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| Harrison with Rickenbacker |
Even other electric 12 strings proved to be beyond my budget. I was also looking for something different. A unique guitar that I could be associated with playing.
Giannini guitars were, and are still made by the Tranquilo Giannini S.A. factory, Carlos Weber 124, Sao Paolo, Brazil. They are generally known for being well-made instruments featuring very fancy Brazilian hardwood veneers, as well as for the strange-shaped asymmetrical CraViola models.
Its designer sought to build an instrument that would produce a sound that was a cross between a harpsichord and the viola caipira, a 10-string folk instrument, that is used in Spanish American music. The viola caipira has 5 courses of strings tuned in unison. Whereas the CraViola has 12 strings. The top two courses are tuned in unison and the bottom four courses are tuned in octaves.
Most of the contemporary versions were built with solid wood, or at least solid sound boards. Many of the later models came with built in electronics. Giannini also built solidbody electric versions.
Ray Lammar’s Music in Cincinnati was one of the regular shops I frequented. Ray had just gotten in three new instruments called CraViolas.
These guitars had what can be best described as a kidney bean shaped body and a slight hockey stick headstock.
Lammar’s displayed a six-string steel string version, a six-string nylon string version, and a 12 string. I had my eyes set on the 12 string. I put a down payment for that instrument. This is my 1970 model Giannini CraViola 12 string guitar.
I learned that these instruments were made in Sao Paulo Brazil by Giannini Guitars or Tranquillo Giannini Guitars. They are still the largest manufacturer of guitars in South America. This company still manufactures guitars and other plectrum instruments in their San Paulo factory.
Back in 1890 a gifted woodworker named Tranquillo Giannini traveled from his native Italy to Brazil to explore its treasure of exotic woods.
He was so impressed by the remarkable abundance, variety, and quality of timbers, some of which are unique to the region, that he never left. Settling in downtown Sao Paulo, he established a workshop primarily for making furniture, but as a hobby he built guitars for his friends in his spare time.
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| Giannini Guitars |
Three versions of CraViolas were offered. Each had a strange asymmetrical shape. Featuring a pear shape, no waist on the bass side and sharp waist (and almost cutaway taper) on the treble. Sound holes on the original versions were D-shaped with fancy rosettes, with a pointed tortoise guard on the steel-stringed versions. These had slotheads with a Woody Woodpecker-like peak pointed upward. The bridges were similar to the mustache version on the Gibson Country Western.
In 1970 the CRA6N Classic retailed for $150 had a yellow spruce top and full-grained Brazilian rosewood body, no inlays or pickguard.
The CRA6S Steel String was $10 more at $160) was a similar steel-string, with pin bridge and diamond inlays.
The CRA12S 12 String version had similar features and sold for $175. All instruments came with a soft-shell case.
The 12 string CraViola's model was designed for Paulinho Nogueira, the Toquinho's teacher, who played and composed with Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes. These instruments were created in the late 1960's and early 1970's during a time when the harpsichord became prevalent in popular music.
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| Viola Caipira |
With this instrument, the builder felt that the player could add the harpsichord sound to popular Spanish music. To distinguish from the American 12 string guitar, he called it a CraViola. The Portuguese word "cravo" means harpsichord. It is derived from the Italian "clavaciembela" or English "clavichord" which was a smaller version of the harpsichord. The viola comes from the aforementioned South American instrument.
By today's standards, the original versions would not be considered worthy since they were made of laminated wood. However, the back and sides laminate of the 1970's model was made of gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood, which is now an endangered species and no longer available.
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| CraViola - licensed by Westbury |
Giannini later offered several contemporary models of CraViola including a handmade 6 string. The shapes of the new models are slightly updated. Most of the sound holes no longer sport the D shape. The headstocks no longer have the pointed beak and are no longer the slothead design of classical guitars, but now have solid headstocks. Gone too is the mustache bridge. This was replaced with a more contemporary design.
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| Electric CraViola |
My Craviola 12 string has a very bright but subdued sound. Its neck is wide, but comfortable. The strings sit low enough to be a pleasure to play.
Since it's inception, the CraViola has been marketed in the USA under the Giannini brand, but later licensed under the Westbury brand (Univox) and the Jay Turser brand (Davitt and Hanser/JAM Industries).
There were only two players from back in the 70's era that favored the CraViola. They were as diverse on the music spectrum as can be. One was Jimmy Page and the other was Neil Levang of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra.
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| Used CraViolas from Reverb |
The CraViola is still mentioned on the Giannini website, however it is not mentioned in the current company catalogue. In 2000 Giannini began production of some of its instruments in China.
If you are looking to own a CraViola they are plentiful on used websites such as Reverb.
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