Four stunning new models from Italia guitars

July 29, 2011 - PRLog -- Idiosyncratic guitar makers Italia have always made instruments their own way – with breathtaking looks, standout playability and thrilling tones as standard – and new for summer 2011 are three brand new six-string models and a bass.

Italia Maranello Speedster II
The go-faster striped Maranello Speedster II, at £529, continues Italia's chequered flag-taking formula. A roaring double humbucker upgrade to the single-pickup Speedster I – with the added versatility of a tone knob too – the Speedster II features a distinctive korina body with 'cut off' upper and lower body horns and a set maple neck, topped off with a speed accessible rosewood fingerboard – check out those go-faster 'accelerating' slim split-block fret markers!

Loud in every sense of the word, the Speedster II manages to combine classy minimalism with exuberant self-confidence. A true player's instrument with a fantastic neck, great sustain and awesome tone, it's one of the most attention-grabbing guitars around. Available in no-nonsense Black, Blue or Cream finishes, with a contrasting racing stripe, everyone needs to take the Speedster II for a spin.

Italia Maranello '61
Meanwhile, the timeless, laid-back vibe of the classic hollowbody is beautifully reproduced with the quietly sophisticated Maranello '61 (£549). Available in gorgeous Blue and Trans Orange finishes, the Maranello '61 combines those authentic old-school looks and feel with 21st century playability – and tones from everywhere in between.

The Maranello '61 has a compact, lightweight double-cutaway body, but it features truly heavyweight tones thanks to two high-output Wilkinson WHHB humbuckers. These, combined with a five-way selector switch, provide all the classic sounds a player will ever need. The Maranello '61 is fitted with an amazing Italia roller-saddled Vintage Vibrato system. Suitable for wobbling, trembling and dive-bomb sounds, it keeps tune fantastically well, bend after bend.

Italia Torino
Available in stunning Red and Black finishes, the Torino, at £549, looks as good as it sounds. Big-bodied with a slimline profile, and loaded with Wilkinson WVC Humbuckers, the Torino is a classy, versatile monster of tone.


Rockabilly, swing, jazz, blues, rock; you name it, the Italia Torino was born to play it. Sonically, it combines the warmth of the big hollowbody and humbucking pickups, with the natural brightness of a maple body, back and sides to provide a range of tones which are full, yet present.

Italia Torino Bass
Finally, the Torino Bass (£599) echoes the designs of some of the most collectable instruments of the 60s, inspired with a modern and distinctly original twist. Like the guitar version, the Torino bass comes in a semi-hollowbody construction with f-holes. A tune-o-matic bridge carries the four strings over to the neat Italia 'action angle' trapeze tail, with the Wilkinson mini bass humbucker and ABR humbucker providing the tonal heart of this beautiful bass.

All four models are available now, and all prices quoted are UK RRPs. Italia guitars are distributed in the UK and Eire by John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd.

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Useful links:

Italia guitars:
www.italiaguitars.com

Italia at JHS:
www.jhs.co.uk/italia.html

Speedster II specs
Body: Korina
Neck: Hardrock Maple Set Neck
Pickups: 2 x Wilkinson WVC Humbuckers
Bridge: Wilkinson Wrap-over
Controls: 1 x Volume, 1x Tone, 3-way Selector Switch
Machines: Italia die-cast
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: 22
Scale Length: 318mm / 25”
Inlays: Split pearloid mini-block
Finishes: Blue, Black, Cream

Maranello '61 specs
Body: Maple Semi-Hollow Body
Neck: Hardrock Maple Set Neck
Pickups: Wilkinson WHHB
Bridge: Tune’O’Matic with Vintage Roller Saddled Vibrato
Controls: 1 x Volume, 1x Tone, 3-way Selector Switch
Machines: Italia die-cast
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: 22
Inlays: Pearloid mini-block
Finishes: Trans Blue, Trans Orange

Torino specs
Body: Maple Semi-Hollow Body
Neck: Hardrock Maple Set Neck
Pickups: 2 x Wilkinson WVC
Bridge: Combination
Controls: 2x Volume, 1x Tone, Master Volume, 3-way Selector Switch
Machines: Italia die-cast
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: 22
Scale Length: 318mm / 25”
Inlays: Pearloid mini-block
Finishes: Black, Trans Orange

Torino Bass specs
Body: Maple Semi-Hollow Body
Neck: Hardrock Maple Set Neck
Pickups: Wilkinson Mini Bass Humbucker + ABR Humbucker
Bridge: T’O’M w/Italia Trapeze
Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone
Machines: Italia die-cast
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: 22
Scale Length: 381mm / 30”
Inlays: Pearloid mini-block
Finishes: Retro Blue, Black