Steel String Guitar
Ermanno Chiavi has resisted requests for a steel string guitar for years. Now he has created a luxury model aimed at the needs of discerning fingerstyle players. The guitar is built in small numbers upon request.
Chiavi uses rare and hand selected woods that were originally stockpiled for use in classical guitars, often for several decades. The Chiavi Steel has its body/neck transition at the 12th fret. It features a slotted headstock with handmade Alessi tuners. The top is made from fine Swiss alpine spruce, often showing distinctive "bear claw" markings. The body consists of rare Indian rosewood. It features an ebony fingerboard and a Brazilian rosewood bridge. The neck consits of cedrella wood, and the guitar has beautiful flamed striped maple bindings and real abalone inlays around the body. Each string is compensated individually for perfect intonation. This guitar's voice is bell-like, strong and silvery, with similarites to Chiavi's acclaimed classical instruments, but also with a Dobro-like ring and chime. Johannes Labusch