Giannini Craviola AWKNS6 / Nylon String and Bossa Ready!

Here is a lovely example of the iconic Giannini Craviola AWKNS-6, in Excellent Condition and ready for Carnival. It has been carefully restored and is in optimal playing condition.  The serial number and date stamp are illegible, but this model almost certainly dates from the early 1970s.

The Craviola was a very popular guitar in the early to mid-70s, with its unusual “kidney bean” shape and distinctive looks.  Jimmy Page famously played a twelve string Craviola on a number of the Led Zeppelin recordings. One of the cool things about the shape of the guitar is that it is comfortable to play over either knee.  Over the right knee, it plays like a dreadnought. Over the left knee, the player elevates the neck and plays in more of a classical style, ideal for jazzy Brazilian Bossas.

The guitar is largely laminate, with a laminate Spruce top and laminate Rosewood back and sides, a Mahogany neck and Rosewood Fretboard and Bridge.  There are some nicks and dings on the body, most notably the back, but nothing beyond minor blemishes.  There are no cracks, splits or open seams.  

When it came into the shop, the action was quite high.  Sadly, Giannini guitars are not always made with reversible glues, and trying to remove the neck from a guitar with a non-reversible glue does far more harm than good.  We elected instead to lower the bridge about 3/64ths of an inch on either side of the saddle, so we could make a new bone saddle and lower the action to a comfortable playing height.  At this point, the action is 3/32nds of an inch, both sides, at the twelfth fret, ideal for the vibration arc of classical strings.  Beyond that, we cleaned and lubricated the tuners, leveled and crowned the frets, adjusted the nut slot heights, and thoroughly cleaned and polished the guitar.

Giannini Craviola necks are made with separate heels.  You’ll note what looks like a crack between the heel and the neck.  It is not a crack, and not separating.  Common to Craviolas, it is a seam in the finish.

Here are the important specs:

Top:  Laminate Spruce

Back and Sides: Laminate Rosewood

Neck: Mahogany

Fretboard: Rosewood

Bridge: Rosewood

Saddle: Bone

Nut: Bone / 1 7/8” wide

Scale length: 25 1/2”

Action at 12th fret: 3/32nds, both sides

Lower Bout Width: 15 1/2”

Upper Bout Width: 11”

Body Depth: 3 3/4”

The Craviola has been strung with a fresh set of D’Addario Pro Arte Extra Hard Tension Strings.

The guitar comes with a nicely padded gig bag.

Please be sure to check out the photos and zoom in on them, as we have tried to capture the guitar from all angles.

Whether playing classical, folk or jazz, this guitar make a striking impression, plays easily, and has a charm all its own. The laminate construction makes for a very stable top and a rich tonal presence.

This Giannini Craviola AWKNS-6 is sold AS IS and is not returnable, unless it arrives in a condition other than as described or photographed, here.

Price: $1000.00 plus $135 shipping (Lower 48 USA, only)