This is a Regvlvs Raphael guitar, made by Claudio Cesar Dias Baptista, probably around 1969.

This page is about a guitar model called Raphael, made by Regvlvs (a brazilian obscure audio company) from 1964 to 1969. This guitar was kinda famous in Brazil since it was used by Sergio Dias, guitar player from Os Mutantes. His older brother, Claudio Cesar Dias Baptista (aka CCDB), was a luthier and created Regvlvs, making this model first by commission to be, in his words, "the most perfect guitar in the world". The guitar is known as "Regvlvs" or "Golden Guitar" in Brazil, even though the model was called 'Raphael' in Regvlvs ads and manuals.

CCDB started designing the Regvlvs Raphael in 1965, three years after he started to make guitars. Until this point, he made only solid-body guitars: some of his own guitar models and some Fender replicas, which are notorious for being very similar to the original ones. He would also make amps and many different effects pedal models. After 9 months of research and wood work, he made the first one (along with a prototype) in 1966. Regvlvs ended in 1969 when CCDB's business partner, Pier Angelo Cerfoglia, got injured in a factory accident. At this point, he had no other options rather than selling the brand "Regvlvs" and the factory to pay his debt. The brand, however, was promised to not be used by its buyer. CCDB stopped making guitars and began to sell amps and mixer boards (under the brand CCDB) until his retirement in 1994.

Creating this model, CCDB planned to make a hollowbody guitar and created the concept of a guitar based on a violin, aiming for the highest vibration transfer possible. At the same time, he had to account for the feedback that it would create, what could compromise the guitar's sound at loud performances. So he highered the neck angle (this guitar has a 11º neck angle - like violins; in comparison, a Gibson Les Paul has a 3º neck angle) and compensate the additional vibration using a layered top in Pau Marfim wood (instead of a carved one). The neck also used Pau Marfim (Agonandra brasiliensis) and the scale was made in Brazilian Rosewood.

The guitar was also called "Golden Guitar" (even in some ads) not because of the golden hardware, but rather because the body would be entirely shielded in the inside with gold foils. It also prevents mold and insects. Also, the only parts of this guitar which were not entirely made by CCDB himself were the electric components, but these were also modified to include more connectors between the effect pedals and the pickups.

Tim Bernardes's guitar is one out of the 30 Raphael models that were made by CCDB. When the Regvlvs factory closed, there was some guitar bodies that were left unfinished. These were bought by a luthier in Sao Paulo, who kept it and sold to a musician years later. Decades later, this guy sold this guitar to Tim. This model was heavily modified and did not use the CCDB's special electronic system, that contained a built-in fuzz and a treble booster, as well as a piezo pick-up. Tim Bernardes bought the guitar in 2024 and tried to restore to its original shape, putting some gold hardware (closer to the original parts) and a Bigsby tremolo. This guitar, in specific, was modified and does not have the original neck pitch of the Regvlvs, with a "playability" very different and closer to a common hollow-body guitar.

Image #1 - Tim Bernardes's Regvlvs Raphael with some modified knobs and pickups

Image #2 - Back of the guitar

Image #3 - Regvlvs Raphael III made for Sergio Dias, one out of the only two models to use the 'hexaphonic' pickup. This one was made for rhythm guitar playing, so it had an extra knob (a tremolo built in effect, instead of the fuzz) and it is the only guitar model without a tremolo.

Image #4 - Regvlvs Raphael III