Selmer Maccaferri
Acoustic gypsy jazz guitar with a bright, cutting voice.
Gear & Tone AtlasVerified
Django Reinhardt
Liberchies, Belgiumgypsy jazz, jazz
Founded gypsy jazz using only two fully working fingers on the fretting hand.
Guitarist Profile
Artistry & Style
Signature Techniques
rest stroke pickingarpeggio runsrhythm comping
Key Takeaway for Players
“Limitations can become a style if you stop fighting them.”
Origin & Era
Liberchies, Belgium
50.52° N, 4.38° W
Gear & Tone Atlas
VerifiedEquipment & Sound
The instruments, pedals, amplifiers, and signal chain that shape the sound of Django Reinhardt.
What defines the sound
Signature Tone
Reinhardt played an acoustic Selmer-Maccaferri guitar with a large body and a bright, cutting voice designed to be heard without amplification. After a fire left two fingers of his left hand badly injured, he developed an entirely new fretting technique, using a heavy pick and a strong rest-stroke attack for the percussive, driving sound of gypsy jazz.
From guitar to amp
Signal Chain
- guitarConfirmed
Selmer Maccaferri
Acoustic gypsy jazz guitar with a bright, cutting voice.
Instruments
Django Reinhardt Guitars
Confirmed
More gear
Pickups, strings and accessories
Heavy pick and rest-stroke attack
Drives the percussive, projecting gypsy jazz sound.
Sources
SourcesWikipedia
For players
How to Sound Like Django Reinhardt
Key tone ingredients
- a Selmer-style gypsy jazz guitar
- a heavy pick
- a strong rest-stroke attack
Affordable alternatives
- an affordable gypsy jazz guitar
- any bright acoustic with a cutting tone
Suggested effect settings
- no effects, fully acoustic
- if amplified, keep it natural
Amp settings
- acoustic with no processing
- a touch of natural room sound
Playing technique tips
- practise rest-stroke picking for drive
- study arpeggio-based gypsy phrasing
What to avoid
- electric effects that mask the acoustic voice
- a weak, thin pick attack
Verification
Sources
Every gear claim links to a source. Items marked probable or inspired-by are not fully confirmed.
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