Yanuziello Birdseye Maple Electric

Joseph Yanuziello is building one of the most distinctly original, high quality electric guitars available today.  His level of craftsmanship and his keen eye for design are in league with the great masters of guitar making. What Joe has done is focus all his talents into an instrument platform that harkens back to the unique guitars of the '50s and '60s and then, from that, create an astounding stringed instrument that is master built from the ground up. These ultra light hollow instruments are just a complete joy to own and play.

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 makes absolutely fabulous acoustic guitars.  He bases his electric on a hollow  version of a "Stratotone," an early, very inexpensive guitar that had a very unique, earthy quality. Stratotones had their 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.

My analogy is this: Joe’s version of this guitar would be like giving Jimmy D’Aquisto a Kay Barney Kessel archtop, and saying, make me a master builder’s version of this: A glorious instrument that exceeds anything out there.

That’s what he’s done. The guitars are gloriously handcrafted. He uses the absolute finest materials available. Flamed or curly maple. Honduran mahogany. Brazilian rosewood fingerboards. He hand makes his tailpieces, bridges and pickup covers. 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. No details, no matter how small, are overlooked.

This stunning new Yaz exudes its individuality with its ultra premium, museum quality birdseye maple top. This might just be the most striking select piece of birdseye I've seen on any guitar in recent memory. Truth is, Joe went all out in his wood selection on this particular electric. A truly spectacular build.

The curly maple neck/Brazilian fingerboard combo is something you usually see on very high end archtops - a perfect match for this custom guitar. I really appreciate Yanuziello's use of a holly centre laminate here. Adds a touch of class!

The sound is very alive and seductive, a vibe that has a place in just about any genre of music. The hollowed maple body gives this guitar a bit more mids, which I really like. And it's light weight. At just 5.75 lbs, it almost floats.

The playability is what you'd expect from a builder of Yanuziello stature. Excellent fit and finish with a warm amber translucent glow. There is nothing generic here. It's all original yet pushes all the buttons my vintage-loving heart adores.

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. Their character rings out.

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