Gypsy Jazz is a prominent genre pioneered by “Gypsy” musicians, notably Django Reinhardt. This style was popular in France and other European countries before and after world war 2.
Guitar in Gypsy Jazz is crucial as it uses a specific strumming technique known as La Pompe, which provides the foundation for the gypsy style.
The Gypsy-jazz guitar, like every other guitar style, has seen a wide variety of styles and modifications over the years.
These guitars have a larger hollow body, a distinct look, and longer necks than regular acoustic guitars.
This article has assembled a list of the best guitars for gypsy jazz, ranging from classic to m dern varieties.
Gypsy jazz guitars have a long-extended neck, a slightly bigger body, and an oval or big D-hole, providing a gypsy sound. This design enables the production of a distinctive crispier, and more metallic sound to support the famous “La Pompe.”
The classic Gypsy Jazz is performed on an acoustic Sel er Maccaferri Style guitar, providing its unique tone and beauty. The Gypsy guitar, in contrast to the Western-style guitar, features a small, oval sound hole (petit bouche) or a large hole in a D-shape (D-hole).
Gypsy jazz began in France in the 1930s. Django Reinhardt was a crucial figure in the development of the style. Today’s gypsy jazz performers emulate Reinhardt, who performed in Quintette du Hot Club de France with Stéphane Grappelli and other artists.
Gypsy jazz feels more grounded, with melodies easily traceable, understandable, and catchy as there are frequent arpeggio notes throughout the solos. Perhaps this is why individuals of all ages enjoy Gypsy Swing so much.
Our Top PickGitane DG-370 Modele Dorado Schmitt | Best Value Dupont Nomade | PremiumEastman DM1 Gypsy Jazz Guitar Classic | |
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Brand: | Gitane | Dupont | Eastman |
Sound Hole: | D Hole | Oval | Oval |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret | 14 Fret | 14 Fret |
Scale Length: | 680mm | 670mm | 670 mm |
Top Material: | Adirondack Spruce | European Spruce | Sitka Spruce |
Back and Sides Material: | Maple (Laminate) | Etimoé | Indian Rosewood |
Neck Material: | Maple (Three Piece) | Mahogany (Bolt-On) | Maple |
Fingerboard: | Ebony | Indian Rosewood | Ebony |
Binding: | Walnut | Ebony | Indian R sewood |
Finish: | Natural Gloss | Satin | Classic |
Tailpiece: | Saga Gold | Gold | Eastman Nickel |
Pickup: | None | None | None |
Weight: | 4.45 lbs | 4.1 lbs | 4.6 lbs |
10. Kadence Acoustica Series Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Kadence is dedicated to creating more functional and comfortable acoustic guitars and offering quality products and services.
These guitars are an excellent choice to start learning to play this style of music.
With a gorgeous ash brown design and construction quality that is remarkable in this price range, the Kadence Acoustic line offers a sound and feel for performing gypsy jazz.
This guitar also includes built-in pickups with a two-band EQ and a tuner in this price range.
The guitar has an exact head shape and a rich pore paint finish. The bridge is made of rosewood, which gives it a steady and rich tone.
Though this isn’t a complete jazz gypsy guitar, the Kadence Acoustica has a cutaway corner design that helps practice and play gypsy jazz style.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Kadence |
Color: | 36″ Ash Wood, Ash Wood |
Guitar Dimensions: | 41.5 x 18.5 x 4 inches |
Back Material: | Ash Wood |
Top Material: | Ash Rosewood |
Body Material: | Wood |
Pickup: | Yes |
Finish: | Polished |
Item Weight: | 9.44 Pounds |
9. Cigano GJ-0 Petite Bouche
The GJ-0 Petite Bouche guitar provides the feel of a traditional 1930s instrument without being excessively costly.
This instrument is based on the mid-century Selmer and Maccaferris. Many consider it Gitane’s best student-level guitar.
The GJ-0 features a strong Sitka spruce top and a slender mahogany neck for simple gameplay and long-term stability.
The back and side materials of this guitar are made of Mahogany, which maintains the expressive timbre of the guitar.
This guitar has a typical brass tailpiece, mustache bridge, and a smaller soundhole than other variants that create a bright percussive gypsy tone.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Cigano |
Sound Hole: | Oval |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Mahogany (Laminate) |
Top Material: | Spruce (Laminate) |
Neck Material: | Mahogany |
Fingerboard: | Rosewood |
Binding: | Ebony |
Finish: | Satin |
Weight: | 3.8 lbs |
Scale Length: | 680 mm |
8. Dell Arte Manouche Latcho Drom
The Manouche Latcho Drom guitars created for Dell’Arte are undoubtedly the best in the realm of Gypsy jazz guitars.
