Fetish Guitars

Anything i could write here about the inspiring world of Italian guitars from the 50's and 60's would seem somehow redundant when this resource exists. I could write about the ones that i've owned and played but really i would be directing you to the astonishing fetishguitars website within seconds ...

So knock yourself out ... it's worth a look if only for a few clicks through some of the instrument galleries.

I first found the site in the early 2000's, it was obvious right away that here was a site inspired by and in love with not only the guitars but the whole aesthetic of the graphic design and industrial design that goes into them. There are little history lessons throughout, with a recent addition showing the history of Eko guitars up to and including the sparkle revolution around 1960 -62

... but it's when newcomers to the world of Italo-weirdness stumble onto the Wandre pages that the earth shifts a little on it's mainstream North-American-axe axis and you realise that in 1957 in Europe you could buy an aluminium necked guitar with screw adjustable neck angle, innovative bridge designs and truly unique paintjob or space-age material construction.

For a guitarmaker these images are inspiring, especially when no single part of these beasts looks familiar from the parts catalogues of the American and Asian suppliers.

Early models feature a tilt neck system controlled by a hand screw, much like ancient Austrian built spanish-style guitars.

Later Wandres featured a thru neck system of aluminium from the headstock right through to the bridge/tremolo :

... again, i'm not saying anything new here - it's all on the site.

I've been trawling through this site for 8 years or so and I always find something new and inspiring.

Last year this page of Argentinian guitar brands of the 60's appeared and caught me completely by surprise.

More on Wandre soon,

cheers, AP