Rome, October 1993. I was outside the former USSR for the very first time. My visit to Italy coincided with some rather disturbing events in Russia. A few weeks before that, I received my very first grant: US$500 from Soros’s International Science Foundation — a huge sum of money for me. I was determined to bring something great from Rome.
This Italian beauty looked and sounded just right. I think I paid about 200,000 Italian lire for it. It travelled with me back to Moscow, then back to Italy, back to Moscow, then to England. It became a standard of a classical guitar for me. I have seen and played apparently superior — well, at least, much more expensive instruments. None of them ever did feel as good. Last time I tried to find a better guitar, I ended up buying Parker PM-20 instead.
Four years ago, Clarissa went through a repair. The soundboard was all warped and the bridge had to be reattached. After that, I found that the action is too high for my liking. After mutilating the original saddle beyond recognition, I finally took it out and put there a bit of old Rotosound Tru Bass black nylon string. It is still there, you can see it on the photo.
Yuri was learning guitar on it for two years. Now Timur does the same. Long live Clarissa!
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Nice guitar indeed. I just bought one for 40 €, up to change the machineheads and strings. I agree, it is not expensive but sounds and feels pretty good.
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