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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | I've been listening to a lot of Django lately, and I'm thoroughly convinced that, if he were still with us today, he would be playing an Ovation. I can see him with one of the older Custom Legends, like Marcel used to play in the pre-Adamas days. Then again, maybe he'd be an Adamas man all the way. I dunno.
I'll bet whatever model it was, it would have to be a deep bowl, probably A bracing too (unless it's a Adamas).
What do you think? |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | If he still played gypsy jazz, I think he would still be playing the same type of guitar... unless the Mothership applied Ovation technology to make a better Manouche guitar.
Look into Manouche guitar construction, materials, and string sets. The wound strings are silver plated copper wire around a thin steel core. They consider a 10-45 set to be light and 11-46 is medium.
Even with Django's skill and technique, the sound would be different without the attributes of the Manouche guitar... thinner woods, lighter bracing, strings, etc. |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | I've played a few of those Maccafarri copies that they have at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, and I've never played one that I liked. They all seem kinda tinny. Something tells me that they haven't quite got the formula right. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | I've always thought that gypsy jazz would sound good on an Ovation...... |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Take the gypsy GHS strings, the silver/copper ones, 11-46 and put them on a slothead. That really gets this gypsy sound. That's what Dj would be playing but he can't have #35 (which is strung that way, been there, done that and am welllll down that road) |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | When I had the Silk and Steel Roto's on the FD14 it had that Gypsy Jazz sound. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Bill;
I haven't tried those GHS Gypsies y'sent me . . . yet. Since the SlotHead doesn't get gigged, I don't have to restring it very often. In fact, I think the last time it was restrung was by Master Templeman (in record time, I might add) down in my MusicRoom while I was up in the shower and Jeanette was trying shepherd us out the door to drive up to the Tour/Jam . . .
I'll need to restring it again for the Reunion (wow! that's this Friday . . already!)
I'm a bit apprehensive about looping the strings around the backside of the walnut bridge (I don't have as many SlotHeads laying around as you;-)
I'm thinking I might steal Master Witko's MandoStringTrick and cut a length of heavy coathanger wire and affix the loops to that before running the strings thru the bridge . . . as long as I don't break an individual string (which I don't think I've ever done on the Slot), I should be okay.
Perhaps I'll pencil that in for around the 3rd week in November . . . when the Nouveau Beaujolais comes out.
Some Gypsy tones'll sound good around then.
I'll just need t'find a beret.
Perhaps Al can hook me up with his haberdasher . . . |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | cwk2,
I've got an open mind... I'll order some stings.
Now I just need to borrow a Slothead to try them out on. :(
If I could borrow a Slothead that was already strung gypsy... :D
Jeff, Give me info on the Silk and Steel Roto's, I'll try em out on the FD14. |
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Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 1388
Location: Paris/France | Hi,
The pic is not very good but you can recognize 2 of the greatest Manouche Style guitar Players.
Birelli Lagrenne & the late Babbick Reinhardt both playing on Ovation.
This pic is excerpted from a video or a TV show and was sent to me by a french fan.
But I've never seen this video. :(
Jérôme :cool: |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | I'm listening to Birelli right now.
Check this out!
Hot Club Radio |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Birelli has played Ovations for a long time. Good player. I am told that the GHS gypsy strings are not silk and steel. I tried a s&s set first and it came close and then Darren told me what to use. They are another step in that direction from the s&s.
Cliff, just bring it up and we'll restring it up here.
The downside to these strings is that they are pretty fragile, especially the G and D. I don't wear out strings. A set will last me months. After about a week of playing these the G started coming apart and the D also. I think the silver plated copper is much softer and thinner than ph/bz that it just wears out. OK, just part of the price you pay for that sound. I bought a doz sets anyway. I've reordered another doz sets and asked for an extra doz G and D strings. That should get me pretty much through the winter.
Someone should try these on a nylon string Ovation, might get close to the sound. A nylon set pulls about 100 pounds and an 11 set pulls about 130 so the guitar should handle it just fine. They also make a gypsy 10 set so that would be maybe 120. (Point of reference; the 12-52 ph/bz set pulls about 150) I would think that a 1113 would be the best candidate. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Noah,
I haven't been able to find the Rotosoune silk and steel in the States.I believe they are designed and manfc'd in the UK. I'll offer a bribe to the Venerable Schroeder, see if we can get a set over here for you, I may even give them a go on the Lowden. |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | Excuse my ignorance, but did Django use some sort of special kind of string that is unlike our ordinary strings? Silk and steel? I haven't tried those in years. I'm kinda stuck on bronzewound myself.
I feel like a big dummy. I didn't know there was a special string designated for Django/Gypsy jazz guitar. |
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The Django/Ovation connection....