Designed by Dennis Fano, who has created a number of devices reviewed in these pages via the years, the brand new Rivolta Duocata is a double-cutaway providing in solidbody and semi-hollow variations.

The chambered Duocata is an f-hole semi with an ash physique, 25″-scale maple neck, and 24-fret/bound-rosewood fretboard. The P-90 neck pickup and Tele-style bridge setup make it alluring as a rock-and-roll machine, prepared on your roughest riffs.

In hand, it’s full of life and punchy; the snappy maple neck and Wilkinson chrome Tele bridge give the axe a decisive chunk, begging for tones from Duane Eddy to AC/DC. The neck is lengthy and beefy, one thing Rivolta calls its “new C++ chunky neck profile.” Thicker over the ninth fret, it’s paying homage to sure Gibson SG carves.

Amped up, it has a glowing tone befitting its semi-hollow development and ash/maple woods. The tester got here in a Raccolto Metallic end and was arrange with quick motion for chords and fast licks, however you’ll need to elevate the strings for blues bends. The P-90 yields massive, bassy tones, whereas the Tele single-coil pickup is treble-focused. It’s a flexible mixture for every kind of types.

The Duocata Junior is a double-cut with mahogany physique and neck, very similar to Gibson’s pupil guitars of yore; its Rosso Purple end is one other echo of Kalamazoo. Additionally fitted with 24 frets and a equally fats carve, it’s a rockin’ plank made for loud, full-throttle enjoying. The place the chambered Duocata has a ringing chime with Gretsch and Rickenbacker flavors, the Junior brings a no-frills P-90 assault matched with a speedy fretboard setup and smaller physique. They’re each double-cuts, however couldn’t have more-different personalities.

In all, these Duocata fashions purpose for the mid-price class and ship good development with a typical Asian neck – although 24 frets is a bonus for gamers who dig that choice. Quite a few end selections and premium smooth instances heighten their desirability.

This text initially appeared in VG’s July 2024 difficulty. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.