Gypsy Jazz Mandolins?

**MDW** · Jan-06-2006, 2:46pm

I know the Selmer/Macafferi style mandolins like Hodson and Dupont make are probably preferred because of styling issues but what are other likely alternatives that would sound appropriate for that style. It seems like Grisman fits in fine with his Gibson. Since mandolins aren't a typical instrument in gypsy jazz circes is there really a norm established? I was thinking perhaps the new National Resophonic with its loud but mellow sound might be good or even a Tacoma M series with its slightly guitar-ish tone might be good for gypsy jazz. Any thoughts from those who play this style?

**phynie** · Jan-06-2006, 3:16pm

I play this style of music on a lyon and healy. #I feel that the oval hole really works for gypsy jazz. #Not too tinny or focused. #Chords and chord melodies sound beautiful on an oval hole, and the L&H has volume to spare when you are playing a break. #I have used f holed instruments and one of the selmer/mac style mandolins and still like the L&H more than the rest. #I think it has to do with the "roundness" of the tone. #Not too sharp, not too bassy, just right in the middle. #Just my opinion though! #=)
I'm sure mandohack can play django tunes to pieces on his f-holed rigel. #And I have almost been brought to tears when stiernberg plays nuages on his nugget or monty, and those are both f-holed mandolins also. #I guess it just depends on your ear.
oh, and how well you play!! #=)

**glauber** · Jan-06-2006, 3:37pm

Are there Gypsy jazz mandolin circles, really? I always thought a true Gypsy would play whatever he could get his hands on, right?

Don's Nuages is great. He also does a lovely version of Douce Ambiance.

**hotclub** · Jan-06-2006, 9:07pm

In gypsy jazz, as in bluegrass, volume and cutting power are issues since there are often several guitars beating le pompe. I have a selmeresque mando that's pretty loud but my choice is a Nugget with four strings.

**glauber** · Jan-07-2006, 9:24am

Or do like Django and go electric!

**Ted Eschliman** · Jan-07-2006, 10:26am

The genesis of the Rigel Q-95 was the observation that so many current Gypsy mando enthusiasts seemed drawn to the vintage teen Gibson A models. The goal was to capture their inherent legendary oval "sweetness," but put it on a modern instrument, sans baggage of 90 year old tuners and the warped necks that haunt many of those timeless treasures.

Alas, Django did not use a mandolinist. This means its up to us to start our own "legacy."

I've enjoyed my Rigel Q-95, Hodson Djangolin, and most recently, my Paul Lestock Jazzbo, but the latter for a wider range of contemporary jazz styles.

**Jean-Pierre WOOS** · Jan-10-2006, 3:13am

Originally Posted by (mandohack @ Jan. 07 2006, 11:26)

Alas, Django did not use a mandolinist. This means its up to us to start our own "legacy."

Yes, it's true... but...
(From Mandozine.com about Dave Apollon): In 1946 Dave recorded four Gypsy pieces for a small label, Manor Records, which released them as "Modern Gypsy Melodies." For the first time in his recording career, Dave was accompanied by a full string orchestra, a new sound for the mandolin and Gypsy music. In that same year Dave realized another musical fantasy: he met and played with the legendary Gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt, who Dave considered the greatest guitarist he'd ever heard. This unique duet occurred in an uptown Manhattan nightclub during Django's tour of the U.S. with Duke Ellington's orchestra. As Dave said in his own liner notes to the Gypsy album, "Gypsies are the same the world over, no matter what country they belong to their gayety and their sadness is so true that it is an inspiration for an artist to attempt to play as they do.

I have seen, in my towm (Belgium), a few years ago, an old real Gypsy mandolin player. He played, in the street,old traditional airs from east europa on an old german mandolin with oval hole.
They are a lot of pictures with Gypsy woman playing mandolin... but.. never seen, even at Samois festival (France) the greatest gypsy festival...

JeePee (and his Selmer style mando made by Maurice Dupont...

)

**John Rosett** · Jan-10-2006, 10:50am

my 1913 gibson A works just fine. i was at a jam saturday night with 2 guitars (arrow semer-style and arrow archtop) 2 fiddles, and bass, and had no problem being heard.
ted, you and i will have to agree to disagree on the old gibson thing. mine is as reliable and playable as any mandolin i've ever played. i think that once an instrument gets 70-90 years on it, and it's still in fine playing condition, chances are it's gonna stay that way. of course, i'd like to try one of those Q-95's, and see how it stacks up against the gibson.....

**Lefty&French** · Jan-10-2006, 4:15pm

Originally Posted by (JeePee @ Jan. 10 2006, 10:13)

Yes, it's true... but...
(...)Dave Apollon played with the legendary Gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt, who Dave considered the greatest guitarist he'd ever heard. This unique duet occurred in an uptown Manhattan nightclub during Django's tour of the U.S. with Duke Ellington's orchestra (...)
JeePee (and his Selmer style mando made by Maurice Dupont...

# )

Amazing story, JeePee. See you soon for the second "constructing chords lesson" in Craponne!

**glauber** · Jan-10-2006, 4:53pm

Originally Posted by (JeePee @ Jan. 10 2006, 04:13)

In that same year Dave realized another musical fantasy: he met and played with the legendary Gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt, who Dave considered the greatest guitarist he'd ever heard. This unique duet occurred in an uptown Manhattan nightclub during Django's tour of the U.S. with Duke Ellington's orchestra.

Wow! Django really got around, didn't he?

**Boombloom** · Jan-11-2006, 5:33am

http://bernunzio.com/item.php?sku=016473

Looks like Dave A. needed some amplification at times to be heard over the crowd...

**glauber** · Jan-11-2006, 7:58am

It seems pretty much everybody (not Bill Monroe, AFAIK) experimented with mag. pickups and amplification when they started becoming available. Django fell in love with electric guitars when he visited the US.

Jan-12-2006, 10:48am

Just play what YOU like and don't worry about adhering to some standard. Gypsy jazz players have been playing the same things for how long? It needs to evolve.

"I once heard a mandolin in tune...i was mistaken"

**Jean-Pierre WOOS** · Jan-16-2006, 11:14am

Originally Posted by (Lefty&French @ Jan. 10 2006, 17:15)

Amazing story, JeePee. See you soon for the second "constructing chords lesson" in Craponne!

See you soon "le gaucher contrariant"...

(winking to a very good friend... lefty and french... and an excellent mandolin player...)

**Jeff Chu** · Oct-18-2008, 4:56pm

does anyone know the type of mandolin that Sims Delaney-Potthoff of Harmonious Wail plays? could be different ones, but i have seen pictures of him holding a selmer-esque mandolin. thanks!

**JeffD** · Oct-18-2008, 6:43pm

Hang on a second. Lets distinguish between Gypsy Jazz, and Gypsy music, and to which kind of music Gypsy mandolin refers.

**John McGann** · Oct-18-2008, 7:49pm

Well, if you are talking Gypsy Jazz (as in Django Reinhardt), I play an F style Zeidler (on a bunch of lessons available here) and I also like to play my Sobell octave mandolin, which has a truly Selmer-esque "honk" that suits the music wonderfully.

**Jean-Pierre WOOS** · Oct-19-2008, 2:21am

Originally Posted by JeffD

Hang on a second. Lets distinguish between Gypsy Jazz, and Gypsy music, and to which kind of music Gypsy mandolin refers.

Gypsies musicians are playing the same instruments for both... (guitar, violin...) the same musicians play both music. During a jam, everybody plays both when gypsies are present. When we play only with gadje, we play verry few traditionals tunes... (black eyes, two guitares...) and more american swings "à la Jethro Burns"...