This instrument has a distinctive Gypsy tone, loud and dry. All through the delicate C-shaped neck, the playability is excellent.
The back and sides materials are laminated East Indian Rosewood, the top is solid European Spruce, and the neck is Mahogany with an Ebony fingerboard.
The walnut neck is covered by an Ebony fingerboard and features a thin, soft “D” shape that makes it simple to move your hand around it fluently.
The guitar has a light body, but it has a powerful tone. At a reasonable price, the Manouche Latcho offers the tone and playability of the top instruments.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Manouche Latcho Drom |
Sound Hole: | D Hole |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Indian Rosewood (Lami ate) |
Top Material: | European Spruce |
Neck Material: | Walnut |
Fingerboard: | Ebony |
Binding: | Indian Rosewood |
Finish: | High Gloss |
Weight: | 4.6 lbs |
Scale Length: | 670 mm |
Tailpiece: | DR Gold |
7. Cigano GJ-15 Grande Bouche
The GJ-15 model was produced by Saga Musical Instruments and Gitane Guitars, two of the leading manufacturers of Gypsy Jazz guitars.
The GJ-15 Cigano Student Gypsy Jazz guitar features a solid Sitka spruce top, well finished Asian rosewood back and sides, and a neck contributing to its excellent playability and tone.
Other distinctive features of this gypsy jazz guitar are a D-shaped soundhole with a rosette, a deep horizontal cutaway, a slotted headstock, an ebony mustache bridge, and a brass tailpiece. The neck is made of solid Mahogany.
Overall, the construction of this model ensures durability while keeping the build simple to perform and affordable for beginners.
You will get a guitar that does not lose quality for a considerably lower price than regular guitars designed explicitly for Gypsy Jazz.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Cigano |
Sound Hole: | D Hole |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Mahogany |
Top Material: | Spruce |
Neck Material: | Mahogany Neck |
Fingerboard: | Rosewood |
Finish: | High Gloss |
Weight: | 3 lbs |
Scale Length: | 640 mm |
6. Gitane DG-255 Acoustic Guitar
The Gitane DG-255 is a revival of the Selmer-style jazz guitar, which replaced the original Maccaferri design in the early 20th century.
This guitar has a longer scale length making it easier to play, while the smaller soundhole gives the guitar its proper gypsy tone.
DG-255 features a solid spruce top with the perfect oval soundhole for a bell-bright attack and a characteristic Gypsy Jazz sound.
The Santos rosewood back and sides give deep bass and power.
At the same time, a mahogany neck with a premium ebony fingerboard adds easy playability, action, and a beautiful appearance.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Gitane |
Sound Hole: | Oval |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Rosewood ( Laminate ) |
Top Material: | Spruce |
Neck Material: | Mahogany Neck |
Fingerboard: | Ebony |
Finish: | High Gloss |
Weight: | 4.15 lbs |
Scale Length: | 6 0 mm |
Tailpiece: | Saga |
Binding: | Ebony/Maple/Walnut |
5. Gretsch Guitars Jim Dandy Flat Top
Gretsch guitars are well-known for their high-quality tone and attractive design.
Gretsch Jim Dandy Acoustic Guitar is a lovely instrument with good quality on the lower end of the market.
The Jim Dandy is built of surprising materials. This guitar is built of solid Basswood rather than laminated wood pieces like other guitars in this price range.
Jim Dandy’s top, back, and sides are all made of Basswood, and the aged white body binding adds a vintage retro appearance.
It has a beautiful walnut fretboard with 18 frets but no cutaway on the body.
It also has an in-built pickup for amplification and recording. It mixes a vintage Gretsch sound with a contemporary vibe.
This is a compact gypsy jazz guitar that is great for travel.
These vintage-style instruments are ideal for playing gypsy jazz and other musical forms.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Gretsch |
Sound Hole: | Circle Standard |
Fret Neck: | 18 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Basswood |
Top Material: | Basswood |
Neck Material: | Nato |
Fingerboard: | Walnut |
Finish: | Vintage Semi-Gloss |
Weight: | 3 lbs |
Scale Length: | 609 mm |
Tailpiece: | Traditional Acoustic Bridge |
Binding: | White |
Pickup: | Yes |
4. Godin Multiac Gypsy Jazz Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Godin’s Multiac Gypsy Jazz guitar is a remarkable acoustic-electric with incredible tonal flexibility, comfort, and playability.
