LIVORNO. That passion for Fender, vintage, music. That desire to introduce others, live, to original instruments and objects that have made history. Until tomorrow, in the tensile structure erected on the Terrazza Mascagni, you can visit the large exhibition of vintage musical instruments with the collection of Flavio Camoraniincluding the entire production of Fender guitars in the catalog between 1951 and 1974, plus some amplifiers from the “woodie”, “tweed”, “brownface” series between 1946 and the mid-60s.
There is also the collection of Keki Andrei of Organ Studio Italia with a large display of Hammond, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Vox organs and electric pianos and much more. Entrance is free (for info [email protected] – 347 5143166 – 347 1490186) and you can also try the instruments on display, subject to the consent of the staff on site.
It is not the first time that Flavio Camorani brings his Fender Vintage Museum to Livorno.
«It is the fourth year that we have exhibited here – replies the collector and musician originally from Forlì, among other things drummer and leader of the longest-running and most important Pink Floyd tribute band in Italy, Floyd Machine – and the Livorno public always responds with a lot of passion . Unfortunately we had to deal with bad weather, but the turnout is very important; people came even in the rain to this tensile structure on the sea which is very beautiful.”
His is one of the most complete and well-known collections in the world. What can visitors admire?
«My collection is, on a global level, among the most complete in terms of vintage Fender instruments produced between 1946 and 1974: the entire line of guitars, the first electric mandolin, all types of amplifiers. Each instrument has its original case and accessories and then there are various posters and memorabilia. What we carry around is the only traveling museum made public worldwide. In total there are 150 objects plus various memorabilia.”
Where does he keep all this when he’s not out on exhibitions?
«In my house, which is the headquarters of my musical cooperative, Prisma Melody Club. In every room there are basses, guitars and more. I practically live together with them and with my dog Luna.”
But when did it all start?
«I started collecting Fender instruments when I was fifteen, in the 1970s, and it took me 38 years to complete the collection. Given my passion for music and vintage, I have also created books for educational purposes, a sort of encyclopedia with over twelve thousand images of the instruments in all their details. A good work for fans of the genre and for beginners.”
Where and how did you manage to find all the tools over time?
«Let’s say that 60% I found in Italy, the rest abroad. I found many of them in second-hand shops, or through word of mouth. Before, I worked in hotels, even abroad, and so I was able to find tools in the USA too.”
Can you tell us some anecdotes related to your collection?
«When I found the first guitar built in 1947 by Leo Fender (the founder of the famous American brand of musical instruments, ed.), once outside the house where I picked it up I found a note with the same code as that written on it. guitar model. I thought it was an amazing coincidence. Another time, however, an elderly musician from whom I wanted to buy an instrument decided to give it to me as a gift when he knew that it would end up in my collection. “It will be better there than at my house,” he told me.
Are there any instruments played by great artists in your collection?
«I don’t like having the object owned by an artist as much as the original object. In the collection, however, there are instruments that belonged to Italian artists such as Piero Pelù, Dodi Battaglia or Eugenio Finardi”.
