News Features
"Ricotta Custom” guitars have been featured in:
- 2025 (August) Erie County Fair - Best in Class - Best in Division - 1st Place
- 2024 (May) Featured Cover Story - HAMBURG LIVING magazine
- 2021 (August) Erie County Fair - Eagle Guitar - Best in Class - 1st Place
- 2019 (October) Chris Cassone films All Star BBQ Video with San Diego Chicken playing his Custom Ricotta "Lil" Squealer" Telecaster
- 2019 (August) Erie County Fair features Ricotta Custom Guitars
- 2018 (January) (NAMM) National Association of Music Merchants International trade show- Anaheim Ca. Multiple "Ricotta Custom" guitars featured on display in the "108 ROCK STAR GUITAR" booth - (Lisa Johnson) - International Celebrity Guitar Photographer, writer/author of "108 Rock Star Guitars" & Immortal Axes best-selling books
- 2017 (February) AXS TV Concert series STYX - Featured on "Come Sail Away"
- 2016 (July) CD Album Credit - Chris Cassone records with Ricotta Custom "Lil Squealer" with KISS' Ace Frehley and Friends
- 2015 (January) (NAMM) National Association of Music Merchants international trade show Anaheim Ca. Featured in the "108 ROCK STAR GUITAR" booth - (Lisa Johnson) - International Celebrity Guitar Photographer / Author of the world class book - "108 Rock Star Guitars"
- 2010-2014 "Palladia"-TV's concert programming channel. STYX Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight Tour
- 2014 (October) AXS TV Music Concert channel STYX "Come Sail Away"
- 2014 - Worldwide Associated Press guitar luthier carver recognition
- 2013 (October)"108 ROCK STAR GUITARS Book" STYX's James JY Young's "Cerberus Caster"guitar featured in Lisa S. Johnson's book (Celebrity Guitar Photographer)
- 2016 (July) CD Album Credit - Built Lil Squealer for Chris Cassone
- 2010 (March) DVD "Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight LIVE. See the custom built "CerberusCaster" guitar own ed by STYX original band member & Band Co-founder James (JY) Young-Lead Guitarists/Vocalists & Song writer
- 2006 - National Woodcarving Association magazine "Chip Chats"
- 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 2021,2022, 2023, 2025 Woodcarving Exhibit First Place Premium Award Honors - - AMERICA'S Fair
Guitar Aficionado Magazine 2018
THE BO-CASTER
"When I played a show with Bo in Buffalo, New York, which is my hometown, I invited my cousin Vinnie Ricotta and his family backstage to meet Bo. When Bo died, I went into a deep depression. I lost my mentor and best friend and I was feeling so bad I stopped playing music. A while later I went to visit Vinnie and he took me into the basement to show me some wood carving projects he was working on. Off the cuff, I suggested that he should get a guitar body and try carving that. I thought he blew off my suggestion, but two months later I got a package in the mail. When I opened it up, inside the box was the body of the Bo-Caster. When I saw that he carved Bo's face on the body, which was from a photo I had of him looking at me during a concert near the end of his life, I fell to my knees and cried. I ordered a custom-built neck and had everything else custom made as well. Even the neck plate is acid etched with a drawing of Bo's monument. [Styx guitarists] James Young suggested that I put a Sustainiac in it. Bo's spirit is in that guitar."
Charlie Tona