This gypsy jazz guitar is equipped with a Seymour Duncan lipstick single-coil, an under saddle piezo, and an inbuilt microphone that can all be mixed or performed individually, delivering extraordinary tonal diversity.
This flexible guitar, which bears some resemblance to the swing/gypsy jazz era, creates a link between the aesthetics of earlier and the requirements of today’s players.
The Godin’s Multiac also has a solid spruce top, Mahogany back/sides, and a mahogany neck for a robust in-hand feel and solid wood tone.
It is an outstanding guitar in every way. Finally, the Multiac Gypsy Jazz allows players to generate authentic Gypsy Jazz tones at any loudness.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Godin |
Fret Neck: | 21 Fret |
Back: | Two-Chambered Mahogany |
Top Material: | Solid Spruce Top |
Neck Material: | Mahogany |
Fingerboard: | Richlite |
Finish: | High Gloss |
Weight: | 4.6 lbs |
Scale Length: | 660.4 mm |
Bridge and Tailpiece: | Richlite with Nickel Gypsy Jazz Tailpiece |
Neck Pickup: | Seymour Duncan Lipstick pickup |
Controls: | On Board Preamp, Volume, and Tone |
3. Dupont Nomade
Maurice Dupont is one of France’s most well-known guitar makers specializing in manufacturing the Selmer Maccaferri guitar.
The shape of this guitar is traditional, with a small oval soundhole with a cutaway.
The body is laminated walnut, with the top made from solid spruce. A crisp matte finish is given to the guitar.
At a tremendous cost, the Nomade offers the tone and performance of Dupont’s top instruments.
The neck is bolted on and detachable, which helps travel.
The bolt-on neck has no impact on the sound or usability of the instrument. The sound is remarkably close to the MDC-50, which costs twice as much.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Dupont |
Sound Hole: | Oval |
Scale Length: | 670 mm |
Top Material: | European Spruce |
Neck Material: | Mahogany (Bolt-On) |
Fingerboard: | Indian Rosewood |
Finish: | Satin |
Weight: | 4.1 lbs |
Tailpiece: | Gold |
Binding: | Ebony |
Back and Side Material: | Etimoé |
2. Eastman DM1 Gypsy Jazz Guitar Classic
Eastman guitars have long been recognized for their high-quality archtop and flattop guitar designs.
The DM1 Traditional is primarily built on Selmer’s classic petite bouche model, which Django Reinhardt popularized.
The DM1 Classic reflects Selmer’s original design, with the spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides.
The DM1 Classic features Eastman’s stunning classic finish.
This guitar is designed to fulfill the needs of professional and modern Gypsy jazz musicians, with the capacity to generate excellent volume and traditional tone.
DM1 is an aggressive old-school sound, evoking a raw, forceful tone.
This guitar also has ample neck space clearance for magnetic pickups.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Eastman |
Sound Hole: | Oval |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Indian Rosewood |
Top Material: | Sitka Spruce |
Neck Material: | Maple |
Fingerboard: | Ebony |
Finish: | Classic |
Weight: | 4.6 lbs |
Scale Length: | 670 mm |
Tailpiece: | Eastman Nickel |
Binding: | Indian Rosewood |
1. Gitane DG-370 Modele Dorado Schmitt
The Gitane DG-370 is a high-end gypsy jazz guitar with a distinctive gypsy sound and attacking flair.
The Gitane DG-370 was created to meet the exacting standards of famed gypsy jazz guitarist Dorado Schmitt.
This guitar boasts a contemporary, comfortable neck for outstanding handling and a richer tone.
This guitar has an exceptionally long scale of 680 mm compared to other gypsy jazz guitars.
This guitar is also distinguished by its use of solid spruce for the top and heavily raged maple for the back and sides.
The finish is natural gloss, and it boasts gold-plated tuners and a trapezoid tailpiece.
This guitar has fantastic looks with its unique tone for performing level gypsy artists and intermediate players.
Specifications | |
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Brand: | Gitane |
Sound Hole: | D Hole |
Fret Neck: | 14 Fret |
Back and Side Material: | Maple (Laminate) |
Top Material: | Adirondack Spruce |
Neck Material: | Maple (Three Piece) |
Fingerboard: | Ebony |
Finish: | Natural Gloss |
Weight: | 4.45 lbs |
Scale Length: | 680 mm |
Tailpiece: | Saga Gold |
Binding: | Walnut |