❌SOLD❌ Julian Mario Rabaza Crossover Guitar, 1982

Here is a rarity for North America – a Julian Mario Rabaza Crossover guitar dating to 1982 and built at Rabaza’s shop in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Julian Mario Rabaza has been well known South American circles for decades, and mostly builds Spanish style Classical and Flamenco guitars. This example is what we would now call a ‘Crossover’ model, meaning that it has a couple of adaptations for those playing other styles – Tango and Latin Jazz for example. The adaptations include a slightly narrower nut – this is just under 48mm (1.867 inches) compared to the 50 or 52mm (1.968 to 2.04 inches) on a traditional concert Classical model, and a crowned fingerboard, where Classical and Flamenco fingerboards are flat. This most visible clue as to that difference is taken from looking at the curved top of the saddle.

This Julian Mario Rabaza Crossover guitar uses traditional Spanish slipper-heel construction, which ties the neck to the sides and back. The top is Spruce and the neck appears to be Spanish Cedar, Cedrela Odorata, as used on many Spanish built guitars. The crowned fingerboard and bridge are Ebony. Not traditional however is the choice of woods for the sides and back; it appears to be a Walnut species, perhaps the now-endangered Ecuadorian or Colombian Walnut “Juglans neotropica”.

The finish is French Polish, and it is in decent condition. A visually interesting feature of this Julian Mario Rabaza Crossover guitar is the scallop-shell buttons on the tuners; we’ve never really seen anything like them.

This Julian Mario Rabaza Crossover guitar plays well, and has a full rich well developed tone. The slightly narrower neck with crowned board makes non-Classical, jazz influenced styles a bit easier, while the full 650mm scale length allows the bass notes to fully develop.

The original hard shell case is included.

We don’t have a lot of information on the builder of this Julian Mario Rabaza Crossover.  Any additional information will be gratefully accepted.