Tommy E does Django Reinhart

[Dave Bagwill]

"Gypsy" music reminiscent of the Hot Club era.

[Herman]

Oh Dave, you know I hate this jumpy crisis music. Where are the power chords?

Herman

[John Link]

It is interesting to me that Emmanuel's use of a standard type guitar drops the treble aspect of Hot Jazz down a notch or two. Nor do his solos "cut" as much to the front of the music. But he plays smoothly, quickly, masterfully and beautifully, of that there is no doubt.

This might happen because of the way Maccaferri guitars are made versus most others. Maccaferris use light tops (.08") that are stiff due to extreme curvature (soulage) and fairly heavy ladder bracing. Low mass and stiffness both contribute to treble, according to Gore. Ladder bracing contributes to treble too, according to Somogyi, because it diminishes the cross dipole (midrange) and monopole (bass) but frees up and enables extra movement in the long dipoles which generate treble. But these effects are likely modified because of the longer (26.4") but lighter silver strings on a small mouth, which seem like they would favor bass.

I suppose one question is whether the difference in the guitar's sound is consistent with the best way to do the music. But the one that interests me most is how the difference in construction makes such a noticeable difference in the way the music comes out, no matter whether you like that or not.

What do the rest of us think?

[John Link]

I am having my usual problem describing music with words. The "treble aspect" of Maccaferri style gits can be heard in the Stephane Wrembel YouTube below, but it affects all the notes, while Emmanuel's instrument has a more shrill, but isolated, high treble (when I compare the two videos).

[Dave Bagwill]

I agree with you, John. The 'gypsy' style of instrument has to do with cutting through the pumping rhythm from another, or a group of, guitarists. A far as the music itself, I like it better on TE's guitar - it just sounds better to my ear.