The elder Joseph Di Mauro was part of the mass emigration of master Sicilian luthiers (Busato, Oliveri Anastasio, etc) who left Catania in the early 20th century. In the 1930s Di Mauro and his countrymen setup a series of shops on the East side of Paris and quickly adapted their skills to making jazz guitars in the Selmer Maccaferri style. Di Mauro was certainly one of the most successful and long lasting of these Franco-Sicilian luthiers as his guitars were widely adopted by players of many styles. Notable players include Moreno, Boulou Ferre, Patrick Saussois, Samy Daussat, Jean-Yves Dubanton, and even Pat Metheny! Di Mauro guitars were produced continuously until the early 90s, first by Antoine and his brother Joseph and later by Antoine's son Joseph.

This guitar was built by Antoine Di Mauro's brother Joseph, not be confused with Antoine's son of the same name. This f hole model by the elder Joseph is extremely rare with very few known surviving examples.

The dimensions of this instrument are typical of Joseph's work: 16 1/8" body width, 3 13/16" body depth, and a 660mm scale length. The top is spruce. The back and sides are made of birdseye maple which Joseph used extensively. As is typical with most of the Sicilian luthiers, the back is bent and the neck is reinforced with a center spline. As one of Joseph's most ornate models, this guitar features ivoroid rope binding and the Di Mauro style diamond fingerboard inlays. Hardware includes a nickel DR tailpiece and an original set of nickel SB tuners.

This instrument is in very good condition. It is completely free of top cracks and has new frets. There are signs of an impact on the lower treble bout: A few small cracks in the side laminate. some discoloration of the top, and a small bit of replaced binding. Otherwise, this instrument plays beautifully with slick 3mm action.

Seventy or so years of ageing have beautifully matured and refined the tone of this classic instrument. The mids are particularly focused, clear, and penetrating which makes this both an excellent rhythm guitar as well a very warm sounding lead guitar. With lots of character and phenomenal projection, this instrument is in a class of it's own. The balance of it's rounded highs, robust mids, and tight bass will stand out in any jam session or on the bandstand.
Many would agree that Joseph Di Mauro was among the very best builders of his generation, often matching and sometimes surpassing the refinement of tone and thunderous projection one would expect of a Busato or a Selmer.  Here's a chance to get an outstanding vintage Gypsy guitar at a price far lower than that of his peers!

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/joseph-di-mauro-f-hole-3

1950s Joseph Di Mauro Special Chorus

Bob has made a name for himself over the years as an aficionado of the Franco-Italian guitar designs of Selmer, Maccaferri, Busato, Favino, etc. He spent years studying vintage Selmer style guitars including nearly every Selmer, Favino, and Busato that has come through our shop. He has taken on the challenge of making new guitars that have the elusive and ineffable qualities heard in the very best vintage Selmer type guitars. Few will doubt he has been incredibly successful in his quest, as his guitars are now in the hands of many of today's leading players: Rocky Gresset, Stephane Wrembel, Mathieu Chatelain, Neil Andersson, Antoine Boyer, Alfonso Ponticelli, etc. Bob has essentially been a "luthier for the stars" these past few years...but now you can take home one of these gems yourself!

This rare D hole Nouveau model features Selmer like dimension:15 3/4" body with a 3 13/16" body depth and a 670mm scale. The top is redwood, the back and sides are Indian rosewood, and the neck is walnut. Hardware includes an RM tailpiece and set of Schaller Classic Deluxe tuners. The action is set at a very low 2.8mm which, along with Bob's fastidious fret work, allows for easy, buzz free playability across the entire guitar.
This D hole version of the Nouveau model features a somewhat smaller D shaped soundhole than what Maccaferri used. Bob took great care to balance this instrument's tonal response as to avoid the problem that befalls so many D holes: too much bass and a wet, diffuse sound that lack clarity. This D hole produces somewhat more bass than an oval hole, but still retains much of the treble response and precision that you'd expect from a petite bouche. As a result, this is a highly versatile instrument that excels in both lead and rhythm work, and has the flexibility to venture well outside the world of Gypsy jazz, sounding good playing folk, swing, and even modern jazz.

