No guitarist is as deeply tied to the sound and technique of a genre of music as Django Reinhardt is to Gypsy Jazz. Despite losing the use of two fingers on his fretting hand in a fire at a young age, Django developed an entirely original technique that defined his musical identity. His inventive phrasing, remarkable fluidity, and unmistakable sense of swing helped establish a sound that remains inseparable from Gypsy Jazz to this day. In 1935, Django first began using a new instrument designed by Italian luthier Mario Maccaferri and built by Henry Selmer & Compagnie in Paris. The sound Django coaxed out of Selmer serial # 503 became as integral to Gypsy Jazz as Django's playing and artistry.
Dell'Arte guitars are handcrafted in San Diego, California by master luthier John Kinnard, and Gypsy Jazz guitars, which pay tribute to Django's #503, are among the most celebrated instruments in the Dell'Arte lineup. This Dell'Arte was made in the mid-2000s—possibly 2007 from the serial number—and it borrows heavily from the original Maccaferri design. Nevertheless, it is a substantial, hardworking instrument built with modern-day precision and the finest materials available.
Measuring 16" across the lower bout, this 2000s Dell'Arte Dark Eyes has a body that is 18.5" long and 4" deep at the end block. The long 26-5/8" scale length is closer to that of a classical guitar. The body has the distinctive Maccaferri-design cutaway for expanded access into the upper register. Its spruce top has the classic gypsy jazz small oval soundhole, and it features stunning Flame Maple back and sides as well as a two-piece Flame Maple neck. Rosewood binding runs all around the body and the edges of the fingerboard, and slotted headstock, tailpiece, and bridge all follow the original Selmer specifications.
This 2000s Dell'Arte shows some signs of play and use. There is a hairline top crack on the treble side of the tailpiece that runs underneath the bridge. The top shows some pick wear around the soundhole, and there's a ding worth mentioning on the treble side of the bridge. From certain light angles, you can see finish checking on the top, mostly concentrated around the end of the fingerboard/cutaway area. Because of the intense Maple figure on the back and sides, you don't really see it anywhere other than the top. There is some minor hanger yoke wear around the edge of the headstock from some kind of hanging stand. The setup is low and inviting with the proper D'Addario Gypsy Jazz strings, and there is a passive pickup installed so you can plug in and get after it.
This 2000s Dell'Arte Dark Eyes produces the unique percussive sound of a true Gypsy Jazz guitar. It has impressive range: it's big and throaty when you dig in, like an archtop, but it has sustain and resonance for more delicate, restrained playing, almost like a classical. It's an expressive playing experience that pushes you in different directions than other guitars. It includes its original hardshell case.