Italia Maranello

This is one of the more unusual guitars in my stable.  Visually, it definitely has a 60s surf guitar vibe but that's just part of the story.  Italia is a guitar maker that started putting out these retro-looking axes in the early 2000s.  This particular model I have is the Maranello and looks very much like the Hagstrom Standard 80 -- a 60s era guitar.  Very few of these Maranellos come up for sale in the used market in LA and when the ad for this one came up, I jumped on it within a couple hours.  Thankfully, the seller is from Glendora -- only about 4 miles from my workplace.

The sparkle red finish is nicely complemented by the art deco tailpiece and an antique white plastic pickguard that houses two Alnico V Wilkinson humbuckers.  The guitar setup wasn't too bad when I got it but I'll probably experiment with a couple string gauges before I decide on what to use on it long term.  The neck is larger than a standard Strat c-neck and plays almost like my Tacoma acoustic.

The back side of the Maranello is just as beautiful as the red sparkle top.  A pearloid finish from headstock to neck to body is quite impressive and like no other guitar I've seen. The country of origin (Korea) is probably the only reason this guitar sells for only $779 (MSRP).  It sells discounted online for about $579.

This guitar is also featured in the book "Guitar" by Michael Heatley as shown in the photos below.  And finally, the one other unique feature is the orientation of the output jack -- which, unlike every other electric guitar I own, points up, toward the strap button.  The idea is to use the guitar strap as a strain relief for the instrument cable as most everyone does playing live.  The one thing I am hoping for is for all pearloid surfaces to yellow over time, thereby giving this guitar a really unique look.