Welcome to
The Ravenswood Parlour Guitar
Mr. Rioso is fascinated with the Lyon and Healy guitars from the early 20th century. His Ravenswood model is a refinement of the Washburn 1899 - 1915 "New Model", #402. It was - in 1899 - a huge guitar, (14 5/8" lower bout - auditorium size, really) and it copied Martin's X-braced top. Lyon and Healy mass produced zillions of these guitars and sold the best ones as George Washburns. You could buy them by mail order through Sears with lots of pearl ornamentaton or none at all. The #402 was the biggest size they made, but with almost no ornamentation. It's a blue-collar, mail ordered guitar built for steel strings.Mr. Rioso's refinement was to get rid of the thick, triangular, un-reinforced dove-tailed neck. Instead he installs a bolt on, interchangeable, thin,asymetrical electric guitar style neck, available as a 28" baritone, or 25.5" standard guitar.
The Key word here is Interchangeable. The intention is to make one guitar and 2 necks, so you could have a small guitar, useful as a baritone, or change to your other neck to a 25.5" standard guitar. It fits in the same case with either neck. Mr.Rioso thinks his looks like an early 20th century Chicago mail order guitar, but playslike a 21st century electric guitar. The Ravenswood is braced for extra-lite .010s or .012 lite strings. It will SING with .010s. Save your antique guitars for the front porch. take the Ravenswood to the gig! It will "give eyesight to the Blind" Blakes out there, or put the Blue in your yodel, Jimmy.
Walnut back and sides
Baritone neck