Wandre BB Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1959)
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Item #13974
Wandre BB Model Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar, c. 1959, made in Cavriago, Italy, multi-color swirl plastic finish, wood and plastic body, aluminum neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
"What are those guitars -- man, we don't have those in the STATES!" So spoke Bob Dylan in 1965, captured on film looking into the window of an English music store full of Wandre guitars. These amazingly futuristic and completely original instruments were sold under different brand names in Europe through the early-mid 1960s, and very rarely in the US. They have fascinated adventurous electric guitar fans since, but most American players have never seen or handled one. The voluptuously curvy Model BB (with an name and body lines supposedly inspired by Brigitte Bardot) is an earlier Wandre 6-string creation and one of the more iconic offerings from his large and varied oeuvre.
According to the Marco Ballestri's "WANDRE-The Artist Of The Electric Guitar" The Model BB traces its origin to about 1957, conceived as a more "feminine" design then the angular extreme-cutaway "Rock Oval". This more conventionally shaped guitar was unsurprisingly more successful and evolved versions stayed in production into the early 1960s. Based on the features this one would date to around 1959-60, with the earlier Davoli pickup installation but before the controls were moved to the body from the pickguard.
This Model BB's most striking feature is the fantastic blended red/green/yellow metallic finish on its curvy fully hollow body, with heavy white binding around the edges and the rims of the abstract soundholes. Beyond its exotic looks, the guitar itself is fairly straightforward for a Wandre anyway. The single Davoli pickup is mounted to a molded plastic pickguard/faceplate that also holds the electronics, with the volume control on the lower corner and the jack under the lower edge. The height-adjustable bridge also mounts to this, with the strings running to a sleek minimalist stamped metal tailpiece.
Besides the unique aesthetics, the most trailblazing thing about Wandre guitars are the bolt-on aluminum necks. Over a decade before the likes of Travis Bean or Veleno, Pioli's instruments featured a thin, rounded aluminum neck attached so the angle is adjustable to the body. The integral flat aluminum headstock is faced with plastic; later headstocks were milled separately and bolted to the neck. A large nut spacer and a large Wandre logo are molded into the plastic cap. The bound rosewood fingerboard has varied plastic inlay including small insets with "Wandre" and "Mod.BB" logos. The bound board is wider than the aluminum back; some later designs covered this with an optional plastic sheath.
This Model BB bears a single Davoli pickups (branded Wandre) situated in the neck position on a floating metal and plastic assembly attached to the neck and running all the way back to the bridge, which is mounted to the far end of it. The entire assembly is adjustable for height on two legs at the bridge end. The bridge itself is a Hofner-style slotted rosewood piece with 6 fretwire saddles typical of earlier models.
One of Wandre Pioli's more endearing and popular electric children, the curvy Model BB is a true original as each hand-mixed body finish is unique; we believe this one appears on page 108 of Ballestri's book. While no Wandre is conventional this model handles more conveniently than some; it plays and sounds fantastic and certainly looks like nothing else. This is a very rare, wonderful and iconic instrument from the most inspired oddball Italian '60s guitar designer, Wandre Pioli, a true artist of the electric guitar.
Overall length is 44 1/4 in. (112.4 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a superb example of this visually show-stopping guitar in extremely well-preserved shape. The instrument is virtually all original and complete with the somewhat fragile original hardware fully intact. The unique multicolor gradient finish is original and unfaded with only light handling wear here and there; there is one visible crack in the lacquer (not the instrument) on the back lower treble side bout. The thick plastic body bonding has some scuffs, dings and dirty spots but is fully intact.
The plastic pickguard housing the single Davoli pickup is not cracked or warped; there are some scratches and scuffs and minor discoloration here and there. The original Davoli pickup is strong and clear and the electronics are original including the single fluted knob; the jack appears period but is a full-sized US-compatible phone jack so was likely changed long ago from the inconvenient smaller Italian style primarily found with early Davoli units. The pickup position mounted just below the fingerboard gives this Wandre a "jazzier" natural sound than some, but still with plenty of definition.
