D Hole Resonator Questions

seeirwin

In the recent Favino thread (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=8413&start=0), Michael Bauer made some interesting observations about the resonator that originally appeared in the Maccaferri Selmers. That made me wonder:

1. Does anyone aside from AJL make D holes with the resonators?

2. This article (http://www.lutherie.net/resonate.html) on lutherie.net says "Furthermore, while we're smashing myths, Django Reinhardt never played a Selmer with an internal resonator. As can be seen in a plethora of photographs, even his early D-hole guitars had no resonator." Is that the case?

3. Can anyone point to a recording or video that used a guitar with the Maccaferri-designed resonator?

Ken Bloom

Michael Dunn has made some spectacular resonator D holes. Check out his web site and you'll see what I mean.

MichaelHorowitz

Dupont makes resonators as well....we had this one a while back:

http://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com/eco ... enson.html

A Maccaferri with a resonator was used on this recording:

http://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com/eco ... drive.html

adrian

seeirwin wrote:

3. Can anyone point to a recording or video that used a guitar with the Maccaferri-designed resonator?

I own a Michael Dunn Mystery Pacific D-hole with a resonator (currently for sale, by the way!). Here are a few videos that use it:

klaatu

Eimers will also make one.

Michael Bauer

I have been told Jean Barault is making one right now, but I do not know if it has been spoken for.

I have played one of the Dupont Jorgensons several times. I know Jorgenson likes this particular one alot. I can't say that it sounds much like Selmer 103, but it has some of the characteristics. Remember that 103 has had 77 years to mature, so a head-to-head comparison is perhaps unfair. I will say that the Dupont is a lovely guitar with a very unique sound. I also know that the owner lurks about the forum and may comment himself.

In addition to the other recording mentioned, the Hot Club of Dublin used Selmer 181 on their CD. I know You Tube has "Over the Rainbow" from the CD, which features 181.

George Cole's CD has Selmer 103 all over it (besides being my favorite CD at the moment), and Martin Taylor recorded with Selmer 103 on the "Masterpiece Guitars" CD.

As for Django's ever playing a resonator Selmer, I'd be careful. Sweeping statements like that based on photographs only seem to me to be overreaching. Django played about every guitar around, and it seems incredible that he wouldn't have played one. Whether he recorded with one is another issue. The recording quality of those earliest recording is too poor to always be certain. If I had to throw some money down, I'd bet that he did at least once.

frater

A friend of mine went visiting Maccaferri in the 80s and asked him if resonators had been discontinued by Selmer since it was so difficult to make them work properly. At which, Mario replied: "They work if I'm the one who builds them"!

Michael Bauer

LOL! I think he's right.