John had always harboured a dream to build an authentic Selmer replica Jazz guitar. He has a wealth of experience as a luthier of fretted instruments, owns beautiful Castaluca and Favino guitars, so knows "just a little" about what makes for a good guitar and sound, and how to play them! John had already produced a prototype body mould, some tuner and tailpiece tooling, but alas, had had no time to fulfil his dream.

Tony had been in business with his own successful Company for 15 years, was semi-retired and into Gypsy Jazz in a small way, and by the Spring of 2005, John and he decided the time was right to build that "Selmer replica Jazz guitar".

There were the hand built luthier guitars by Rob Aylward, John Le Voi, Du Pont and Favino in Paris, and various producers such as DelArte in America. They all build lovely guitars mostly with solid wood back and sides, but are expensive and have waiting lists of at least 12 months. Then came Gitane from China who mass produced and sold lots of low entry cost instruments having a good sound, but lacking so many of the original Selmer Maccaferri features of the Django guitar that made the Selmer so distinctive.

The Gitane also lacked the strident Django sound described as a "bark", and above all, those special tuners and tailpiece that form a part of Selmer history.

So, the Company Manouche Guitars Ltd was formed in May 2005,as the timing was considered crucial with a revival of gypsy jazz worldwide gathering pace. Where to make this guitar that offered quality and price? Tony had business associates in Korea and a friend called Gary Pyun, and by May of 2005, a visit was arranged to visit a top luthier in Seoul to set up the manufacture of a prototype oval hole Modele Jazz Selmer replica.

Jet lagged and tired, John and Tony arrived in Seoul, and by chance due to Gary's inspiration, visited a down town music emporium. Here, they were totally overcome by the myriad of music shops displaying Korean made instruments of every description and met the owner of a Korean guitar manufacturing company; a visit was set up for later that evening. This manufacturer had seen nothing like the jazz guitar we had with us and rose to the challenge of making a prototype within 6 weeks. Three on-developed prototypes later, the rest is history as they say!

The promotion of this new guitar started with a website and by visiting various jazz festivals around the country, and it was at L'Esprit Manouche Birmingham, that we met the great Moreno of Paris who was drawn to the guitars appearance believing it to be an original Selmer. He agreed to endorse the guitar and some 10 weeks later he was presented with 3 guitars in Paris, which he now plays and promotes our products wherever he goes in France.

The latest chapter of events is that a partner company, Manouche North America LLC, has been set up by Robert Brochey to cover distribution to the North American and Canadian marketplace, and business is growing worldwide at a steady pace. Quality and customer support throughout is key to our success, and a personal approach to sometimes unique customer needs is a philosophy that is being appreciated.

New guitars are in the pipeline, including a 14 fret to the body "D" hole guitar, and left hander guitars are catered for as a standard item not often offered by our competitors. The story continues...

The Manouche Team - March 2006