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/bob-holo-2023-nouveau-2

2023 Holo Nouveau D Hole

Bob has made a name for himself over the years as an aficionado of the Franco-Italian guitar designs of Selmer, Maccaferri, Busato, Favino, etc. He spent years studying vintage Selmer style guitars including nearly every Selmer, Favino, and Busato that has come through our shop. He has taken on the challenge of making new guitars that have the elusive and ineffable qualities heard in the very best vintage Selmer type guitars. Few will doubt he has been incredibly successful in his quest, as his guitars are now in the hands of many of today's leading players: Rocky Gresset, Stephane Wrembel, Mathieu Chatelain, Neil Andersson, Antoine Boyer, Alfonso Ponticelli, etc. Bob has essentially been a "luthier for the stars" these past few years...but now you can take home one of these gems yourself!


This Traditional model features Selmer like dimension:15 3/4" body with a 3 7/8" body depth and a 670mm scale. The top is spruce, the back and sides are kingwood, and the neck is walnut. Hardware includes an RM tailpiece and set of Schaller Classic Deluxe tuners. The action is set at a very low 2.8mm which, along with Bob's fastidious fret work, allows for easy, buzz free playability across the entire guitar.

As the name would suggest, this model produces the sizzling highs and rich mids that are characteristic of a traditional Selmer guitar. Possessing both great power and subtly, this instrument produces a complex and beautiful tone that, paired with it's thunderous projection, results in a stunning musical experience for the player. If you're looking to recreate some of the magic of Django's original recordings, there's no doubt that this exceptional instrument can handle the task with ease.

For more info or to but see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/bob-holo-2023-traditional-2

2023 Holo Traditional

Bob has made a name for himself over the years as an aficionado of the Franco-Italian guitar designs of Selmer, Maccaferri, Busato, Favino, etc. He spent years studying vintage Selmer style guitars including nearly every Selmer, Favino, and Busato that has come through our shop. He has taken on the challenge of making new guitars that have the elusive and ineffable qualities heard in the very best vintage Selmer type guitars. Few will doubt he has been incredibly successful in his quest, as his guitars are now in the hands of many of today's leading players: Rocky Gresset, Stephane Wrembel, Mathieu Chatelain, Neil Andersson, Antoine Boyer, Alfonso Ponticelli, etc. Bob has essentially been a "luthier for the stars" these past few years...but now you can take home one of these gems yourself!


This Traditional model features Selmer like dimension:15 3/4" body with a 3 7/8" body depth and a 670mm scale. The top is spruce, the back and sides are kingwood, and the neck is walnut. Hardware includes an RM tailpiece and set of Schaller Classic Deluxe tuners. The action is set at a very low 2.8mm which, along with Bob's fastidious fret work, allows for easy, buzz free playability across the entire guitar.

As the name would suggest, this model produces the sizzling highs and rich mids that are characteristic of a traditional Selmer guitar. Possessing both great power and subtly, this instrument produces a complex and beautiful tone that, paired with it's thunderous projection, results in a stunning musical experience for the player. If you're looking to recreate some of the magic of Django's original recordings, there's no doubt that this exceptional instrument can handle the task with ease.

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/bob-holo-2023-traditional-3

Many are surprised to find that some of the best Selmer Maccaferri style guitars in the world are not built in Paris, but rather in the far north of Finland by the skilled luthier Ari-Jukka Luomaranta. Made famous by the legendary Swedish guitarist Andreas Oberg, AJL guitars have found their way into the hands of Gypsy jazz guitarists worldwide. AJL is known for his meticulous attention to detail, deep knowledge of traditional building techniques, and replica hardware which is second to none.

This is AJL's most popular model to date, the XO which features a special heat treated Thermotimber spruce top that simulates the tonal qualities of vintage instruments.  The result is a guitar which looks and sounds like a mature sixty-year-old instrument.

The design is pure Selmer, with a 15 3/4" body, 670mm scale, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, and a walnut neck with the traditional grafted headstock. This guitar is outfitted with AJL's beautiful vintage tailpiece and closed tuners. The interior is lacquered and the top features a heat bent pliage.

