Visit to Cris Mirabella

[D'Aquisto Fan]

Just got back from visiting Cris Mirabella. He completed the pick-guard for my L-5, and as you would expect - it came out perfect and reinstalled flawlessly. I attached a pic.

But the highlight of this visit was playing the recently completed Trap door model destined for a client in China. Cris just completed setting up the guitar last night - and I was honored to be the first to play it.

This is a top of the line modern styled Archtop designed for the soloist. The interior bracing and execution of design and workmanship is at the very highest level. The interior of sides and back exhibited a light coating of nitro which added a touch of elegance to the interior and the outside amber burst finish is gorgeous.

We’ve all heard the term lap piano used to describe an extraordinary instrument. Well - I could find no other expletive more appropriate for this guitar then a true “lap piano”. It possess this rich , warm kind or darker purity to the note that sounded like the key of a piano strike - with volume and complete openness. The tone and volume across each string was equal, no matter where you played on the fingerboard. The balance was so good that each note of the chord was very distinct and true - and only further enhanced by strumming the full chord and hearing this woody shimmer of pleasure. It was certainly the finest sounding Mirabella that I’ve played. In fact , it had the warmth of the slant oval hole-but with more substance.

To me, this 18” masterpiece exhibits a blend of all the influences Cris has been surrounded by throughout his 28 years of studying, building and restoring Archtop guitars. He has forged his own path - with a desire to continue along the legacy of D’Angelico, D’Aquisto and Monteleone -with a never ending desire to evolve the capability of the Archtop.

The Mirabella guitars have a unique voice which needs to be experienced. This guitar will be at the upcoming Woodstock show for anyone interested in seeing / hearing it first hand.

For those who wish to own something combining the best visual and sonic attributes of the aforementioned builders - this is the modern interpretation all wrapped up into one symphony of a guitar. Cris does has a few spots open for 2026.














Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow. What a gorgeous guitar! And what a great piece of writing! I'm very happy for Cris. He is such a kind, talented, passionate individual. A true blessing to our world of crazed archtop lovers!

[iim7V7IM7]

I thought that was you on FB that Cris posted…

[QAman]

I thought that was you on FB that Cris posted…

Guilty - that’s me. What a fun day. Just can’t get enough of Archtop guitars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[D'Aquisto Fan]

Guilty - that’s me. What a fun day. Just can’t get enough of Archtop guitars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking strong and healthy, my friend! And that's a beautiful guitar.

[QAman]

Looking strong and healthy, my friend! And that's a beautiful guitar.

Thanks for the kind words Michael ! It was a fun day. This guitar is very special - a real piano like voice with a syrupy smooth vibe. It sounded best to me with both trapdoor's open. It's amazing how much sound is directed towards the player with these openings. I would never order another carved guitar without at least an upper bout sound port.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

[Betz]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking back at the original guitar from this post, is the slant oval sound hole an aesthetic choice or is there a sonic or structural benefit? I am trying to visualize what that bracing would look like under there.

Thanks!

[AKA]

Looking back at the original guitar from this post, is the slant oval sound hole an aesthetic choice or is there a sonic or structural benefit? I am trying to visualize what that bracing would look like under there.

Thanks!

Purely aesthetic I’d say.

[QAman]

I had another visit to Cris Mirabella’s shop with my dear friend Larry Wexer the other day. We played 3 rebound D’Aquisto’s (2 full rebinds and one f holes only), 2 early L5’s with PAF’s and a Mirabella 18” - which was mentioned in a previous post.

One of the D’Aquisto’s - called Pepe, is known among D’Aquisto aficionados/ collectors as the tonal benchmark of D’Aquisto’s sound - and I found that to be true. It’s one of the finest Acoustic Archtop guitars I’ve ever played and - this sentiment was shared by all of us.

This visit provided me the opportunity to compare Cris’s 18” to Pepe and I found the note quality and timbre to be very similar to Pepe. Both have this rich warmth and perfect balance - but with a different power output. The D’Aquisto is a full throttle - unrestrained
acoustic powerhouse, whereas the Mirabella posses this lush, internally swirling warmth and sustain which projects beautifully for both the listener and the player - due to the 2 side ports. These are two completely different designs - and it was fun comparing a traditional styled Archtop build with one containing modern amenities.

As for the rebind workmanship - it’s extraordinary ! There is a reason why Cris Mirabella has years of D’Aquisto/ D’Angelico binding restoration work in his backlog - no one does it better…..period. Cris meticulously hand scrapes the old binding off, reapplies the new binding, followed by carefully applying the lacquer to just the rebound areas. The finish is then blended in such a way that its indiscernible from the original work. Of course this is a very brief overview of what takes place. The entire process is very labor intensive, and involves a degassing queue time, which that in-itself can take months.

