Wandre Scarabeo Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965)
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Wandre Scarabeo Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965), made in Cavriago, Italy, red lacquer finish, wood and plastic body, plastic sheathed aluminum neck with rosewood fingerboard, molded plastic hard shell case.
There was no guitar quite like the Wandre Scarabeo before it, and there has not been a guitar quite like the Scarabeo since! This utterly singular creation is undoubtedly a holy grail among lovers of the myriad products of Italian guitar auteur Wandre Pioli, and one with a fantastic insouciant backstory that makes it all the sweeter. During the summer of 1965 rampant Beatlemania had conquered Italy, as it had the world. While preparing a new catalog Wandre was introduced to a young graphic designer named Stefano Beltrami and the two began a professional and philosophical friendship. Their first idea was paying tribute to Britain's Fab Four with a visually punny "beetle," or scarab, shaped guitar.
The Scarabeo was born in this eye-catching red lacquer, but was also made available (by special request) in a more insect-like black with green trim. The quixotic body shape was meant to imitate the Scarab beetle sacred to the ancient Egyptians, a visual pun Wandre could not resist! The abstract headstock was modeled loosely off the shape and proportion of John Lennon's Beatle-haircut head; just squint at the headstock with 1966-era Lennon in mind and use a little imagination!
The body is carved from wood with a large back-painted piece of clear plastic covering the entire face hiding the smattering of electronics cavities beneath. The earliest few (the Scarabeo I) had timbre selectors on the upper shoulder; this example (the Scarabeo II) is still from the first year of production but instead mounts volume and tone knobs and two pickup on/off switches in the more usual spot down by the jack. The two original Davoli-made pickups are loud and clear with a famously unique sound. The original vibrato tailpiece with its original twin chevron embellishment is intact minus the original curved vibrato arm.
Wandre's proprietary aluminum neck, topped with a rosewood fingerboard and white plastic dot inlays, is bolted on both sides. At the body, slide away the kidney-shaped plastic neck plate to reveal the two bolts holding the neck in place. Up top, it is bolted to the multipiece "John Lennon" slotted headstock with six back-facing tuners crowned with large black buttons like licorice lollipops. The Wandre logo is emblazoned in gold at the top in black plastic above the neck bolts and aluminum nut.
Upon introduction in 1965 the Scarabeo cost 135,000 Lira (approximately $220 US Dollars) which was a difficult amount of money for the average Italian player to cough up at the time. Nevertheless, they nearly doubled the price after a year or so to try and make it seem more alluring as an unaffordable luxury item, a disastrous mistake for the already struggling Wandre Round Factory in the later 60s. Ardent collectors have long carried the torch of the Scarabeo; it is certainly one of the most visually striking of all electric guitars. A Scarabeo was voted "Miss Off the Wall" winning the contest presented in Teisco Del Rey's "Guitar Player" column in 1986, earning the magazine's first color centerfold! More recently John Lennon's son Sean is allegedly one of the few to own one. The Scarabeo is easily one of the most desirable of Mr. Pioli's fantastical electric relics, and despite the wildly eccentric look a is fully playable, great sounding 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 largely original and well-kept Scarabeo with most parts still intact, which is saying something. This guitar, like most Wandre Pioli designs, is made of an almost comical amount of hyper-specific proprietary parts that are irreplicable except as lifted from other Wandres, and even then you may not find an exact fit where you would expect. The guitar has a small scattering of dings and dents; the vibrant red paint is just as bright as it was in 1965. There are some pulls on the underside of the back-painted top plastic cover plate mostly by the screws and the back has some light belt buckle rash into but not through the finish.
The thin black plastic sheath that originally covered on the back of the aluminum neck is missing; this is one of the more common occurrences for Wandre guitars across the board. The original string-under bridge is also long gone; even in the 1960s many players found it unwieldy (as palm muting is not possible) so replaced it right away. This guitar has another Italian-made bridge with roller saddles from the 1960s (the one used on the Goya Rangemasters) that is more functional and of the period but not an original Wandre fitting. The original vibrato arm was also lost; a Fender style arm is included that can be used if desired. All other hardware and screws appear original, and all the other plastic components that give this instrument its signature style are well-preserved, uncracked, and vivid. This Scarabeo comes with a non-original but high quality Italian hardshell case... or should we say, exoskeleton! Overall, a sensational examples of this rare and unbelievably fun, funky, and FAB piece of guitar history. Overall Very Good + Condition.