This instrument projects exceptionally well, with the cutting highs you'd expect of a vintage Selmer. The bass response is clear but not overbearing and the mids are well developed and focused. These characteristics make it exceptionally good at producing single note leads in unamplified situations. If you're looking for a guitar with brilliant highs and a nice crunchy rhythm sound, this is it!

This guitar comes with one of AJL's amazing ultra slim, ultra strong flight cases. It's so small you'd hardly believe the guitar could fit in there...and is so strong that Andreas can stand on it with out damaging the guitar inside (I'm serious, he tried it).

This guitar was built just last year and has only a few hours of playing time on it and is in perfect mint condition. It is nicely discounted and is generally a nice deal as French made guitars with similar features easily run over $6K.

This is the CASH price...add 3% if you'd like to pay with a credit card. Add 4% for international credit card orders.

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/ajl-xo-2022

2022 AJL Model 503 XO

Here's an opportunity to get great vintage sound at a fraction of the price of big names, like Favino, Busato, and Selmer. This wonderful guitar was built by Pierre Anastasio, a major fixture of the Parisian lutherie scene from the 60s through the early 90s. He is most famous for the guitars he built for Angelo Debarre during the early part of his career (one of which he used on the famous Gypsy Guitars CD.)

This premium example of Anastasio's work features gorgeous Brazilian rosewood back and sides, a spruce top, and a walnut neck. It has a set of gold three on a plate tuners and a brass tailpiece.

The condition of this instrument is very good, with no cracks or other serious damage. There are a handful of small dings, some scuff marks, and some moderate fretwear. Otherwise, this instrument is very clean and plays well with 3mm action.

Soundwise this guitar is really a gem! Typically D holes are quite bass heavy and dark, but this one is very nicely balanced. You get the richer, fuller tone associated with D holes without it being too flubby and weak. The treble range is surprisingly spunky and cutting, yet nicely rounded and warm sounding. Chords sound really big and full, with great definition and crunch. All in all, a very traditional sounding guitar that is exceptionally dry and clear, characteristics you'd pay nearly double for in most contemporary French made instruments.

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/anastasio-1987

1987 Pierre Anastasio

Shelley Park needs no introduction. Over the past two decades she has earned a reputation as one of the top makers of Selmer style guitars. Her guitars are known for their impeccable workmanship, aesthetic beauty, and warm satisfying tone. This guitar is no exception.
The Encore model features a  640mm scale, 15 3/4 " lower bout, and a 4" body depth.  The top is spruce, the back and sides are made of solid Australian blackwood and the binding is walnut. The neck is constructed of walnut. The ebony fingerboard has a modern, sleek look which is free of fingerboard markers, but does have side dots for positioning. Hardware includes a set of Waverly three on a plate tuners and a DR tailpiece.

This instrument is in excellent condition. If it weren't for some very light pickwear on the top, I'd have listed it as mint. It has no other signs of being played, even the frets look completely new. The action is set low at 2.6mm which, along with the short scale, make it a breeze to play. Chording requires very little hand strength making it a great choice for those in need of an easy player.

This guitar has a full bodied, balanced tone with much more bass and mids than is typical of a Gypsy guitar. These qualities make it very versatile and generally more modern in sound, allowing to be used in many styles but always has that Gypsy sound when you want it.

This instrument is a nice deal as it would be over $5300 new. Why not give this modern Gypsy masterpiece a whirl? I doubt you'll be disappointed....

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/shelley-park-2002-elan-12-fret

Park Elan

Shelley Park needs no introduction. Over the past decade she has earned a reputation as one of the top makers of Selmer style guitars. Her guitars are known for their impeccable workmanship, aesthetic beauty, and warm satisfying tone. This guitar is no exception.

This Montmartre model features Favino specs: 670mm scale, 16 1/2" lower bout, and a 3 5/8" body depth. The top is cedar and the back and sides are made of solid Europeam walnut. The three piece neck is maple with a walnut spline.

This guitar is outfitted with a set of Schaller three on a plate tuners and a DR tailpiece.

This slightly used example is in excellent condition. It has almost no signs of wear, and other than two almost imperceptible dings on the top, could be described as mint.

