Every three months or so I take a look at a website called Fetish Guitars to see if anything new has been posted. This site is an Aladdin’s Cave of 1960s Italian guitar erotica. I love Italian guitar design because it’s so avant-garde and off-the-wall. In the 1960s, manufacturers such as Bartolini, Davoli, Eko, Galanti, Meazzi Hollywood and Wandré made some stunning looking guitars that are much sought after today by guitar connoisseurs and collectors alike.

A little while ago while taking my customary look at the Fetish website I came across a guitar called the Ekomaster 1 from 1960. This guitar immediately jumped out at me because of the eye-catching gold flake colour scheme. Made by Eko, who were based at Recanati in central Italy, the Ekomaster 1 was a limited run based on their popular 400 series. The only thought that entered my head, having seen the guitar, was of Las Vegas and the golden razzmatazz the city has to offer. I immediately started to sketch and develop ideas on how I could adapt the Ekomaster 1 into a contemporary, Americana retro-styled guitar that would appeal to guitarists who like a little razzmatazz in their life.

What I came up with was “Viva Las Vegas” complete with our very own “Breuer” single coil pickup that Bob G. Harrison and I are currently developing. I didn’t realise until I had finished the design that this is not the first time Italian heritage and Las Vegas go hand in hand! This exercise, like “Ground Zero (The Blues Alley)”, has been hugely enjoyable, creative and fulfilling because, once again, it allowed me to venture outside my comfort zone and create something totally different. As always, many thanks for your support. SR

“Viva Las Vegas”

Inspired By the Italian Ekomaster 1 And The Razzmatazz Of Las Vegas, NV.

(Bob G. Harrison\Raw Guitar Co. “Breuer” Single Coil Pickup)