About
The Doble Calypso was the flagship model from American craftsman John J. McAvoy Jr., patented in 1993. Handcrafted from burled Western Broad Leaf Maple with a natural grain-filled finish and three coats of polyurethane, each pair of halves was balanced and matched. The Calypso used McAvoy’s patented adjustable lapper disc mechanism — threaded knobs allowed the player to widen or narrow the gap between internal discs to control string friction, optimizing sleep time while retaining response.
The Calypso held the world record for fixed-axle sleep time at 63 seconds and continued to be used competitively for over a decade after its release. It shipped with untwisted waxed string for maximum sleep, and an optional suede finger strap (also patented by McAvoy) addressed “yo-yo finger” discomfort. Retail price was $60.
