Yanuziello Electric, Vintage Ivory 12 String

The Yanuziello Electric--that’s the name. Joe makes one style of electric guitar, and this is it. And it is simply a fantastic electric guitar. Everyone I know who owns one adores it, and considers it a desert island guitar.

There are a number of reasons why. Joe’s a master luthier - and has concentrated most of his work on acoustic guitars. When he decided to make an electric guitar, he decided to take, as DNA, a guitar that few builders had considered an idea worth taking to its absolute perfection. Basically his guitar is based on the hollow body "Stratotone," an early, very inexpensive guitar that had a very unique, earthy quality. It had its own sound - not Fender, not Gibson. Unique. But he just used that as a pattern. What he built was a master’s version of that design’s DNA--what it would be like if you made that guitar as good as it possibly could be. That’s what he’s done. The guitars are gloriously handcrafted. He uses the absolute finest materials available; flamed or curly maple, Honduran mahogany, Amazon rosewood fingerboards. He hand makes his tailpieces and bridges. You can see Joe’s mastery at work simply by looking at how the headstock melds into the beautifully medium C shaped neck - a work of art. Even the way he attaches the neck to the body is spectacularly machined and executed.

Joe’s guitars have heart. They’re woody and rich with character. And they have a singularly unique sound that you hear, even when playing the simplest notes. They’re just so alive. They are not generic. They’re Yanuziellos. Hearing one, you can understand why Bill Frisell and Kevin Breit (Norah Jones’ guitarist) play them. I’d like to believe that if John Lennon were alive today, this would be one the tools he’d use. Playing a single chord on a Yanuziello fills a lot of space, beautifully.

Recently, three models of this brilliant guitar arrived. They’re unique unto themselves but all have that same awesome quality of “Yaz-ness”  that I’ve come to expect from this amazing luthier. All come with hand wound Fralin single coil pickups with Joe’s hand crafted covers. Just a great single coil, and unique sound. (I know I keep saying that, but that’s part of their great attraction).

The Spruce Top model is similar to the guitar that Yanuziello made for Bill Frisell. It has a lovely airy tone with an earthy transparency that is a characteristic of Bill’s sound. Very expressive and touch sensitive, the notes seem to bloom with an acoustic wonderfulness when plugged in. The neck is a medium C shape and the fit and finish is extraordinary. I also love the tortoise fittings that Joe added to the guitar. A really classic touch that adds to its timeless elegance.

The Mahogany/Bigsby model is really a wonder of masterful workmanship. A beautiful double-bound body with a very unique piece of premium Brazilian rosewood selected for the fingerboard. Note that this Yanuziello's radical Bigsby B-3 modifications include a drilled through string shaft for easy string changes, a re-contoured vibrato arm for a slimmer appearance, and a re-contoured vibrato arm hinge bracket to allow the arm to rotate 360 degrees. The whole Bigsby assembly is flush mounted into the body for a lower profile. Cool.

The Vintage Ivory wonder is one of the finest electric 12 strings I’ve had the pleasure to play; it’s like a Rickenbacker on steroids. The playability is awesome, the neck shape is reminiscent of a '50s gibson but still retains that “catalog” guitar vibe that Joe does so well. I was amazed to find this guitar so welcoming within various styles; jazz, blues, Americana and I was especially blown away with the bridge pickup with some overdrive for a brilliant rock sound. As with all of Joe’s electrics, the tone control in combination with the 3 position pickup selector offers multiple great sounds. The low string/high string (a la Rickenbacker) double string arrangement creates a very familiar, non-12-string feel and is just a gas to play.

They’re just stunning guitars. I love them. And I believe you will, too. In fact, I’m sure of it. They’re that great.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT YANUZIELLO INSTRUMENTS
It certainly doesn't take a genius to realize that guitar builder Joseph Yanuziello is the real deal. What's "the real deal" you say? When it comes to luthiers, it means someone who has built a meaningful full-time career over a long period of time, developed the craft/art/voodoo of instrument building to the highest level, carved out their own niche in an overcrowded sea of brand names, you know, the real deal! There is something about a Yanuziello that is both plain-and-simple and somehow luxurious at the same time. In fact, Yanuziello's background in design and wood/metal fabrication has served him well in producing what he would describe as "modern vintage instruments." His interest in many musical genres is reflected in the different electric and acoustic instruments he produces. "The challenge is to keep it fresh and new and a continuous learning experience...the players have a lot to do with this." - JY