This guitar comes with a floating black (probably Kent Armstrong) pickup connected to volume and tone controls on the pickguard. It is unusual (and beautiful) in having a custom-ordered headstock decoration that takes the form of a angel ringing a bell (i.e. possibly for New Year’s) while standing on the lower egg-shaped portion of a whole note – all of this in engraved mother of pearl radiant with silver-white but also containing earth tones for both the angel, herself, and the lower bell that hangs from a long abalone (colorful, refracting) ribbon. It is a magnificent image – perhaps symbolizing “Hark, this Herald Angel Sings” (or perhaps not, if your name isn’t “Hark”). Above this ethereal image is the illustrious “MCampellone” script pearl logo on the polished ebony black headstock overlay that’s bound in crème. The plastic, stair-step truss rod cover is held in place by one golden screw and its design is, in our opinion, an homage to John D’Angelico. Any why shouldn’t it be. John D’ would have been proud of Mark Campellone’s dedication to the highest level of craft and art in giving us luthiery sculptures that keep on giving.
Its black ebony fingerboard is bound in crème and inlaid with 8 etched diamonds in 7 fret positions; its top is bordered in crème and black purfling and the sides in wide crème binding; the elevated tortoise shell celluloid pickguard is similarly bound in single-ply, in a whiter shade of pale – well the binding is whiter than crème. The hand-made ebony adjustable ebony bridge is two-piece and writ large, reminiscent of Jimmy D’Aquisto; the tailpiece is uniquely Campellone’s being made of gold-plated metal and inset with ebony to form a guillotine or cigar tip cutter – take your pick. The f-holes on this instrument are large and generous and the sound is also. Its tuners are gold-plated Grover Rotomatics with gold plated tulip buttons. The case is a standard black hard shell with a deep red plush lined interior. The fingerboard width at the nut is 1 3/4", at the 12th fret the width is 2 1/16th", and at the bridge the string spacing from E to E is also 2 1/16th". Lastly, a gold-plated strap button has been added to the center back of the heel and the end pin jack doubles as a strap attachment at bottom.
We deeply love the designs and workmanship of Mark Campellone guitars and have always felt them underpriced by comparison to other builders of his excellence (you doesn’t have to call him Your Excellence). This guitar shows almost no normal signs of having been played. There are some small string changing marks on the ebony headplate, there are a couple of lonely dings on the headplate – especially on the upper corners near the points and some surface scratches in the same area (headplate); there are incipient crazing lines on the top, especially at the widest points (the lower bouts). There may be a few small dings here and there, but taken as a whole it is an exceptionally clean guitar – certainly worthy of the “excellent plus” appellation.
The owner writes: Stan – this Campellone is a fancy and yet tasteful 18” super-sized guitar in exquisite condition. My late husband loved this guitar and I know there are others out there who will appreciate such a beautiful instrument. Thank you for handling its sale on my behalf.
We couldn’t agree more. This guitar is a shining example of what is possible when a guitar builder who accepts no compromise makes a S-400-sized instrument as an acoustic archtop cutaway instrument with floating pickup. If this was its historical antecedent from, say, the ‘50s, you’d be laying out $13,500 just to kiss its putative feet. But wrest not with the exigencies of great fiscal outlay – this Pomeranian purebread is just: