About:

A few important things we'd like you to know about Vinetto Guitars and the instruments we make.

When you think about how much the guitar has changed the face of popular culture over the last sixty years, you'd have to admit that it's just pretty amazing. But what's almost even more incredible is that given the hundreds of new ideas and variations we've seen come and go, it's still the classic designs and the tones they create that truly endure the test of time.

There's an old expression that says "the more things change, the more they stay the same." At Vinetto, we think what makes us different is a real appreciation and understanding of the subtle aspects and qualities of the classics, and how they have defined the electric guitar as a musical instrument. We know exactly what we can change and improve as we take advantage of the best that modern materals and technology has to offer. And we know what to leave alone so that the vibe you feel when you pick a true classic always stays the same.

We strive to make guitars that play, sound and feel better than any you've ever experienced, so that you can explore new and better pipelines to musical expression. But it's also our experience that guides us in our choices of the features and details that separate Vinetto Guitars from so many others, so that you'll be getting the highest quality instrument available for your investment.

Specially Selected Body and Neck Woods

Unlike many other makers out there, we never rely on someone else's idea of what good wood is for our bodies and necks. Every guitar we make is built from the finest woods we can find, selected by us to meet our rigid specs for weight, density and of course, tone. We use only the best Southern White Swamp Ash, lightweight Alder, Honduran Mahogany and quartersawn Eastern Hard Maple for Vinetto Guitars.

We never use "off-the-shelf" necks or bodies.

When you buy a Vinetto guitar, you can rest assured that we've buit your guitar from bodies and necks you can't find anywhere else. Again, we'd never rely on someone elses idea of what's "right". Using proprietary computer-designed models and advanced CNC manufacturing technology, our bodies and necks are carved to our own exacting specifications and tolerances, using dimensions and profiles we've developed over the years to insure the feel and playing pleasure you can only get from a Vinetto guitar. When you experience the comfort of the subtle yet classic contours of a Vinetto body, or the effortless playability of any the neck carve profiles we offer, or the pleasure of seeing the precise fit and finish of each component, you'll know it's because we planned it that way.

All Quartersawn Hard Rock Maple Necks

While some might debate the pros and cons of flat or quartered neck woods and how they affect tone, our experience has shown us that for superior stability over time and consistant, even tone up and down the neck, there's no better choice than fully quartersawn Hard Maple (Acer Suchrum). That's why we use it for every Vinetto Guitar in our line. The linear nature of the grain structure of quartersawn in relation to the tension of the strings means a stiffer yet smoother, more balanced sounding neck, one that will remain much more stable and predictable over time and under a variety of climate conditions. Of course, quartersawn costs more to find and use, but time and time again we've learned that for us and you alike, the investment is well worth it.

Proprietary Neck Milling Process, Truss-Rod Channel Design and Individual Hand-Planing and Fretboard Dressing

When we designed one of the most important techincal aspects of the guitar neck, we started where most other makers leave off. We weren't satisfied with the standard arcs and positions of the truss rod channel we found on almost all of the other necks we dissected and explored. Through our research, we discovered just why so many truss rod configurations don't really make the neck react in a manner that's consistant with the true vibrational wave of a guitar string when it's plucked. The result of a misplaced truss rod is a relief pattern that can create points along the fretboard that actually cause some frets to get in the way of the true deflection of the string. The problem can manifest itself in different ways as the string is fretted in different places. What you end up with is an inevitable compromise in the action and feel of the guitar. That's simply not acceptable here at Vinetto, and grinding and dressing brand new frets is not the right answer.

Through extensive research and testing, we've developed a proprietary complex truss rod arc and apex point-positioning for each of our neck profiles that compensates for the many variables of the neck, like the taper of the neck width and the changes in the neck profile thickness from nut to butt.

But we also learned that that's not enough. While many other necks are cut or sanded straight when they're made, the fingerboad of every Vinetto neck is precision milled using a special curve that compliments and works together with our truss rod channel. Then, each and every neck is precisely adjusted for optimum rod tension without string tension, hand planed using precision-radius cauls and hand-dressed for the perfect amount of "fall-away" before it's fretted. And because of the predictablity and reliability of the quartersawn neck wood, the result is a new neck with pristine, unground new frets that responds to the string as it should for optimum playability and the exact relief pattern to fit your playing style.

Imported Precision Fretwire

Every Vinetto neck is fretted using the most uniform and consistent fretwire we've ever seen. Made in Germany to exact micro-tolerances, our fretwire features a perfectly formed crown for smoother fretting and bends, and an extremely uniform tang and barb configuration that assures firm seating and mating with our precsion cut fret slots. We offer a variety of fret sizes for every Vinetto guitar including our Standard, Modified Vintage, Medium Tall and others. Please refer to the specs for each guitar to see profile sizes.

Corner Dressing and Edge Rolls

By now you're probably getting a better understanding of how much extra time and attention we put into the building process of our guitars. The final dress and setup of the neck is no exception. Each fret of every neck get's special attention, including jeweler-style hand rounding and polishing of the fret ends to assure smooth, almost invisible playability. In between each fret, the edges of the neck are meticulously rolled and sanded to provide a smooth, fluid transition between the neck profile and the fingerboard. The result is a level of playability that has often been described to us an virtually "transparent".

Superior Parts, Hardware and Electronics

We use only the finest components available, including the best American-made hardware wherever we can, like trem units and bridge plates and saddles from boutique makers like Bill Callaham and Glendale Guitars, pickups by Jason Lollar, electronic components by CTS, Switchcraft and CRL, original equipment strap-buttons, control plates and jackcups and plates by Fender® and other high-quality vendors. We also use the finest top-of-the line imported parts when other alternatives aren't available, including tuners by Gotoh. We fabricate all of our own pickguards so that you're able to choose the style and color you want for the guitar you want without being limited to what's available off the shelf. We even laser cut our own control shields for the different models and laser etch each neckplate with the individual serial number of the guitar. Because the whole really is the sum of the parts, we spare no expense or effort to bring you the best parts available.

All Nitrocellulose Finishes

Over the years, Vinetto has earned a great reputation for it's fine finishes, whether it be the new look of our standard models or the authentically-aged look and feel of our Artifact® Series. We only use "old-school" finishing materials and techniques, including our sealers, color and clear coats. With the exception of the thin color coat of our metallic custom colors, all Vinetto guitars are done with real, authentic nitrocellulose-based materials applied just right for a super thin, super resonant finish. Of course, we can also finish your guitar in a variety of other materials should you prefer. Not everyone can say that they offer both.

The Watcful Eye and Experienced Hands of Vince Cunetto

Every single guitar that leaves our shop is dutifully watched, monitored and worked on by Vince Cunetto, the founder and owner of VInetto Guitars. Vince's work is well known and touted throughout the guitar world, from his historic work in developing the now famous look and feel of "aged" guitars that have become so widely accepted and copied today, to his more recent successes with Vinetto. He's responsible for all R&D and for developing the stringent specs and processes used to build Vinetto Guitars. Vince still does the final setup, inspection and tune-testing (the actual playing of each guitar to make sure it's right) for every guitar we build and ship. Each one must meet his insanely high-standards for looks, tone and playability before it can be released.

A Small Team of Experienced and Highly Trained Luthiers

To assist him in his quest for guitar perfection, Vince has assembled a small but efficient team of trained and experienced luthiers, each well-versed in other methods and building styles in their own rites, with many guitars of their own creation to their credit. They're all graduates of recognized building schools and have also apprenticed under Vince since the beginning, absorbing and applying his tricks and techniques. We're not talking about "assemblers" here, because although putting together great guitars is part of the job, these guys know how to build guitars in a variety of styles from the ground up, and have.

A Note From Vince Cunetto

"It's been a long and interesting journey from my first teenage attempts at building a guitar to where we are today here at Vinetto. We're a small group of luthiers dedicated to building great instruments for very discerning players. We use state-of-the-art technology to assure the fit and accuracy you'd expect today. But, because of the hands-on nature of the way we build, our output is limited. As you would expect, we concentrate a lot of effort into every detail of every guitar. It's all part of our attempt to bring you what we hope you'll find to be some of the very best guitars in the market, period."

"We keep in close touch with our players and get a lot of good comments on the guitars. What we hear most often is that players feel like there's something about these guitars that inspires them to be able to once again play things they'd lost, or better yet, to play new ideas they'd been wanting to find. To some this may sound silly, but we're often told that there's a definite vibe to the these guitars that just isn't found in other electric guitars today. Some say it comes from our painstaking handwork and attention to detail. Others site the design of the guitars. Still others talk about superior materials and workmanship, excellent fit and hand-buffed lacquer finish. And almost all of our players say they've found a level of tone and playability they've never experienced in any of their other guitars. Of course, we never get tired of hearing comments like that."

"Although there are a lot of years of guitar passion and experience behind Vinetto Guitars, we're excited about the challenge of charging into today's brave new world of high-quality, handcrafted boutique electrics. We're constantly working on new ideas and responding to requests from our players. We've intentionally positioned ourselves in the same arena with builders known for exceptionally high-quality guitars, and put our work up against their's at every turn. It gives us the chance to continually prove ourselves and to fully explore all the new things we're doing. Maybe that's why our guitars are turning a lot of heads and continue to meet with overwhelming approval from very satisfied customers and dealers alike."

"Here at Vinetto Guitars, we're driven to craft the finest electric guitars availabe today. It may sound odd, but around here superior craftsmanship and technical excellence are not the goal... they're just part of the process. Beautiful guitars can be a true pleasure to own for a lot of reasons, but we firmly believe that the only thing that makes a guitar truly great is if it can meet the measure of being a great musical instrument... a tool used to bring out the best musical expression the player has to give. And that's where you come in. To that end, we sincerely hope that you'll get the opportunity to enjoy the experience of owning one for yourself."

Thank You for Your Time and for Considering Vinetto Guitars.

We know that today, the decision to buy one guitar over another isn't always easy. We hope you've found the information above to be helpful on your quest for the right guitar for you, and we certainly appreciate the time you've given us to find out more about how we do things. If you have any further questions, please contact any of our exceptional dealers as listed on the Retailers page, or get in touch with us directly at info@vinettoguitars.com. We'll be happy to help you in any way we can.

For more specific information and details on all the guitars in our line, just click below to be taken to the Guitars main page.

Contact:

Vinetto Guitars, USA

Vinetto Musical Instruments, LLC

2828A Breckenridge Industrial Ct.

St. Louis, Missouri 63144

Phone 314-968-7576

Fax 314-968-4674

Customer Inquiries: info@vinettoguitars.com

Dealer Inquiries: dealers@vinettoguitars.com