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The Guitars
Playing Gypsy Jazz requires that you use a special type of guitar.
Django and his contemporaries played guitars designed by Mario Maccaferri and produced by Selmer. These Selmer-Maccaferris had remarkable punch and volume. Virtually all Gypsy jazz guiatrists have sought out instruments based on Maccaferri's design.
The tone of these guitars is bright and they are very responsive, with more attack and a bit less sustain than dreadnaughts and other acoustic guitars. Macs are more versatile than normally assumed and work well across a wide range of styles. They are also excellent fingerstyle instruments. Once you get used to them and find the "sweet spot" (near the bridge), there is no substitute.
There are many luthiers building these instruments today. One of the finest anywhere is Shelley Park. Her guitars have been described by Nick Lehr (founder and producer of Djangofest) as "works of art that you can play".
I am fortunate enough to own and play two of these beautiful instruments: an oval hole (pictured right) and my new 14 fret D hole with a sound port (pictured above - photo courtesy Sarah Culver). Both guitars have maple back and sides.
If you get a chance, be sure to try one of Shelley's guitars. You may end up wanting one badly, but there are worse fates.
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