All other hardware including the 3-in-line tuners, fragile plastic headstock facing, Hofner-style rosewood bridge and minimalist trapeze tailpiece are present and in good order. This "BB" has a superbly striking color scheme and is a prime specimen for any Wandre aficionado, housed in a later HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
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"What are those guitars -- man, we don't have those in the STATES!" So spoke Bob Dylan in 1965, captured on film looking into the window of an English music store full of Wandre guitars. These amazingly futuristic and completely original instruments were sold under different brand names in Europe through the early-mid 1960s, and very rarely in the US. They have fascinated adventurous electric guitar fans since, but most American players have never seen or handled one. The voluptuously curvy Model BB (with an name and body lines supposedly inspired by Brigitte Bardot) is an earlier Wandre 6-string creation and one of the more iconic offerings from his large and varied oeuvre.
According to the Marco Ballestri's "WANDRE-The Artist Of The Electric Guitar" The Model BB traces its origin to about 1957, conceived as a more "feminine" design then the angular extreme-cutaway "Rock Oval". This more conventionally shaped guitar was unsurprisingly more successful and evolved versions stayed in production into the early 1960s. Based on the features this one would date to around 1959-60, with the earlier Davoli pickup installation but before the controls were moved to the body from the pickguard.
This Model BB's most striking feature is the fantastic blended red/green/yellow metallic finish on its curvy fully hollow body, with heavy white binding around the edges and the rims of the abstract soundholes. Beyond its exotic looks, the guitar itself is fairly straightforward for a Wandre anyway. The single Davoli pickup is mounted to a molded plastic pickguard/faceplate that also holds the electronics, with the volume control on the lower corner and the jack under the lower edge. The height-adjustable bridge also mounts to this, with the strings running to a sleek minimalist stamped metal tailpiece.
Besides the unique aesthetics, the most trailblazing thing about Wandre guitars are the bolt-on aluminum necks. Over a decade before the likes of Travis Bean or Veleno, Pioli's instruments featured a thin, rounded aluminum neck attached so the angle is adjustable to the body. The integral flat aluminum headstock is faced with plastic; later headstocks were milled separately and bolted to the neck. A large nut spacer and a large Wandre logo are molded into the plastic cap. The bound rosewood fingerboard has varied plastic inlay including small insets with "Wandre" and "Mod.BB" logos. The bound board is wider than the aluminum back; some later designs covered this with an optional plastic sheath.
This Model BB bears a single Davoli pickups (branded Wandre) situated in the neck position on a floating metal and plastic assembly attached to the neck and running all the way back to the bridge, which is mounted to the far end of it. The entire assembly is adjustable for height on two legs at the bridge end. The bridge itself is a Hofner-style slotted rosewood piece with 6 fretwire saddles typical of earlier models.
One of Wandre Pioli's more endearing and popular electric children, the curvy Model BB is a true original as each hand-mixed body finish is unique; we believe this one appears on page 108 of Ballestri's book. While no Wandre is conventional this model handles more conveniently than some; it plays and sounds fantastic and certainly looks like nothing else. This is a very rare, wonderful and iconic instrument from the most inspired oddball Italian '60s guitar designer, Wandre Pioli, a true artist of the electric guitar.
Overall length is 44 1/4 in. (112.4 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a superb example of this visually show-stopping guitar in extremely well-preserved shape. The instrument is virtually all original and complete with the somewhat fragile original hardware fully intact. The unique multicolor gradient finish is original and unfaded with only light handling wear here and there; there is one visible crack in the lacquer (not the instrument) on the back lower treble side bout. The thick plastic body bonding has some scuffs, dings and dirty spots but is fully intact.
The plastic pickguard housing the single Davoli pickup is not cracked or warped; there are some scratches and scuffs and minor discoloration here and there. The original Davoli pickup is strong and clear and the electronics are original including the single fluted knob; the jack appears period but is a full-sized US-compatible phone jack so was likely changed long ago from the inconvenient smaller Italian style primarily found with early Davoli units. The pickup position mounted just below the fingerboard gives this Wandre a "jazzier" natural sound than some, but still with plenty of definition.
All other hardware including the 3-in-line tuners, fragile plastic headstock facing, Hofner-style rosewood bridge and minimalist trapeze tailpiece are present and in good order. This "BB" has a superbly striking color scheme and is a prime specimen for any Wandre aficionado, housed in a later HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
