McGill Del Vecchio-Style Resonator 2007, Koa & Cedar

"The Del Vecchio guitars are a Brazilian innovation in resonator guitar design. The family was based in Sao Paulo.  Starting in the 1930s these instruments won the hearts of many great players."

Guitar maker Paul McGill goes into the detailed lineage of this unusual acoustic resonator design on his site, touching on some of the notable players who fell in love with and popularized the original Del Vecchio guitars, including Garoto, Nato and Antenor Lima, and later Chet Atkins. Inspired by Chet, Earl Klugh commissioned the first custom-made Del Vecchio-style resonator from Paul in the early '90s. Paul went on to make several more, and he estimates this one was completed around 2007. The tailpiece is non-original, but is beautifully custom-fitted to the guitar. It's an unusual and fun little guitar to play, with a small and narrow body, short 23-1/2" scale, and nearly 2" wide nut. With a warm and crunchy voice, it's an instrument that will inspire unique arrangements and unexpected songs.