Del Vecchio Dinamico Electric Resophonic Guitar , c. 1970
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Del Vecchio Dinamico Electric Model Resophonic Guitar, c. 1970, made in Sao Paulo, Brazil, natural lacquer finish, laminated rosewood body, laminated Spanish cedar neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
The Del Vecchio Dinamico is one of those rather obscure instruments that has a certain amount of appeal and notoriety mostly due to an association with one player, in this case Chet Atkins. Atkin's used the Dinamico model extensively in the studio and sometimes on stage, making this model a major part of his sonic legacy.
The Del Vecchio operation is a multi-generational family company, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil founded by Italian immigrant Angelo Del Vecchio began building instruments there early in the 20th century. He was one of the first non-US luthiers to adapt the National and Dobro resonator designs to his own production designs in the 1930's. These resonator guitars were passingly popular in Brazil, but when Atkins got ahold of one and began recording with it the Dinamico developed an new worldwide audience.
The Del Vecchio Dinamico is a distant cousin of the early 1930's National Triolian, a laminated wood-bodied guitar with a single-cone downward-facing resonator. The wooden biscuit under the bridge saddle is larger than National practice, and the bone saddle adds a different color to the sound. The body and resonator coverplate are made of laminated Brazilian rosewood with numerous metal-capped soundholes. The neck is built in classical guitar style with a center laminate strip and a spliced heel, mounted to the body with the traditional Spanish foot construction.
This electric Dinamico adds a plastic-covered single coil pickup to the mix, mounted between the cone and fingerboard and controlled by tone and volume knobs on the lower rim. While Dinamicos are usually preferred set up with silk and steel or nylon strings, in this case electric strings are required to allow this rig to function properly. This is a quirky but lovely guitar, a very different take on the resonator concept and a cool, interesting sounding instrument even if you are not a dedicated Chet Atkins fan.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 27/32 in. (47 mm.).
These Del Vecchio resonator guitars are famous for often needing extensive work to make them fully functional for modern players; this one has had the usual sore points already taken care of. The original finish is intact with some small dings, dents and scratches, but there is no really heavy wear. Structurally the guitar is excellent, with no major damage or repair.
This guitar has been very neatly refretted and the fingerboard trued, so playability is far superior to most of these. The original trapeze tailpiece has been replaced with a National/Dobro tailpiece improving the string pressure over the biscuit, allowing the resonator to better function without excessive buzzing. The saddle appears likely replaced as well; the original tailpiece is included in the case pocket. We assume the knobs have also been replaced as they are US-made from the 1970s. This is a very good player as Del Vecchios go and more versatile than most with the factory pickup installation. It resides in a later HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
The Del Vecchio Dinamico is one of those rather obscure instruments that has a certain amount of appeal and notoriety mostly due to an association with one player, in this case Chet Atkins. Atkin's used the Dinamico model extensively in the studio and sometimes on stage, making this model a major part of his sonic legacy.
The Del Vecchio operation is a multi-generational family company, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil founded by Italian immigrant Angelo Del Vecchio began building instruments there early in the 20th century. He was one of the first non-US luthiers to adapt the National and Dobro resonator designs to his own production designs in the 1930's. These resonator guitars were passingly popular in Brazil, but when Atkins got ahold of one and began recording with it the Dinamico developed an new worldwide audience.
The Del Vecchio Dinamico is a distant cousin of the early 1930's National Triolian, a laminated wood-bodied guitar with a single-cone downward-facing resonator. The wooden biscuit under the bridge saddle is larger than National practice, and the bone saddle adds a different color to the sound. The body and resonator coverplate are made of laminated Brazilian rosewood with numerous metal-capped soundholes. The neck is built in classical guitar style with a center laminate strip and a spliced heel, mounted to the body with the traditional Spanish foot construction.
This electric Dinamico adds a plastic-covered single coil pickup to the mix, mounted between the cone and fingerboard and controlled by tone and volume knobs on the lower rim. While Dinamicos are usually preferred set up with silk and steel or nylon strings, in this case electric strings are required to allow this rig to function properly. This is a quirky but lovely guitar, a very different take on the resonator concept and a cool, interesting sounding instrument even if you are not a dedicated Chet Atkins fan.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 27/32 in. (47 mm.).
These Del Vecchio resonator guitars are famous for often needing extensive work to make them fully functional for modern players; this one has had the usual sore points already taken care of. The original finish is intact with some small dings, dents and scratches, but there is no really heavy wear. Structurally the guitar is excellent, with no major damage or repair.
This guitar has been very neatly refretted and the fingerboard trued, so playability is far superior to most of these. The original trapeze tailpiece has been replaced with a National/Dobro tailpiece improving the string pressure over the biscuit, allowing the resonator to better function without excessive buzzing. The saddle appears likely replaced as well; the original tailpiece is included in the case pocket. We assume the knobs have also been replaced as they are US-made from the 1970s. This is a very good player as Del Vecchios go and more versatile than most with the factory pickup installation. It resides in a later HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.