Wandre Avalon Rock Oval Solid Body Electric Guitar , c. 1963
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Wandre Avalon Rock Oval Model Solid Body Electric Guitar, c. 1963, made in Milan, Italy, blue, red, and gold polyurethane lacquer finish, plastic body, plastic sheathed aluminum neck with rosewood fingerboard, original chipboard soft 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. The guitar Bobby was looking at? None other than a Wandre Rock Oval! These amazingly futuristic and completely original instruments were sold under different brand names in Europe through the 1960s; oddly enough this one is WAS actually originally sold here in the US as it is clearly marked to be "export" on the fingerboard with a small "Made in Italy" sticker on the back of the headstock. This distinctive model was advertised as a "Rockette Mod. 604" in some places; this one was sold under the original name "Rock Oval" as evidenced by the 7th fret inlay! An "Avalon" brand plaque is screwed to the headstock, another indicator this guitar was an American market example. Unfortunately under any name the Wandre instruments never quite caught on here, so US market examples with all the bells and whistles (even including an original case) like this are extremely rare.
The Rock Oval was immediate successor to the Rock'n'Roll, one of Wandre's earliest 6-string creations, and is easily one of the most iconic offerings from Mr. Wandre Pioli's oeuvre. While some transitional or prototypical Rock Ovals may have begun trickling out of the ever-experimenting factory earlier, author of the essential text "WANDRE-The Artist Of The Electric Guitar" Marco Ballestri traces its origin to about 1959, just in time for this wispy thinline to be prominently featured alongside Adriano Celentano Lucio Fulci's teen satire 'Urlatori alla Sbarra' (also featuring the great Chet Baker!). Ballestri's research suggests that this guitar's official induction into the Wandre catalogue began with the one special made for the notably surreal and zany Celentano who can be seen singing and playing his Rock Oval at around 1:19 in the video embedded above. This first one bore his own signature on top and a hand-painted portrait of himself on the back, and while the guitar was not named and sold with his likeness otherwise it can be considered one of the earliest Italian celebrity signature instruments.
The Rock Oval's not obvious characteristic is what can only be described as an EXTREME cutaway body, actually extending all the way to the control panel. Beyond its exotic looks, the guitar (for a Wandre) is a rather straightforward instrument. This is a later example from around 1963, just as they were being removed from the Wandre catalogue in Italy and first formally distributed abroad. This Rock Oval has a very thin wood and mostly plastic body (some were made from a thicker slab of carved wood), a slightly carved top and very thick polyurethane finish. A multicolored red/blue/ochre gradient adorns this Rock Oval, with a few sparkles thrown in. Each was completely unique and artful looking straight out of the factory, but some out there boast even wilder psychedelic paint jobs and even one-of-a-kind hand painting.
This Rock Oval bears dual Davoli pickups (branded Wandre) mounted to a floating plastic assembly attached to the neck and running all the way back beyond the bridge, which is an integral part of it. The entire assembly is adjustable for height at the bridge end, and the saddles are mounted in a plastic trough adjustable for intonation via staggered thumbwheels. Farther back on the face of the body right under the dramatic swoosh of the cutaway is a small metal control box holding a volume and tone knob, a 2-way switch and the jack.
Besides the unique aesthetics, one of the most trailblazing things about Wandre guitars are the bolt-on aluminum necks. Over a decade before the likes of Travis Bean or Veleno, most of Pioli's instruments featured a thin, rounded aluminum neck adjustable for angle to the body with a bolted on aluminum headstock. The bound rosewood fingerboard is not exactly flush with the aluminum back, leaving a slight lip that could be covered by a removable, optional plastic sheath; many of these have broken or been lost to time, as is the case with this example. The headstock itself is a thin, flat slice of aluminum with some unique Italian-made 3-in-line tuners and an aluminum nut.
This one bears a few charming export-only details as well. The plastic Avalon piece on the headstock has been seen on various different Wandre models; this was the American model name but rather a distributor name. The fingerboard is also punctuated with different colorful inlays from the Wandre logo to the model name to an "Export" tag. One of Wandre Pioli's most eccentric electric children, the Rock Oval is a real original: unconventional in the extreme, but still plays and sounds fantastic. This is simply a very rare and wonderful instrument from the most inspired oddball Italian '60s guitar designer, 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 particularly gorgeous example of one of Wandre's most eye-catching instruments. The unique multicolor gradient finish is original with only a few dings and scratches here and there in the lightweight, thin plastic exterior. It is all original with all hardware intact except the removable and often lost plastic sheath that covered back of the aluminum neck. The original frets and bound fretboard are in good playing shape with all the special export-only inlays in perfect shape nestled inside. The headstock bears the "Avalon" distributor crest on the headstock and the very chic original plastic and metal button tuners are in good working order.
The plastic and metal pickguard housing the dual Davoli pickups is not cracked or broken as many are and also safely houses the original fully adjustable bridge that guides the strings to the original trapeze tailpiece. Both pickups sound strong and clear, all electronics are original and untampered with as are the knobs and control panel. This Rock Oval resides in its original inexpensive American made chipboard case, made in a slightly off-kilter shape that would ONLY fit this instrument. This is one of the most sought after Wandre models and this example is beautiful to hold and behold as a Wandre can be! Excellent Condition.
