Vaccaro Guitar Company Set to Launch This Fall
July 10, 1998
After a very successful launch at the winter NAMM show in Los Angeles, the Vaccaro Guitar Company has finalized their manufacturing facility in Asbury Park, NJ. This 20,000 square foot factory consists of Vaccaro's corporate offices and production facility; complete with spray operation, buffing room, sanding room, neck assembly area, shipping, and receiving area. The Vaccaro plant is headed by former BC Rich Plant manager and renowned Luthier Paul Unkert. Paul was an original Kramer Music employee and has also assisted the northeast's premiere Luthier Roger Sadowski.
Vaccaro has also added a nationwide rep force covering all of North America. It includes, Metro North Marketing, LRT Marketing, Major Sound Marketing, All Win Ensemble, Mark Allison Marketing, Chris Ross Marketing, as well as individual reps, Joe Bordeaux, Dana Jo Cox, Dave Yaffee, Burt Wall, Greg Miller and Gene Provencio. We are very proud to welcome all of them to our sales force.
Vaccaro Guitar was born from a marriage of frustration and vision. Both Henry Vaccaro, Sr. and Henry Jr. saw a void in the marketplace for something new and different. Henry Sr. was the former Chairman of the Board of Kramer Music Products Inc. from 1976 to 1988, and is the current CEO of the Vaccaro Guitar Co. Mr. Vaccaro retained the rights to the original Kramer aluminum neck patent and has spent the last 6 years redesigning and developing the new Vaccaro V-neck with renowned Luthier Dr. Phillip Petillo. This new guitar neck is the foundation for The Vaccaro Guitar Co.
Henry Vaccaro Sr. states, "I realized the potential in the old Kramer neck design, the tremendous sustain and attack generated by the aluminum, plus the neck would never warp or twist." The problem associated with it was the fact that it was too heavy and due to the exposed aluminum on the back of the neck, players felt the cold aluminum. "We set out to do away with the negatives and we succeeded! The new neck is amazing! Its weight is conventional to a bolt on neck. It delivers ringing sustain, the notes jump, plus your playing on wood because the aluminum is completely encased. The V-Neck will never warp or twist and is adjustable."
While Henry Vaccaro Sr. was developing their new guitar neck, Henry Jr., President of Vaccaro, set out to design the guitars. "I was more impressed with the look of the headstock then the technical side. To me, the look has this total 50's modem vibe, way Jetsons, with 70's retro appeal. It's so unique, there's nothing out there like it!"
"Right from the start I wanted to design the coolest guitars possible. Keeping the artists in mind, I drew from a million influences, the grange movement, kitschy 60's guitars, 70's Glam - 80's new wave. I stirred it all up, and came up with some tripped out guitars." Henry Jr. also set out to develop the right look for Vaccaro. "I wanted everything to represent what's going on in pop culture today, from the catalogs, the advertising, right down to the business cards and first and foremost, the guitars." "My father afforded me a lifestyle that exposed me to a lot of eclectic influences. Johnny Cash is one of my Dads' closest friends. I grew up with his son. I dig the Smiths, listen to hip-hop and being from Asbury Park, naturally I love Bruce Springsteen. I follow fashion and graphic design ... I love New York nightlife, and I've always. been a fan of music and guitars. All of this led me to the concept, the image, and the look for Vaccaro guitars. It's rock n roll... it's fashion ... it's a cool guitar company"
"I've created a great image for us but it's not just image alone. We have a lot of experience. I've been versed in building my own guitars since I was 14. I've been involved with Kramer virtually all my life. My father has been involved since '76 ... There's a family behind this with a lot passion and experience
"I grew up around the legendary Kramer Company. It was wild! Gene Simmons would be there one week, Eddie the next. When I was older, I assisted in the promotion department. At that time, I loved the band INXS, so I devised a plan. I researched what they were into and found out that Timmy loved big game fishing, so I had the Kramer endorsement department build a Marlin guitar. I called their management, and told them I had this guitar for him. I met with him and he loved it! From that day on I had the privilege of hanging with one of my favorite bands. He still brought it on tour with him when I saw them before Michael passed away"
"My dreams are coming true. Since I was a kid, my favorite player was Steve Stevens, and we just shipped him 3 guitars! I'm truly blessed."
In addition to Steve Stevens, Vaccaro has built guitars for their premiere endorser Peter Di Stefano of Porno for Pyros and Scott Weiland, Art Alexicas of Everclear, Rodney Shepperd of Sugar Ray, Sharon Mittendorf of Motorbaby and Adam Schlessinger of Fountains of Wayne and Ivy. The Vaccaro Endorsement program is run by Richard Stanley.
Henry Jr. continues "With this line, I wanted the best components, and everything to be of the highest quality. We are using beautiful woods, hi tech composites, Sperzel tuners, Schaller bridges, Rio Grande and Seymour Duncan pick-ups." "We have a fabulous team here, experienced Luthiers, engineers, guitar techs and a great sales staff. Some of our employees even worked for the original Kramer. For us it truly is a new beginning!"
The Vaccaro Guitar consumer launch campaign begins this fall.
The Vaccaro Guitar web site [under construction and unavailable at press time] is located at http://www.vaccaroguitars.com/. |