Modeled after Jacques Favinos classic design, this instrument shares many of the desirable characteristics associated with those famous vintage models. Very powerful, this instrument projects wonderfully with clear, sizzling leads and big, pianistic sounding chords. The large body produces more bass than a typical Selmer, but is not overwhelming or muddy. Most notably, the instrument is not overly nasal which is common with Favinos, giving it a more modern sound that works well with both traditional Gypsy playing as well as more contemporary hybrid styles

Shelley's base price is now $5300, and a guitar with upgrades like this one would be significantly more. Save big on this near mint example!

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/shelley-park-2019-montmartre

2019 Park Montmartre

Bob has made a name for himself over the years as an aficionado of the Franco-Italian guitar designs of Selmer, Maccaferri, Busato, Favino, etc. He spent years studying vintage Selmer style guitars including nearly every Selmer, Favino, and Busato that has come through our shop. He has taken on the challenge of making new guitars that have the elusive and ineffable qualities heard in the very best vintage Selmer type guitars. Few will doubt he has been incredibly successful in his quest, as his guitars are now in the hands of many of today's leading players: Rocky Gresset, Stephane Wrembel, Mathieu Chatelain, Neil Andersson, Antoine Boyer, Alfonso Ponticelli, etc. Bob has essentially been a "luthier for the stars" these past few years...but now you can take home one of these gems yourself!

This rare D hole Traditional model features Selmer like dimension:15 3/4" body with a 3 13/16" body depth, a 12 fret neck, and a 640mm scale. The top is spruce, the back and sides are Indian rosewood, and the neck is walnut. Hardware includes an DR tailpiece and set of Schaller Classic Deluxe tuners. The action is set at a very low 2.8mm which, along with Bob's fastidious fret work, allows for easy, buzz free playability across the entire guitar.
This D hole version of the Traditional model features a somewhat smaller D shaped soundhole than what Maccaferri used. Bob took great care to balance this instrument's tonal response as to avoid the problem that befalls so many D holes: too much bass and a wet, diffuse sound that lack clarity. This D hole produces somewhat more bass than an oval hole, but still retains much of the treble response and precision that you'd expect from a petite bouche. As a result, this is a highly versatile instrument that excels in both lead and rhythm work, and has the flexibility to venture well outside the world of Gypsy jazz, sounding good playing folk, swing, and even modern jazz.

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/bob-holo-2017-traditional-d-hole

2017 Holo Traditional D Hole

Over the past several decades Leo Eimers has been one of the prominent builders of Selmer Maccaferri guitars in the Netherlands. Based in Almere, just outside of Amsterdam, Eimers builds his instruments entirely himself by hand. He is particularly well respected as a student of "Golden Age" luthiers such as Maccaferri, Selmer, Busato, and Favino. He uses his knowledge of these luthiers to build some of the most authentic and well constructed Selmer copies available. His instruments have been used by many professionals over the years, most notably Stochelo and Nous'che Rosenberg of the Rosenberg Trio, Robin Nolan, Boulou Ferre, and Wawau Adler.

This is Leo's Model Antique which is his attempt to replicate not only the original design and construction of the original Selmer petite bouche model, but to also recreate both the sonic and aesthetic effects of 60 or more years of ageing. The result is a guitar with a convincing, vintage like patina and a mature, balanced voice.

This instrument features a spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides, and a walnut neck which has a Selmer style grafted headstock. A set of brass vintage Selmer style closed Eimers tuners and a brass tailpiece are included

Weighing in at only 4lbs, this guitar is exceptionally light weight and resonant, evoking the sound and feel of the great vintage Selmers of yesteryear.  Like a good vintage instrument, this guitar has exceptional clarity of tone, with a warm, balanced character.

This instrument is in excellent condition and is set up with easy playing 3mm action. There is some light fret wear and one medium sized ding on the top near the tailpiece. Otherwise, it's very clean and has been well taken care of.

Vintage look and feel for far less than a vintage Selmer would cost. Only one, call now!

For more info or to buy see: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/eimers-antique-D-hole

2017 Holo Traditional D Hole

DjangoBooks.com

Related tracks