bit of a dabble in this genre, it's something I've always loved but have never sat down with a guitar in my hands and given it a proper go.

This has been prompted partly by a hankering that's always been there, but mostly by the fact that I dislocated the 3rd and 4th fingers on my left hand rather badly a few weeks ago and I've been casting around for things I can work on while waiting to see if my hand will ever regain full strength.

So I'm looking for a guitar. I'm not going big budget on this, but I do want something with proper volume and projection rather than just a clunky, quiet lookalike.

This rules out Aria and similar big brand offerings because I've tried them before and they're shite.
Does anyone have any experience with Cigano or Quincy Maccaferri types? I can get a Cigano oval or D-hole for £379, which is absolutely the top of my budget.

Cheers all.

knuckleberryfinn

You have a Loar LH300 don't you? I use one for gypsy jazz and it does the job.

Aidanspaghetti

Welcome to the (Hot) club @p90fool ... 
Cant help with the suggestions for guitars but I think you're going to enjoy the GJ challenge -)

BigLicks67

Use whatever acoustic you have got, there's absolutely no reason to buy a specialist guitar.
Here's Django's Waltz on a D18

guitars4you

I agree with above comments - play Gypsy jazz on what you have - the guitar is already familiar to you - some will try silk n steel strings but I'm not so sure about this - To me many Selmer style D hole Maccaferri's are an acquired taste and not easy to handle - IMO 

I was lucky enough to have sold an original early 30's Maccaferri - around $25,000 at the time to a USA customer, maybe 20 years ago - all original etc and to be honest I thought it played like a heap of junk - It sure makes you wonder what a genius Dango was with a deformed hand, let alone having to play on such a 'poor' guitar

earwighoney

p90fool said:

I'm looking at having a bit of a dabble in this genre, it's something I've always loved but have never sat down with a guitar in my hands and given it a proper go.

This has been prompted partly by a hankering that's always been there, but mostly by the fact that I dislocated the 3rd and 4th fingers on my left hand rather badly a few weeks ago and I've been casting around for things I can work on while waiting to see if my hand will ever regain full strength.

So I'm looking for a guitar. I'm not going big budget on this, but I do want something with proper volume and projection rather than just a clunky, quiet lookalike.

This rules out Aria and similar big brand offerings because I've tried them before and they're shite.
Does anyone have any experience with Cigano or Quincy Maccaferri types? I can get a Cigano oval or D-hole for £379, which is absolutely the top of my budget.

Cheers all.

IMO, if you do consider a O-Hole Selmer style guitar, they usually have 670mm scale lengths which I found to be really hard work for the fingers (and I have/had guitars of longer scales).

Django style music can be played on any style of guitar though.  FWIW, I'd have a look at the Djanjo Books website for some books for playing rhythm, and IMO any style of acoustic would work well, but I'd probably look at a OM style (if you don't already have one).

p90fool

Ok cheers guys. FWIW I totally agree that you can play that stuff on anything and my Loar LH300 sounds great for it, but it's just way too quiet for ensemble stuff. 

I'm really looking for something with the volume and projection you get with a real Maccaferri, partly to compete with half a dozen jumbos bashing out cowboy chords at our local acoustic night but also to enable me to play some swing solos with the other guitarist in my band. 

I can certainly practice with what I have, but I really need more volume. 

EricTheWeary

I saw John Jorgensen do a gypsy jazz set with a Takamine, although plugged in. Perhaps what you need to cut through is a Lowden.







I'll get me coat...

p90fool

Haha nice one!