"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. The guitar Bobby was looking at? None other than a Wandre Rock Oval! These amazingly futuristic and completely original instruments were sold under different brand names in Europe through the 1960s; oddly enough this one is WAS actually originally sold here in the US as it is clearly marked to be "export" on the fingerboard with a small "Made in Italy" sticker on the back of the headstock. This distinctive model was advertised as a "Rockette Mod. 604" in some places; this one was sold under the original name "Rock Oval" as evidenced by the 7th fret inlay! An "Avalon" brand plaque is screwed to the headstock, another indicator this guitar was an American market example. Unfortunately under any name the Wandre instruments never quite caught on here, so US market examples with all the bells and whistles (even including an original case) like this are extremely rare.
The Rock Oval was immediate successor to the Rock'n'Roll, one of Wandre's earliest 6-string creations, and is easily one of the most iconic offerings from Mr. Wandre Pioli's oeuvre. While some transitional or prototypical Rock Ovals may have begun trickling out of the ever-experimenting factory earlier, author of the essential text "WANDRE-The Artist Of The Electric Guitar" Marco Ballestri traces its origin to about 1959, just in time for this wispy thinline to be prominently featured alongside Adriano Celentano Lucio Fulci's teen satire 'Urlatori alla Sbarra' (also featuring the great Chet Baker!). Ballestri's research suggests that this guitar's official induction into the Wandre catalogue began with the one special made for the notably surreal and zany Celentano who can be seen singing and playing his Rock Oval at around 1:19 in the video embedded above. This first one bore his own signature on top and a hand-painted portrait of himself on the back, and while the guitar was not named and sold with his likeness otherwise it can be considered one of the earliest Italian celebrity signature instruments.
The Rock Oval's not obvious characteristic is what can only be described as an EXTREME cutaway body, actually extending all the way to the control panel. Beyond its exotic looks, the guitar (for a Wandre) is a rather straightforward instrument. This is a later example from around 1963, just as they were being removed from the Wandre catalogue in Italy and first formally distributed abroad. This Rock Oval has a very thin wood and mostly plastic body (some were made from a thicker slab of carved wood), a slightly carved top and very thick polyurethane finish. A multicolored red/blue/ochre gradient adorns this Rock Oval, with a few sparkles thrown in. Each was completely unique and artful looking straight out of the factory, but some out there boast even wilder psychedelic paint jobs and even one-of-a-kind hand painting.
This Rock Oval bears dual Davoli pickups (branded Wandre) mounted to a floating plastic assembly attached to the neck and running all the way back beyond the bridge, which is an integral part of it. The entire assembly is adjustable for height at the bridge end, and the saddles are mounted in a plastic trough adjustable for intonation via staggered thumbwheels. Farther back on the face of the body right under the dramatic swoosh of the cutaway is a small metal control box holding a volume and tone knob, a 2-way switch and the jack.
Besides the unique aesthetics, one of the most trailblazing things about Wandre guitars are the bolt-on aluminum necks. Over a decade before the likes of Travis Bean or Veleno, most of Pioli's instruments featured a thin, rounded aluminum neck adjustable for angle to the body with a bolted on aluminum headstock. The bound rosewood fingerboard is not exactly flush with the aluminum back, leaving a slight lip that could be covered by a removable, optional plastic sheath; many of these have broken or been lost to time, as is the case with this example. The headstock itself is a thin, flat slice of aluminum with some unique Italian-made 3-in-line tuners and an aluminum nut.
This one bears a few charming export-only details as well. The plastic Avalon piece on the headstock has been seen on various different Wandre models; this was the American model name but rather a distributor name. The fingerboard is also punctuated with different colorful inlays from the Wandre logo to the model name to an "Export" tag. One of Wandre Pioli's most eccentric electric children, the Rock Oval is a real original: unconventional in the extreme, but still plays and sounds fantastic. This is simply a very rare and wonderful instrument from the most inspired oddball Italian '60s guitar designer, 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 particularly gorgeous example of one of Wandre's most eye-catching instruments. The unique multicolor gradient finish is original with only a few dings and scratches here and there in the lightweight, thin plastic exterior. It is all original with all hardware intact except the removable and often lost plastic sheath that covered back of the aluminum neck. The original frets and bound fretboard are in good playing shape with all the special export-only inlays in perfect shape nestled inside. The headstock bears the "Avalon" distributor crest on the headstock and the very chic original plastic and metal button tuners are in good working order.
The plastic and metal pickguard housing the dual Davoli pickups is not cracked or broken as many are and also safely houses the original fully adjustable bridge that guides the strings to the original trapeze tailpiece. Both pickups sound strong and clear, all electronics are original and untampered with as are the knobs and control panel. This Rock Oval resides in its original inexpensive American made chipboard case, made in a slightly off-kilter shape that would ONLY fit this instrument. This is one of the most sought after Wandre models and this example is beautiful to hold and behold as a Wandre can be! Excellent Condition.