As we ended our visit - Larry and I thanked Cris for always supporting the needs of players and collectors.

Here are a few pics from our visit.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FourOnSix]

All well and good, but what I want to know is what kind of youth serum Larry is taking! It's not like he hasn't been on the scene for decades

[QAman]

Lol ! We all say that too. Larry just turned 70 - can you believe it. He's a very easy going, well educated - and level headed individual who knows how to control stress. He takes life as it comes with a pleasant demeanor and conducts himself with the upmost integrity at all times. In the 30 plus years of our friendship- I've never seen him in a very anxious , stressed out frame of mind. He has expressed concern to me at times - over some stressful transactions, but he always handles thing calmly - and avoids speculating on negative outcomes.

FYI- Larry is a phenomenal guitar player, and one of the best Harmonica players in the country. Myself and a couple of close friends celebrated his 70th birthday back in Novemember - and we had a great time.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

[wintermoon]

I'm out of the loop anymore, what year is that DAQ, and why Pepe?
I haven't been to the Philly guitar show in years but Larry's was one face I was always happy to see.

[QAman]

I'm out of the loop anymore, what year is that DAQ, and why Pepe?
I haven't been to the Philly guitar show in years but Larry's was one face I was always happy to see.

Wintermoon,
“Pepe” SN 1161 - was made in 1983. I attached a pic of the ledger. The name Pepe is also inscribed in the headstock. The guitar just happens to be an extraordinary example of Jimmy D’Aquisto’s best guitars. Like the equivalent of the best recognized Stradivarius violins - among surviving examples.

I haven’t been to many guitar shows either- your not missing anything. With the advent of the internet and online sales - less quality instruments are being brought to the shows. It
doesn’t always make business sense for dealers to have a show presence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wintermoon]

Wintermoon,
“Pepe” SN 1161 - was made in 1983. I attached a pic of the ledger. The name Pepe is also inscribed in the headstock. The guitar just happens to be an extraordinary example of Jimmy D’Aquisto’s best guitars. Like the equivalent of the best recognized Stradivarius violins - among surviving examples.

I haven’t been to many guitar shows either- your not missing anything. With the advent of the internet and online sales - less quality instruments are being brought to the shows. It
doesn’t always make business sense for dealers to have a show presence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for that, is Jimmy's ledger available anywhere? All I have is a copy of John's ledger which lists some of Jimmy's first instruments

[QAman]

Thanks for that, is Jimmy's ledger available anywhere? All I have is a copy of John's ledger which lists some of Jimmy's first instruments

Wintermoon,
The “ Masters Bench “ contains both ledgers.
Here is a pic of book.
“


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Max405]

QA,
Where and HOW else are we going to learn this stuff?
You've been so great with showing us stuff that we would NEVER ever see. I cant thank you enough.
Particularly, of GREAT importance to me, is the picture of the room that has the wall cases mounted side by side by side near the floor.
As you know, I am set to do the same thing in my new (to me) house when it get re-modeled. I was able to imagine what the top shelf looked like and your picture gave me something to actually show my builder.
Larry looks 20 years younger than me and I am only 60! And of course you look amazing Stevie. It was nice to not see you playing the RainSong again on these ULTRA- FINE guitars...
Thanks Buddy.
JD

[QAman]

QA,
Where and HOW else are we going to learn this stuff?
You've been so great with showing us stuff that we would NEVER ever see. I cant thank you enough.
Particularly, of GREAT importance to me, is the picture of the room that has the wall cases mounted side by side by side near the floor.
As you know, I am set to do the same thing in my new (to me) house when it get re-modeled. I was able to imagine what the top shelf looked like and your picture gave me something to actually show my builder.
Larry looks 20 years younger than me and I am only 60! And of course you look amazing Stevie. It was nice to not see you playing the RainSong again on these ULTRA- FINE guitars...
Thanks Buddy.
JD

Thanks for the kind words Joe. Roger Borys was the one who told me about the “ Builders Bench” - it’s a very informative read and a must have for the D’Angelico/ D’Aquisto fan.

Next time your passing through my area give me a call - I’ll treat you to some Italian food at “ Mulberry Street” - and we can catch up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RJVB]

some Italian food at “ Mulberry Street”

Damn, if you had been cooking yourself I could finally have gotten in that pun on your pseudo here and suggest you make this for desert
Kouign amann | Le Guerandais

[QAman]

Damn, if you had been cooking yourself I could finally have gotten in that pun on your pseudo here and suggest you make this for desert
Kouign amann | Le Guerandais

Yummy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RJVB]

Yummy

Careful with your teeth or fillings though ... that stuff is redoutable

[26and385]

Thanks QA, I was not aware of this book, I just ordered it!

