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Italia Guitar

Italia Guitars – sixties Italian-inspired retro guitars,
featuring pearloid sparkle and plastic, designed and created
by Trevor Wilkinso

27 thoughts on “Italia Guitar”

  1. Maranello 61 - string threading
    Dave Simons

    Hi everyone.
    I recently acquired an Italia Maranello 61. It has a whammy bar mechanism with a cover plate that almost completely hides the string holes. The cover plate is not removable. You can see the holes a little bit better if you dip the whammy right down, but there’s still too little room to aim the strings at them.
    The first time I had to change a string I spent nearly ten minutes trying to get it through the hole. If I need to change one in a gig I’m cooked! Am I missing something obvious? Any suggestions?

    1. Maranello 61 string threading Whammy-bar
      dummy68

      Hi,

      I have the same problem with this guitar. I fed up the long proccess of the resting, and I take off the spring from tha whammy bar during the restring. It is more faster but it maybe not healty for the guitar body…

  2. ITALIAN HOLLOW BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR
    paul

    Looking for imformation on a J G ( JOHN GALLETTI OR JOHN GALLENTTI ) hollowed body electric guitar # N2564 .I bought several years ago. I have recieved many complements on the rich sound from this guitar and have found little of it’s history.

    1. Re: Italia Bass Guitars
      Jon Koelker

      : Hi, Dan –

      I live up in Maine and tried out the Mondial at the local music store across the border in NH – but ultimately ended up buying online! The music store was selling for list price (~ $700), but I found a place out in Wichita called British Sound.com. I got the guitar plus a case and UPS shipping for about $250 less than that. They priced that model at $450. You might check them out. Just be careful that they get your order right – I nearly ended up with a bass when I wanted a six-string! If you want to see all the models, go to http://www.italiaguitars.com.

      Good luck.

    1. Re: I NEED SOMEONE'S HELP,
      Simon

      Hi Dana
      you are lucky to have that guitar!
      It’s not a Waufre but a Wandre, and they are very rare and collectable, especially if it’s a funny shape or finish (like yours!).
      Go to http://guitars.agora.it/wandre_index.html and see some of the others, and read this if you want to know more http://www.vguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=61 .
      There are serious collectors who specialise in Wandre guitars, but if I was you I’d keep it. I have one too.

    2. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... d
      d

      Can anyone tell me what kind of guitar I have on my hands? It was imported from Italy circa 1962. (This was handed down to me.) The name on the headstock is Avalon, but there is another name "Waufre" I believe. It is a hollow-bodied electric guitar with a really trippy sparkle color pattern and it has an aluminum? neck.
      thanks! dana

  3. Problems with Modena tremolo
    Miff Mole Wisconsin USA

    Hi! Just bought a silver Modena on E-bay…It’s great except for the tremolo. Every time I move the arm, it loosens the screw…a LOT! I wonder if something’s different on mine. Between the post and the arm I’ve got 1 metal washer & 2 nylon washers & that’s all. Seems like it should have a spring instead, maybe? What do yours look like? I asked the seller about it and he just said "Good luck". Any input would be greatly appreciated.
    Other than the trem, I think I like it more than I thought I would. It’s got a very comfortable feel, don’t you think?

    1. Re: Problems, Modena tremolo
      Larry

      ((: Hi! Just bought a silver Modena on E-bay…It’s great except for the tremolo. Every time I move the arm, it loosens the screw…a LOT! I wonder if something’s different on mine. Between the post and the arm I’ve got 1 metal washer & 2 nylon washers & that’s all. Seems like it should have a spring instead, maybe? What do yours look like? I asked the seller about it and he just said "Good luck". Any input would be greatly appreciated.
      : Other than the trem, I think I like it more than I thought I would. It’s got a very comfortable feel, don’t you think?))

      From Larry:

      The trem bar spacer should have a little set screw on the side of it. You adjust the spacer bolt to the right whammy bar tension, then tighten the spacer setscrew to lock the bolt, to keep it from turning loose.
      Hope this helps, and decribed it OK
      Regards, Larry
      AcapeLLas Music Store
      acapellas.us

  4. Modena Mods
    BJB

    I picked up the silver Modena from the NAMM show in Anaheim. How could I resist all that pearloid ? It’s a good guitar, but I did have tuning problems with the stock bridge. I replaced it with a Schaller roller bridge, and it works very well now. I can raise and low the pitch by a full step, which is very impressive !

