pippy Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Hurrah! After a mere 30-odd years I can now, for the first time, actually play my 1940's Antoine Di Mauro 'Special Chorus' Manouche style guitar. But I now find myself in a bit of a dillemma.... The primary reason I had never been able to play it (ability not included) was that the neck resembled a banana somewhat; it was very concave. The guitar was built without an adjustable truss-rod so adjustment in the regular way was not an option. After some thought and a great deal of TLC from my local luthier this problem was overcome by removing the frets (it needed a re-fret anyhow) and planing the fingerboard - effectively dressing-down the wood from each end - to return it to 'true'. The 'board is an astonishing 7mm thick slab of Ebony so there was plenty of 'meat' to work with (for comparison a Fender Rosewood 'board is 3mm thick). The trouble with this solution, however, was that the (paper-thin) celluloid inlays had to be removed. Re-fitting would be a b!tch and, as the unadorned wood looked so good it was decided to leave them off. Now, it so happens that these A. Di Mauro instruments are quite highly prized within the Gypsy-Jazz community and, it follows, fairly valuable. Players as diverse as Django Reinhardt; Georges Brassens; Hubert Sumlin; Pat Metheny and Eric Clapton have all owned them. I'm completely in two minds what to do. Should I leave it as it is now or should I try to get the inlays re-instated - if, indeed that's possible? I like it as it is and am unlikely to want to sell it but a part of me thinks I should return it to as original a state as possible. Here's how she looked 'with'... What do you members think would be best? P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57classic Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Personally, I like the look as it is now. If, at some point, you plan on selling it and the price you could get would outweigh the cost of having the inlays replaced-get it done. The bridge appears to have been altered somewhat also. Would that affect the eventual selling price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Personally, I like the look as it is now. If, at some point, you plan on selling it and the price you could get would outweigh the cost of having the inlays replaced-get it done. The bridge appears to have been altered somewhat also. Would that affect the eventual selling price? Yes, 57classic; the brdge is a replacement. When I bought the guitar it didn't have any bridge at all. They are not attached in any way to the tops of this type of guitar other than by string tension, so a great many of these instruments have had a bridge replaced at some point in their lives. It doesn't seem to affect final value by much as it's such a common occurrence! Funnily enough the current bridge was made-to-measure by Roy Eneas of Royal Jazz Guitars - the very same luthier that crafted forum member Matt's Gypsy-Jazzer - from an old blank of rosewood he had that he felt would match the small "moustache's" at either end of the bridge - these are attached to the body. I don't think there's any conflict of interest between Gibson and RJG so here's a link to his site. They are truly beautiful instruments! http://www.royaljazzguitars.co.uk/ P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I like the old style inlays. The guitar looks great either way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinner 13 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I too like it better with the inlays. My vote is to bring them back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 So far, statistically, the "ON"s have it. In which case another dilemma would present itself !......(oh, bollocks). As can be seen in the 'Before' snap the inlays, unusually, included one on the 10th - as opposed to the more usual 9th - fret position. IF I decide to re-instate them do I go for 'Historical Accuracy and Originality' or the more traditional - and certainly far less confusing! - 9th fret? I've been playing it quite a lot today and this 9th/10th thing is a Right Royal P-in the-A. The neck has, as you would expect, side markers and it's not easy trying to remember to compensate for the anomaly. The funny thing is; when you get the hang of it the 10th position is in some ways a more logical position to be thus marked. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 NO WAY! It looks way awesomer without inlays!!! Most guitars do!! Down with inlays!! Down with paper thin decoration!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I think my opinion ain't gonna help much. I think it looks a lot better without - but were it mine, I'd probably have them put back on simply 'cuz that's how it was. Conflicted? Yup. Sheesh. That's life, I guess. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted December 16, 2011 Author Share Posted December 16, 2011 NO WAY! It looks way awesomer without inlays!!! Most guitars do!! Down with inlays!! Down with paper thin decoration!!! LOL! I agree wholeheartedly with the paper-thin decoration ethos, Shred, but................ I think my opinion ain't gonna help much. I think it looks a lot better without - but were it mine, I'd probably have them put back on simply 'cuz that's how it was. Conflicted? Yup. Sheesh. That's life, I guess. m On the contrary, Milo, I think you've read my mind. Much as I love the look of it bare I feel that messing about with what is, in its own way, a little bit of guitar history would be wrong. Like giving the Mona Lisa a dark blue dress because I prefer dark blue to brown. Certainly it's my guitar at the moment and I could do as I choose, but I'm merely the 'temporary custodian' in the grand scheme of things. Hmmmmm....... Thanks for the input, folks! I'm still thinking so any more thoughts and viewpoints are most welcome! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duende Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Hi Puppy (I prefer it! :) ) Just got your message; well I am probably not a good man to ask, I change nearly all my guitars and do things that would make collectors wince - they are tools and made to be played and used with comfort - if you like the look of it plus it's a pain in the *** to get the job done (adding the thingie bobs) then why bother... I suppose if you need to sell it one day you investigate the options, but you can cross that bridge when you come to it right? Lets hear some sound clips! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted December 16, 2011 Author Share Posted December 16, 2011 Lets hear some sound clips! +100000000 You Fools! Do you have any idea of what might happen?!?! LOL! O.K. I'll try to get something soon-ish but be warned! Not only do I not know any Gypsy-Jazz I can't even play an acoustc.........but all that will become perfecly clear in due course! Puppy. EDIT : I've got something which is being digitally processed........watch this space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Bumped as a request from a member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 My opinion: I think that yea, it may be more 'original' to have the inlays put back in. But when you think about it, they are gone now. If it was 'original', the neck would be bowed. In other words, it is altered. The alteration, however, is NATURAL. I think it was the right thing to do. And if the guitar was built such that at this time, it was NEEDED to keep it playing, then it somehow makes it as original as it can be. So, in my view, neither on or off is less 'original' than the other. Another thing, besides the fact it is YOUR guitar, and having personal taste, if it were to go to the marketplace, yours might be the only one without the inlays. Many might prefer it that way. I see the reasoning in NOT modifying or altering a guitar, keeping it original as possible. It can make some cringe, because taste can change. But in the same way, it can be silly to make the effort to RESTORE something further away from what your taste are. At the very least though, I should think if you have any of the materials, you should hold onto them and keep them with the guitar. Oh, almost forgot...I really like the looks of it, and the concept. I imagine it sounding great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 My opinion:.... Hi there stein. I've sent you a (long-ish) PM... P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I like it better with no inlays. Looks cleaner. BTW I am in love with that guitar Pippy, thanks for posting details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 OK..... Some members have expressed an interest in hearing a few more details about these rare instruments so I'll add some extra info to this two-month old 'Thread from the Grave'.... Which, as it happens, is precisely where I'll start! Here is a photograph of the funeral of the great Django Reinhardt in 1953. The guitar which was interred with him is an Antoine Di Mauro 'Special Chorus'. Django had at least two of this luthier's instruments and his brother, Joseph, who played rhythm guitar in the 'Hot Club de France' also played a Di Mauro. Here is a link to the official Di Mauro site. It's nicely done and there are many more pictures of the various instruments as well as some famous players with theirs. http://www.di-mauro....glais/musee.htm Fortunately for y'all I can't post too many media clips which means if you want to hear me with 'Djangly' you'll have to hunt down post #335 on page 17 (I think) of the 'Walk the Walk' thread. And finally, to show how it SHOULD be played, here is another Great of Gypsy-Jazz - Dorado Schmitt. He has the DeLuxe version of the 'Special Chorus' with all the fancy trimmings! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsLBc0SW95w&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL84E52AFD04ECCF2C A small point regarding the Di Mauro instruments is that they are normally described not as having F-holes but rather S-holes instead. Doesn't translate too well in English.... P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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