Daniele Marrabello/Angelo Vailati - 2024 Half is Half
Daniele Marrabello/Angelo Vailati - 2024 Half is Half
Overview
Overview
This remarkable guitar is the product of a unique collaboration between two renowned luthiers, Daniele Marrabello and Angelo Vailati, crafted across the cities of Bologna and Milan where each artisan resides. The instrument’s rosette is a masterful embodiment of this partnership, blending two distinct artistic personalities into a single piece. It features a mosaic wave that connects the two rosettes, symbolizing the seamless and harmonious union of their differing styles. This guitar not only showcases exceptional craftsmanship but also represents a rare and unrepeatable instance of collaboration in the world of lutherie, resulting in a truly unique musical instrument.
Enrico Bottelli, a world-renowned luthier, authored an insightful essay about this particular guitar.
“Half is half”
Rome Expo 2024
By Angelo Vailati & Daniele Marrabello
Introduction
I am extremely happy to be able to write this comment presenting the guitar built for Rome Expo 2024 by two of my former apprentices who are now renowned luthiers, Angelo Vailati and Daniele Marrabello.
The name of the instrument, as well as a clear reference to an equal collaboration, absolutely unique in its kind, derives from an anecdote that all my former apprentices know, and this implicit dedication makes me particularly happy.
My second teacher, the famous Californian luthier Ervin Somogyi, used to say “Half is Half” to mean that what is evident does not need to be measured, but simply instinctively recognized. There is no need to take a centimeter to mark, by eye, half of a measurement, you just do it, and everyone agrees.
In the group of luthier friends that I helped to create and of which Angelo and Daniele are part, there is this harmony and unity of evaluation, almost as if it were a common yardstick based on the same vocabulary and lexicon, shared by everyone.
For this reason, it is enough for us to hear a sound or see an instrument to already share a whole series of evaluations, evident and obvious for us, less so for others.
"Half is Half”
is a guitar with a partially flamed spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides and a cedar neck with an Hauser shaped head (attached with a V joint to the neck) and 650 mm scale.
Both labels of the two makers are present on the inside of the instrument.
The thing that immediately struck me when playing it was the quality of the timbre which represents a perfect balance between the characteristics of the instruments of the two luthiers: a perfect blend of the designs usually used by Angelo and Daniele.
Thus the Hauser project expressed by Daniele's artistic and musical sensitivity and the Spanish style typical of the Granada school, that Angelo has meticulously perfected, guitar after guitar, along so many years, are perfectly completed in an instrument that has the body and density of sound typical of the Hauser project, but the freedom, openness, sensitivity, brilliance and explosiveness typical of the Spanish school.
The bass register is very deep (F/F# bass resonance), soft and mellow (reminiscent of the timbre of a cello), characteristics that bring it closer to the Spanish guitar.
The instrument in general has sonic balance, sustain and a tone quality of rare beauty, with a unique sweetness and singability.
It is not easy to find instruments that, even when new, have this allure and personality.
Then the attention to the aesthetic aspect, the finishes, the choice of woods, the impeccable French polished shellac varnish complete the instrument making it truly special.
The rosette divided into two parts is very original and elegant, with the central spiral mosaic by Daniele on the left and the wave motif (reminiscent of the symbol of the Tao) by Angelo on the right, linked by a wave mosaic which represents the perfect stylistic connection of the two decorations so different from each other.
A really remarkable exquisite work, surrounded by an elegant and discreet cross-stitch mosaic that we also find in the outline of the table
I think that this instrument that surely has required many efforts and a certain amount of courage, can be of inspiration for other makers’ collaborations, in this case the final result has been outstanding.
Thanks Angelo! Thanks Daniele!
Conclusions
This guitar is an example of how the collaboration and synergy between two talented luthiers can produce a work that goes beyond personal limits and comes to a perfect synthesis, beyond rational design decisions.
It is also a note of personal pride that I have contributed with my teachings to forming a large group of luthiers who are friends with each other, and regularly collaborate exchanging opinions and information. This genuine friendship has been the seed for the genesis of this guitar.
In the group, individual growth is greatly favored by the sharing of knowledge and the contamination of projects, the aim is for everyone to find a personal way of combining different knowledge according to their own taste, creating their own sound.
This has always been my goal.
By now the old concept of the craftsman who jealously guards his secrets segregated in his own laboratory no longer has any reason to exist.
And I am convinced that in Italy today, the greater communication between luthiers is contributing to raising the level of all guitar lutherie, which now, unlike in the past, is no longer inferior to that of any other country.
In recent years, Roma Expo has certainly contributed to the creation of a group of excellent Italian luthiers and to the sharing of experiences and knowledge which have been the driving force of this growth.
Enrico Bottelli.
| Luthier: | Daniele Marrabello/Angelo Vailati |
| Construction year: | 2024 |
| Top: | Spruce |
| Back and sides: | Indian rosewood |
| Scale: | 650 mm |
| Nut: | 51.5 mm |
| Weight: | 1515 grams |
| Air body frequency: | F#/G |
| Tuners: | Alessi |
| Strings: | Knobloch EDC 34.0 |
| Case: | Hiscox Pro II "Siccas Guitars" Edition |
| Condition: | New |
Video overview
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