[QAman]

Thats great ! It a good read packed with resourceful information

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

[QAman]

Today , I spent a few hours with Cris Mirabella taking a new Crossfire model for a spin. This is a
17” lower bout with 2-7/8 sides and 25.375 scale.
This particular guitar is stunningly beautiful and the neck shape was perfect.

The design features of the instrument are so cohesive , with perfect proportions - exhibiting a theme of figured maple beginning with the truss rod closure , extending down through the fingerboard inlays- which consists of mop, ebony strips and maple inlays in the shape of sails. The matching fingerboard binding transcends the natural wood movement down thru the length of guitar - terminating with the maple saddle wedges.

The action was set up perfectly and the workmanship is remarkable - with everything buffed to a smooth gloss - as I’ve found on all Mirabella’s.

The guitar played effortlessly and possessed this rich warmth , with a quality to the timbre that was captivating. It has a bell like clarity - with a sweet creamy vibe. I found myself very inspired and played for nearly an hour straight. Playing octaves and other intervals was a real treat as each note sang beautifully with equal volume.

Like the last Mirabella I played, it has this syrupy smooth voice , with endless sustain and warmth galore. This is not your typical loud / bright parallel braced orchestra type guitar. Cris has developed his own unique voice - different than anything I’ve experienced. It’s design intent is focused on providing the solo guitarist with an extraordinary experience - and he nails this goal precisely.

This guitar is a custom order for guitarist Ratko Zjaca. I highly recommenced Ratko’s album titled “ Archtop Avenue”. The album is comprised of 12 standards played on different Archtop’s - such as Benedetto, Trenier, D’Aquisto, Manzer, D’Angelico’s, Triggs, Gibson, Mirabella, Foster and Gudelsky. You can purchase the album on Amazon or through Cris.

For the guitar aficionado’s who appreciate boutique hand built guitars at the highest level - try to get your hands on
a Mirabella.

Cris will be attending the upcoming Harrisburg PA show, and the Rocky Mountain Festival later in the year.

I attached a few pics from todays visit .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk lol I

[FourOnSix]

We’ve all heard the term lap piano used to describe an extraordinary instrument. Well - I could find no other expletive more appropriate for this guitar then a true “lap piano.

Steve, that's the first time I've heard "lap piano" described as an expletive (usually reserved for terms not appropriate for the under 16 crowd). Next time I get mad at my guitar for flubbing a note, I can hear myself swearing "Why, you lap piano!"

[iim7V7IM7]

The show in Harrisburg, PA (April 19-21) is called the Artisan Guitar Show. Cris will be there and some other archtop companies and luthiers as well.

https://artisanguitarshow.com/exhibitors/

i am going…

[D'Aquisto Fan]

Today , I spent a few hours with Cris Mirabella taking a new Crossfire model for a spin. This is a
17” lower bout with 2-7/8 sides and 25.375 scale.
This particular guitar is stunningly beautiful and the neck shape was perfect.

The design features of the instrument are so cohesive , with perfect proportions - exhibiting a theme of figured maple beginning with the truss rod closure , extending down through the fingerboard inlays- which consists of mop, ebony strips and maple inlays in the shape of sails. The matching fingerboard binding transcends the natural wood movement down thru the length of guitar - terminating with the maple saddle wedges.

The action was set up perfectly and the workmanship is remarkable - with everything buffed to a smooth gloss - as I’ve found on all Mirabella’s.

The guitar played effortlessly and possessed this rich warmth , with a quality to the timbre that was captivating. It has a bell like clarity - with a sweet creamy vibe. I found myself very inspired and played for nearly an hour straight. Playing octaves and other intervals was a real treat as each note sang beautifully with equal volume.

Like the last Mirabella I played, it has this syrupy smooth voice , with endless sustain and warmth galore. This is not your typical loud / bright parallel braced orchestra type guitar. Cris has developed his own unique voice - different than anything I’ve experienced. It’s design intent is focused on providing the solo guitarist with an extraordinary experience - and he nails this goal precisely.

This guitar is a custom order for guitarist Ratko Zjaca. I highly recommenced Ratko’s album titled “ Archtop Avenue”. The album is comprised of 12 standards played on different Archtop’s - such as Benedetto, Trenier, D’Aquisto, Manzer, D’Angelico’s, Triggs, Gibson, Mirabella, Foster and Gudelsky. You can purchase the album on Amazon or through Cris.

For the guitar aficionado’s who appreciate boutique hand built guitars at the highest level - try to get your hands on
a Mirabella.

Cris will be attending the upcoming Harrisburg PA show, and the Rocky Mountain Festival later in the year.

I attached a few pics from todays visit .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk lol I

Wow. Looks like another great day at Cris' showroom. It's wonderful to hear how much you're enjoying some of Cris' latest builds. Cris is not only a gifted artist. He's a wonderful guy who is passionate about the history of archtop guitars!