Yesterday again

Resonet is a small family-owned boutique firm. We produce guitars, guitar amplifiers, speaker cabinets, and guitar effects. All our products are handmade, hand-wired, and hand-soldered. The name Resonet pays tribute to the brand which was established back in 1947. We are the proud owners of the Resonet name and logo trademarks, as well as of the legendary Grazioso guitar design.

Our products are handcrafted and follow the traditions. The guitars are the successor of the legend or they are our original designs. The amplifiers, speaker cabinets, and guitar effects are a result of our own original research and development. Our production is available in a limited quantity and every piece has its own ‘birth certificate’.

The name ‘Resonet’ originates from the principle of electromagnetic wave detection and came into being by mixing the words ‘resonance’ and ‘magnet’. Established in 1947 Czechoslovakia (the Czech Republic now), Resonet quickly became the leader in musical instruments technology, not only in Czechoslovakia, but in Europe. With the founder Ferdinand Machálek's cutting-edge research, their first invention was an electric piano amplification system, which was soon patented, as well as the Univerzal guitar pickup. Besides that, designers of Resonet created three instruments, which were awarded a gold medal at the EXPO 1958 exhibition in Brussels.

Their instruments were the famous Grazioso electric guitar, Arioso lap steel, and Arco, an electric double bass. In 1962, the Resonet brand was shut down, and its production was moved to other locations, where guitars were being produced by other companies, branded as Jolana. This is the comeback of the old Resonet as we knew it: high quality, boutique, yet accessible instruments, amplifiers, and effects. We are fusing vintage ways of manufacturing with modern technology to meet the needs of a modern musician. We are bringing back the gold medal awarded Grazioso. We are bringing back the British sound of the '60s.

A few interesting facts about its legendary historic predecessor:

• it was first made in 1955, making it probably the first factory produced solid-body electric guitar in Europe,
• the Grazioso guitar won the gold medal at the Global EXPO in Brussels in 1958,
• it is historically documented that the Resonet Grazioso was The Beatles’ George Harrison’s first guitar,
• Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin also played one, and, for some time, it was enjoyed by Eric Clapton as well,
• thanks to the importer Selmer, a substantial part of the Czechoslovak production was exported to the UK where it enjoyed great popularity,
• due to geopolitical situation after the Second World War, the Grazioso was more available and more popular in the UK than the famous Fender Stratocaster,
• the same guitar was sold in the UK under the brand Futurama.

Resonet Grazioso is a reissue of the first Czechoslovak solid-body electric guitar from 1955. With its gold medal at the EXPO 1958 and commercial success in the UK in the '60s, we are incredibly proud to bring this one back to the market. It is made of woods from Europe and Northern America of superior quality and is fitted with hand-wound pickups from the Czech Republic. Read more

Resonet has always been leading the competition in guitar design, manufacturing, and distribution. That's exactly what we are trying to achieve. We're bringing out three guitar models, ranging from very affordable to most boutique ones, which fulfill the most demanding players' expectations.

The simplest and most affordable guitar is our Semplicità. Featuring one pickup, it is the easiest to play and find great tones with. It's all about simplicity! For more demanding players, we offer the Semplicità Custom.

This model features a custom wound Alnico II bridge pickup and a single coil in the neck; therefore it offers a really interesting combination for both clean and dirty tones. The crown jewel of the Resonet's production is the reissue of the legendary Grazioso. The Grazioso, that George Harrisson played The Beatles' show in Hamburg. The Grazioso, that used to be more popular in the UK than the Fender Stratocaster.

If you are looking for a high-quality instrument, handmade from the best materials, with a retro design and unique sound, which has also been played by British rock legends, you have just found it.

Our amplifiers, manufactured from British components, are designed around a custom vintage-style circuit and are very simple to control and play. They are a proud representation of the classic British sound - warm, dynamic, intimate – yet with a full-blown roar when so desired. We cater to the modern players, who demand amps, which are easy to use,

do not need loads of equalisation to sound good and have a range of power settings, so they can be used on both big festival stages and small club gigs. Our amplifier line includes two models - ScrewDriver, an 18W beast which gets the player and the front row right up to heavens, and GinTonic, a little 5W treat, which however, packs a serious punch if you have some more of it. Read more

One thing we love about music is the sense of community. We are fascinated by the second-hand market with musical gear. The legacy of Resonet is to bring the vintage stuff back, while making it accessible and usable for a modern player.

That is why we source vintage Celestion speakers for our cabinets (with serial numbers verified), which are well broken in and sound their best, mostly from musicians themselves. We offer 2x12 and 1x12 cabinets in two finishes - classy wood and hot-rodded red tolex. Read more