Dear friends,

the days leading up to the festival are passing by, and we are increasingly committed to enriching this event, adding to the program that you already know other new reasons of historical and artistic interest.

We had already announced the presentation in the context of the exhibition of "Gibson L5 – From Loar to Electric”, six splendid tools that will be made available by the friend Nino Fazio, which tell the story of the invention of the very famous L5, the guitar arch-top^W most prestigious and emblematic in the history of the house of Kalamazoo^W, and its development up to the creation of its first electric version.

Bene, now let's add some other reasons of interest both for historians of the six strings and for enthusiasts of their performers. So that's it, together with the historic L5, you will be able to see some instruments belonging to and used by great guitarists who have carved out a well-deserved space for themselves in the history of the guitar. Here are some.

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• Danelectro “U2” baritone (late 1950s) belonged to Al Caiola^W, one of the most popular American guitarists of the 50s and 60s, e, as appears from the accompanying letter, widely used by this great session man in many recordings, like those for Frankie Avalon^W, Paul Anka^W, Fabian^W, Bobby Rydel^W, Connie Francis^W, just to mention the most famous ones mentioned by him.

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• Music Man “Albert Lee Signature Model” del 1997 # 98877, That Albert Lee^W brought with him on the occasion of his participation in “Soave 1997 Guitar Festival”. This guitar was the first of the “Albert Lee” guitars to be equipped with a vibrato lever, and also mounts pickup special, made especially for him by Seymour Duncan^W. On the back Albert wrote me a nice dedication "To my dear friend Pier Paolo – Best wishes – Albert Lee”.

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• Gretsch “6120 Chet Atkins” of the 1957 # 23250, belonged to Dave Blazer^W, historic guitarist (late 50s and 60s) della “Lee Mace’s Ozark Opry”, Osage Beach nel Missouri, and regularly used by him in that artistic context. “Ozark Opry^W” was a variety show (musica, canto, recites, danza) created by the Mace family in 1953 to keep the artistic tradition alive old-time country^W dell’area Ozark, a plateau that develops between Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma to Kansas, between the rivers Arkansas and Missouri, and covers a surface area of ​​approximately 122.000 km². Made on the model of the “Grand Ole Opry^W” of Nashville, it was immediately a great success, so much so that he initially expected two performance the week, which soon became six.

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• From Vita “Palomino” of the 1980, Unique example without serial number, built by Bruno DeVita^W for the friend Enrico Ciacci^W, known both because brother and guitarist of Little Tony^W, for whom he composed some of his most famous songs, but also because it was the guitarist who Ennio Morricone^W he chose to record the soundtracks of western films, first among all "For a bunch of dollars^W”, directed by Sergio Leone^W. Enrico used this guitar as his main instrument from then until his death (2018). I thank his daughters for choosing me as the final custodian of this beautiful instrument.

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• Fender “Telecaster” del 1952 # 1263 e Gibson “ES 345 TD” del 1962# 46805, both belonged to the great one bluesman and my dear friend Rudy Rotta^W, and regularly used by him in the studio and in concert until his passing (2017). Even in this case I can only thank Rudy's wife and daughters for entrusting these two relics to me. The photo with Telecaster and Rudy, taken during the sessions “Rudy Rotta & Friends” of the 2009, portrays Peter Green^W during the solo of “Black Magic Woman^W”.

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To these historical instruments I also add three guitars Gretsch^W, including one, the third, It is an example that never appeared in the Brooklyn company's regular production:

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• Guitar Gretsch “Chet Atkins Country Gentleman^W" of the 1958 # 29300 (single cutaway)

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• Guitar Gretsch “Chet Atkins Country Gentleman^W" of the 1961 # 41701 (single cutaway)

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• Guitar Gretsch “Chet Atkins Country Gentleman^W" of the 1960 # 36997 (double cutaway), probably an experimental prototype, given that the double cutaway solution has only been marketed since 1962. This is clearly a non-series instrument as it, unlike any other “Chet Atkins Country Gentleman”, is single cutaway (dal 1958) That double cutaway (dal 1962), it has the “F”s open instead of painted. Furthermore - and this also suggests that at that time Gretsch was still studying which evolution was most suitable for this instrument - the back cushion it is equipped with is not made of vinyl, like those mass-produced since '62, but in velvet, probably handmade for this specific instrument, since no other Gretsch guitar was equipped with it at the time.

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• Gretsch GuitarWhite Falcon^W" of the 1962 # 50105 (double cutaway), that I propose to show you how this model, not belonging to the series designed in collaboration with Chet Atkins^W, do you remember somehow theChet Atkins Country Gentleman^W” out of series that we just talked about, as it keeps the “F”s open like this.

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• Guitar Martin D 41^W of the 1980 # 410425, instrument belonging to Francesco De Gregori^W and used a lot by him in the studio and in concert. I had the opportunity to purchase it last year, and now it is part of those instruments in my collection that I consider inalienable.

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• Guyatone guitar L 50 of the late 1950s. Japanese instrument that, as far as I know, it was never imported into Italy while it enjoyed good popularity in England, where it was distributed under the Antoria brand. Fans, as I am too, of the group "The Shadows^W” they know this is the guitar that Hank Marvin^W he used in the studio and in performances live for the entire period (1958-1959) in which the band was still called "The Drifters^W”, before Cliff Richard^W brought the legendary one with him from the United States Stratocaster Fiesta Red^W of the 1959 for Hank to play, and which is now owned by Bruce Welch^W. No serial number. The only difference between this guitar of mine and Hank Marvin's is the color. Indeed, Hank's was Natural.

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I conclude by telling you with great pleasure that the concert of Sunday 28 April will also have among its protagonists Massimo Varini^W, great guitarist and great friend of the festival, who gave us his availability to open the evening by hosting our other guests who you have already seen in the lineup.

This is another great reason for happiness!

That's all for now, but we will get back to you soon with other news!

 

Pierpaolo