Gallato guitar history

Phil

Anyone know the total # of original Gallato guitars that were produced, before Mateos began making them under his own name? The model No. on my Gallato is # 490 an it was built in 2003?

Anyone else have an original can tell me their model#? Curious how many of us original Gallato owners there are out there?

Cheers,

Phil

Phil

Here's some interesting history behind the original Gallato guitars, which I just received from Geronimo Mateos:

First Gallato was made in July 2002.
They built exactly 189 Gallato guitars.
The two first units were 2 models 452.
Last serial number 641 was made in November 2005.

Geronimo Mateos built 2 units nº 452. Both were massif rosewood back and sides. Both have the logo on the heads with a mistake: GALATO instead of GALLATO. BOTH were replica from the old original Selmer 452 that Mr. Gallato gave them to restore it in 2001. Once restoration of original 452 was finished, Mr. Gallato asked Geronimo Mateos if he would be able to build a Selmer replica under label Gallato. After nearly one year the 2 first units mentioned above were ready.
Results were really good. Angelo Debarre and other famous guitarists tested those 2 units and loved the guitars. This was the beginning of the Gallato story.

The serial# on my Gallato is 490, which means that it was the 37th Gallato built: 490 - 453= 37

After the end of their business relation with Mr. Gallato, they continue building guitars under their own name "Mateos" because Mr.Gallato decided to build Gallato models in Asia.

frater

Marco Buitano was one of the young luthiers helping Mateos in building those guitars (189 handmade guitars in 3 years, one could expect that!). He still builds a Selmer model very close to the original Gallato... a bit too expensive if I remember well.