The Italians Make Legendary Cars - Now They Make Legendary Bass Guitars As Well

2014 Paoletti Wine Series Millesimata Skybass [Jazz Bass Style].

We are very proud to present this custom ordered Paoletti 'Skybass Nail Series Millesimata'. This wonderful bass weighs 10.60 lbs and features a 14 inch wide, 1 3/4 deep, 'Jazz Bass' style contoured body made from 150-year-old chestnut wine barrels. The body has an oil finish with a thin layer of nitrocellulose, which is enhanced by the placing of 25 brass nails/rivets on the top and 27 brass nails/rivets on the edges. One-piece maple neck with a mahogany 'skunk-stripe', a nut width of just under 1 5/8 inches, a full bass scale length of 34.00 inches and a wonderful medium to thick profile. Maple fretboard with 20 medium frets and chestnut block position markers. Single circular string tree. Headstock with "Paoletti" and "Wine" branded onto face. Individual Gotoh closed-back tuners with 'triangular' metal buttons. Four-bolt neckplate engraved "Paoletti / Made in Italy / Millesimata". Two custom hand-wound Paoletti J-60 single coil pickups with outputs of 6.86k and 7.31k. Brass pickguard with ten screws. Three controls (two volume, one tone) all on brass plate (secured by three screws) adjoining pickguard. Paoletti brass "Cheddite" cartridge shell style control knobs. Gotoh combined bridge/tailpiece with four individually adjustablemetal saddles. This guitar is in mint as new (9.50) condition and is complete with its certificate of authenticity with serial number "18414-15214", signed by Fabrizio Paoletti. Housed in the original Paoletti four-latch rectangular, black leather hardshell case with black plush lining (9.50).

Paoletti Instruments® was established in 2005 as natural evolution of Fabrizio Paoletti’s guitar luthier and amplifier tech activities.

Inspired by the shapes of the most iconic guitars in rock history, Fabrizio hand-crafted two unique prototypes: a Stratospheric ’57 and a Nancy ’52. Some friends’ precious suggestions led Fabrizio to realize a third guitar, inspired by Van Halen’s 5150. All the positive feedbacks received encouraged Paoletti to apply full time to this activity, specializing in the production of different versions of the Stratospheric, Nancy, Les Paoletti and Skybass models, each one offered with unique features, customizations and first quality materials.

In 2009, being confident of the high standards of his products, Paoletti Instruments® got in touch with Italian guitar player Maurizio Solieri, proposing him a collaboration and producing for him the first of his three Paoletti guitars: a Stratospheric Lefty which was extensively used in the 2009 Vasco Rossi World Tour.

In 2010, using centuries-old woods coming from his grandfather’s farm, Fabrizio Paoletti hand-crafted two Nancy guitars, one for him and one for Bruce Springsteen, who rewarded Fabrizio with a priceless hand written message.

After these big successes, the Company started a number of collaborations with important Italian artists such as Marco Carta (Laura Pausini’s husband and guitar player) who played during Laura’s World Tour his Paoletti Wine with a copper engraved pickguard and Elisa Toffoli that ordered a Paoletti Steampunk for her forthcoming tour and TV appearances.

This bass is identical to the one that is currently used by Curt Schneider, of the Richie Sambora Band.

In 2012, Tommaso Angeletti joined the Paoletti family as Executive Manager of the Paoletti Sales Department and delivered a Stratospheric Wine to Richie Sambora during his solo tour. A few months later, Richie used his new guitar to play some of the most iconic hits of Bon Jovi during their World Tour and the guitar ended up reviewed in a few Japanese guitar magazines. In 2013, Sambora’s guitar tech (former guitar tech for Angus Young and Prince) contacted Fabrizio to ask for a Nancy Wine guitar for Phil X – world famous session player – who filled in for Richie for the rest of the tour. Phil loved the guitar, nicknamed “Monster Tele”, and used it extensively during the shows of the Bon Jovi Because We Can Tour 2013.

Wine Serie Millesimata guitars are the top-of-the-line of Paoletti’s production. Made out of 130-170 years old chestnut woods, coming from Paoletti’s family owned Chianti wine barrels, these guitars are much appreciated by guitar players all around the world.

The long list of owners of Paoletti Wine guitars includes Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi guitar player and solo artist), Phil X (Canadian sessionman and guitarist for the Bon Jovi 2013 tour), Maurizio Solieri (Vasco Rossi), Paolo Carta (Laura Pausini), Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne and BLS), James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Curt Schneider (Richie Sambora Band) and many more.

The Paoletti Wine Serie instruments, either Stratospheric, Nancy, Les Paoletti, SG Replica, Flying V Replica or Skybass, with or without the “nails” binding featured all around the body, have chestnut bodies (130-170 years old), Honduras mahogany necks, macassar ebony fretboards, brass pickguards and dedicated custom Paoletti hand made pickups.