There was no guitar quite like the Wandre Scarabeo before it, and there has not been a guitar quite like the Scarabeo since! This utterly singular creation is undoubtedly a holy grail among lovers of the myriad products of Italian guitar auteur Wandre Pioli, and one with a fantastic insouciant backstory that makes it all the sweeter. During the summer of 1965 rampant Beatlemania had conquered Italy, as it had the world. While preparing a new catalog Wandre was introduced to a young graphic designer named Stefano Beltrami and the two began a professional and philosophical friendship. Their first idea was paying tribute to Britain's Fab Four with a visually punny "beetle," or scarab, shaped guitar.
The Scarabeo was born in this eye-catching red lacquer, but was also made available (by special request) in a more insect-like black with green trim. The quixotic body shape was meant to imitate the Scarab beetle sacred to the ancient Egyptians, a visual pun Wandre could not resist! The abstract headstock was modeled loosely off the shape and proportion of John Lennon's Beatle-haircut head; just squint at the headstock with 1966-era Lennon in mind and use a little imagination!
The body is carved from wood with a large back-painted piece of clear plastic covering the entire face hiding the smattering of electronics cavities beneath. The earliest few (the Scarabeo I) had timbre selectors on the upper shoulder; this example (the Scarabeo II) is still from the first year of production but instead mounts volume and tone knobs and two pickup on/off switches in the more usual spot down by the jack. The two original Davoli-made pickups are loud and clear with a famously unique sound. The original vibrato tailpiece with its original twin chevron embellishment is intact minus the original curved vibrato arm.
Wandre's proprietary aluminum neck, topped with a rosewood fingerboard and white plastic dot inlays, is bolted on both sides. At the body, slide away the kidney-shaped plastic neck plate to reveal the two bolts holding the neck in place. Up top, it is bolted to the multipiece "John Lennon" slotted headstock with six back-facing tuners crowned with large black buttons like licorice lollipops. The Wandre logo is emblazoned in gold at the top in black plastic above the neck bolts and aluminum nut.
Upon introduction in 1965 the Scarabeo cost 135,000 Lira (approximately $220 US Dollars) which was a difficult amount of money for the average Italian player to cough up at the time. Nevertheless, they nearly doubled the price after a year or so to try and make it seem more alluring as an unaffordable luxury item, a disastrous mistake for the already struggling Wandre Round Factory in the later 60s. Ardent collectors have long carried the torch of the Scarabeo; it is certainly one of the most visually striking of all electric guitars. A Scarabeo was voted "Miss Off the Wall" winning the contest presented in Teisco Del Rey's "Guitar Player" column in 1986, earning the magazine's first color centerfold! More recently John Lennon's son Sean is allegedly one of the few to own one. The Scarabeo is easily one of the most desirable of Mr. Pioli's fantastical electric relics, and despite the wildly eccentric look a is fully playable, great sounding 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 largely original and well-kept Scarabeo with most parts still intact, which is saying something. This guitar, like most Wandre Pioli designs, is made of an almost comical amount of hyper-specific proprietary parts that are irreplicable except as lifted from other Wandres, and even then you may not find an exact fit where you would expect. The guitar has a small scattering of dings and dents; the vibrant red paint is just as bright as it was in 1965. There are some pulls on the underside of the back-painted top plastic cover plate mostly by the screws and the back has some light belt buckle rash into but not through the finish.
The thin black plastic sheath that originally covered on the back of the aluminum neck is missing; this is one of the more common occurrences for Wandre guitars across the board. The original string-under bridge is also long gone; even in the 1960s many players found it unwieldy (as palm muting is not possible) so replaced it right away. This guitar has another Italian-made bridge with roller saddles from the 1960s (the one used on the Goya Rangemasters) that is more functional and of the period but not an original Wandre fitting. The original vibrato arm was also lost; a Fender style arm is included that can be used if desired. All other hardware and screws appear original, and all the other plastic components that give this instrument its signature style are well-preserved, uncracked, and vivid. This Scarabeo comes with a non-original but high quality Italian hardshell case... or should we say, exoskeleton! Overall, a sensational examples of this rare and unbelievably fun, funky, and FAB piece of guitar history. Overall Very Good + Condition.