For Sale
1930's Flat Top
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this is an extremely rare, AND extremely early Busato Guitar..sporting the rue d'Orgemont label from 1934... never seen nor heard of another one..when I found it, it was in need of tender loving care.. it took great dedication for Carl Meine of Wisconsin to bring it back to life..!!! largely inspired by the banjos of the time, Bortolo Busato brought the "Nacro-laque" to this guitar, and likely inspired by Gibson and it's use of the "new material" on the fingerboard of the "Century of Progress" model, as well as Italian accordions of the period..interestingly conceived as a hybrid instrument..steel string Flat Top, but with a tailpiece and a "floating" bridge just like the French gypsy guitars of the times..excellent playability and truly most uniquely interesting sound..laminated mahogany back and sides..mahogany neck..solid spruce top... she is a one of a kind..!!! NHSC $4,500.00
1942 Grand Modèle #44
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"Grand Modèle 44".. this is BB's model that always rivaled with Selmer.. most probably built in the latter part of 1942, the headstock shows the Boulevard de Ménilmontant plaque. laminated Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, solid Spruce top,Mahogany neck with Ebony fingerboard..original BB tuners, with a reissue BB tailpiece. the neck was reset, over-sprayed, and the board was re-fretted. one can see that prior to resetting the neck, two "plugs were present.. at some point, somebody installed a Stimer 48 behind the bridge, leaving a visible shadow, but fortunately without damaging the top at all..the cosmetic touch up clearly shows what was done.. the top is in great shape, and retains it's original "bombé".. the action is spot on, and the playability as good as it gets. Grand Modèles are getting harder and harder to find in any condition..this one is simply outstanding..great projection, with loads of natural reverb in the upper register. needs nothing but to be played..!!! NHSC $16,000.00
1943 Moyen Modèle #43
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Known as the "Moyen Modèle"..Petite Bouche "Egg Shaped".. with the " Cité Griset" white label on the neck block..longer 680mm scale..Selmer size, but 1cm shallower.. laminated rosewood back and sides..solid spruce top..solid Walnut neck with ebony fingerboard.. this is a War time instrument, when materials were scarce. so this top was made of several pieces of spruce. considering that it was an "accepted practice", they gave those pieces a name.. "Chanteaux"..the top has several cracks..most noticeably one that runs the length of the top..it's been cleated and is stable. the guitar is outfitted with Schaller gypsy tuners and a Delaruelle Busato replica tailpiece..it was also refretted, so now the playabilty and action are perfect..the back of these are "thermo-formed" and not braced, so they are stiffer and produce an even barkier and more compressed sound than the others.. creating the distinctive in your face kinda voice.. this guitar wants to be played..!!! NHSC $7,500.00
1943 Moyen Modèle 12 fret #43
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with a pink "Cité Griset" label on the neck block..this is a War time "Egg Shaped" sound hole 12 fret model 650mm scale . Moyen Modèle with two back braces..!! {normally without back bracing..} solid spruce top, laminated rosewood back and sides, walnut neck with an ebony fingerboard, and brass frets.outfitted with a Wartime bent metal tailpiece, and now with a set of Serge Gallato Selmer tuners..no cracks anywhere, this guitar is in outstanding amazing condition for it's age..it weighs next to nothing, and sounds like it wants to be played..!! NHSC $6,500.00
1945 circa Grand Modèle #44
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We have here a late War time Grand Modèle..it began life with a bend metal tailpiece, and a set of classical tuners..due to shortages at that time..Busato used what he could get. it is now outfitted with a Killy Nonis Busato reissue tailpiece, and a set of early SB tuners. the fingerboard was replaced and it was newly fretted.. the neck angle is perfect, and the action is spot on.. there are no cracks, but the center seam of the top was re-glued.. there are 4 small holes plugged where Stimer pick ups once lived..the geometry of the top is perfect, and it needs absolutely nothing be to be played NHSC $13,000.00
1950's Jazz Noire # 46
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This is the first F hole Busato i have ever had.."Noire" because it is black all over..!! by the time it was built, the one feature that made it a "special" Jazz guitar was a radiused fingerboard, never seen so far on any other Busato..it is in excellent 100% original condition with it's original set of BB covered tuners and tailpiece. this guitar never had a pickguard, perhaps due to the fact that most players would remove them..670mm scale, with it's black finish it is hard to determine the outer wood it's made of, but it looks like it.could be mahogany. bits of the fingerboard inlays are broken off, but it does not hinder playing. the neck is quite modern in contour, and the playability is perfect.
it not only sounds great with a broad spectrum voice, it literally "sings".. this is truly an amazing sounding and playing guitar
NHSC $7,000.00
late 1930's 12 Fret D Hole
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Here we have an absolutely gorgeous Maple guitar..solid spruce top, laminated birdseye maple back and sides..solid 12 fret maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. marquetry binding. outfitted with a Busato tailpiece, and a set of original plain Busato/Selmer brass tuners..the top is enhanced with a beautiful ornate pickguard..this guitar is in gorgeous condition and is ready to be played..I have never seen another one just like this one..thhe playability is spot on, and the sound is just so perfect.. $6,000.00
1950's Chorus #no serial
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arguably the best model to come out of the Antoine di Mauro Workshop..this one is no exception..great sounding and playing..it was refretted, so the playability is spot on..soon after it was born, a more "modern", yet original tailpiece was installed, to accommodate loop ends, and the "new" style of strings with ball ends. it has original SB tuners, that look like Selmer tuners, with one replaced, due to it having been broken..!! the shadow on the top confirms that this guitar was outfitted with a ST 51 Stimer for a very long time.. sadly the pick up is gone, but modern reissues exist for those who might want that special sound..!! showing signs of gypsy life, this guitar wants to be played and played.. comes in a modern hardshell case NHSC $4,200.00
1966 Flat Top #3
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This is a very early example of Jacques Favino's foray into the Flat Top world.. the serial number # 3 might be an indication..or not.. laminated rosewood back and sides, solid spruce top, "classic" Favino three piece maple neck, with rosewood fingerboard.. this guitar might be his interpretation of a J-200, albeit with an 18 inch lower bout. early left over SB Tuners that turn backwards, gotta use what you got...!!. this guitar saw very little play time.. the sound is full, and it carries the same type of uncanny reverb that is found in the jazz models..go figure. it has a couple of "age" cracks on the top that are stable, and can be ignored, as they have no bearing on anything other than the cosmetic appearance... comes in a super super tight period Favino case, that requires some wiggling to install and extract.. but hey.. it's original, and as rare as the guitar..!!
UPDATE.. the neck was showing signs of needing addressing.. it's being reset, and now the action is low is the saddle is high..plays like butter OHSC $3,500.00
1970's Petite Bouche #no serial
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laminated rosewood back and sides..solid spruce top, three piece maple neck, SB tuners..Delaruelle tailpiece.. the classic Favino, outfitted with a Big Tone Pick Up.. these are getting harder to find.. set up..ready to go..needs nothing but to be played.. this one has lost it's label..and the srial number that was on it..no sign of tempering there..it just happened.. OHSC $8,500.00
2009 M-12 #0014
Maurice Dupont's recreation of Django's Stimer Amp.
12 watts..single 12' speaker..2 knobs..gain and tone..(i love that).. pair this up with a vintage or reissue Stimer Pick Up, and you've got your Django rig today..weighs 20 pounds, portable and ultra cool..beautiful leatherette covering.. so yummy you want to lick it.. what other amplification could you possibly need..?? in like new condition.. comes with the TWO original shipping cartons.. $1,500.00