    I put some pictures of the new bridge on my Yahoo! briefcase at http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bb8543. Take a look at the photo album entitled "Italia Modena". You can also see what the Modena looks like if you take it completely apart !

    1. Django tribute..."Nanology"..www.mp3.com/hollywoodjoe
      Hollywood Joe

      : I picked up the silver Modena from the NAMM show in Anaheim. How could I resist all that pearloid ? It’s a good guitar, but I did have tuning problems with the stock bridge. I replaced it with a Schaller roller bridge, and it works very well now. I can raise and low the pitch by a full step, which is very impressive !

      : I put some pictures of the new bridge on my Yahoo! briefcase at http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bb8543. Take a look at the photo album entitled "Italia Modena". You can also see what the Modena looks like if you take it completely apart !

  5. Modena
    Ian Johanson.UK.

    I acquired a green one (Modena, that is) a couple of months ago after
    doing a little research, and the beast has well surpassed expectations.
    Nice tones, fab finish, no tuning problems whatsoever with the trem.
    Well pleased except for one thing – absolute nightmare yanking the
    strings out of the trem bar to change them, particularly the lower
    wound strings. No chance of whipping on a new string if one breaks
    during a gig, even if it’s the half time intermission. Apart from that
    it’s thumbs up chaps. I’m really tempted to splash out on a Mondial
    aswell but the only colour that appeals to me with that model is the
    cream one with the black scratch panel(So fickle!). I’m yet to see one
    in the shops. If anyone out there’s got one, maybe you could post a
    message and tell us if it’s as good as the blurb in the brochure says?

  6. These guitars are killer! I have a silver Modena, better than most Firebirds that I have ever played! I want another! I play slide and it is THE git for it! Guy’s? you need an endorser? SIGN ME UP!
    Sarge

    1. Re: Modena
      Jon Koelker

      : Hey, Sarge –

      I posted a message to you several months ago on the Big Road Blues discussion forum about Italia guitars, but I guess you didn’t see it because I never got a reply.

      I’m glad to hear that you like the guitar because I bought a Mondial for the express purpose of learning to play electric slide. I’ve been playing acoustic slide for a few years now, but I wanted to expand a bit.

      So far, I’m really liking the Italia. Been trying to solicit some feedback from others like yourself.

      Do you normally play play electric slide in open tuning? I’ve been playing acoustic slide almost exclusively in open G, but the Allman Brothers do "Statesboro Blues" in D, so I’m trying to adjust! How ’bout you?

      See ya.

    1. Re: pearloid
      Ian Johanson

      Frank, you might be interested to know there’s a company in
      the UK called Rainbow Products that could help you. I
      contacted them to get some spares (screws, pickup mounts,
      etc) and browsing through their catalogue I spotted a
      substantial quantity of pearloid stuff available. It’s
      made by a company called ‘WD’ in the US and you can order it
      via Rainbow. They do small sheets (enough to make one scratch
      guard) and larger ones too, but it is quite pricey for the
      more fancy finishes. Check out their website:
      ‘www.rainbowproducts.co.uk’. Good luck my pearly friend!

  7. Mondail
    Mark H Sanborn SFO

    Please keep us old vox, supro, national, and italio guitarfreaks apprised of price availablity etc. These take me back especially
    the Mondail, as I used to own a Supro that was nearly a ringer for this great looking guitar. Also I feel this guitar may
    have all the features that I require as a contemporary Christian Musician who utilizes many different styles in my songwriting.

    1. Re: Mondail
      Jon Koelker

      :Hey, Mark –
      I,too, am in the Christian music business, although not professionally. I bought myself an Italia Mondial for Christmas this past year having tried it out several times in the local music shop before buying. Haven’t found a reason to dislike it yet. I’m getting more comfortable with it all the time (I’ve been pretty much playing strictly acoustic guitar for about the last 25 years). I’m trying to get up the nerve to introduce this electric to the church choir I direct. It’s getting close!!

      Please advise of your experience with the Mondial – I’d love to hear someone else’s opinion of it.

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