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Buscarino Starlight Flame Maple Archtop Guitar #SP01117716  From Buscarino

One of John Buscarino's gorgeous archtops with a flame maple top! 

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Our product photos are the actual, specific serial number for sale!

This specific item was photographed by us here in Durham, North Carolina. We are a very small team dedicated to providing you the most accurate photos possible, through our obsessive focus - individually photographing nearly everything that comes through the door. Questions about what you see? Want more information, photos, or just a friendly conversation with someone that cares and who has actually had their hands on this exact item? Contact us now!
Buscarino Guitars

Available for Special Order

See something you like? This item is gone, but not forever. It can be special ordered, and even customized!

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Because of our special relationship with Buscarino we can get this as fast, or faster than anyone in the industry. In some cases, we even have preferred build slots we can offer you.

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What We Think

Breathtaking!  This a "working" work of art!  Unamplified, the strength and character of tone grabs you right away.  Plug 'er in and start experimenting with the selector switch and coil splitting push/pull toggle on the bocote knobs and the guitar comes to life or, rather, lives--so many sophisticated and complex voicings can be coaxed out of this thing!  The handcarved 5A Private Stock maple top is incredibly precise and responsive to a huge variety of approaches while the sapele body rounds and warms the tone, lending a subtle, natural reverb to everything you play.  The 1 23/32" nut width accomodates complex chordal arrangements though the neck is certainly swift enough to keep your fretting hand steady but never stuck.  What can't you play on this thing?!  Every note bespeaks quality without a trace of bias toward a particular genre.  Self-expression is always the goal when you pick up a guitar but it's rare to pick up an instrument that palpably works with you to achieve that goal.  Call us up and get this beauty on your doorstep today!  

Manufacturer's Description from Buscarino

A guitar's primary function is usually measured in musical terms: its ability to produce precise notes, chords and passages on demand. Consistency is the ultimate test of its perfection. But to the Master luthier and craftsman John Buscarino, this is only a beginning. John is one of the few luthiers working today; a solo artisan handcrafting guitars suited to each customer's personal needs. His instruments are prized not just for the beautiful sounds they produce, but also as the cherished possessions they inevitably become. Guitar player Steve Morse considers his Buscarino guitars "treasured works of art," as do many of John's customers.

John is unique among today's guitar builders in that he apprenticed with not one but two master luthiers. The first was Augustine LoPrinzi, from whom John learned the finer points of building classical guitars.

John later worked with famed archtop builder Robert Benedetto, spending years perfecting the woodworking skills that today make him a master luthier in his own right.

John has created hundreds of exquisite guitars using proven methods passed down over generations. He constantly refines these time-tested techniques, taking each to new levels of perfection in mastering the art of lutherie.

Buscarino Guitars

About Manufacturer

Over the past 25 years John Buscarino has slowly worked is way into the upper echelon of archtop builders. He apprenticed with Classical Builder Augustine LoPrinzi and the renowned Archtop builder Robert Benedetto. He has studied and repaired hundreds of vintage instruments, which has increased his knowledge of guitar construction and has allowed him to apply that knowledge to the building of his own instruments. In his words, “Nothing is more important to me than building the guitar that is perfect for you. I can’t stress enough how important it is for a luthier to know his customer, you can’t build a guitar for someone without knowing what it is that is important to them. By taking the time to talk with you and find out what it is you are hoping to get out of your new guitar I can build you the guitar you have always dreamed of. One of the best things about ordering a custom guitar is you get to choose your specs. With a production guitar you have to take what they give you but with a custom instrument you get to choose the things that are most important to you. With our wide array of options and models to choose from we make it easy for you to design the guitar that is just right for you. I am always in search of the finest products to use on and in my guitars. I have tested numerous products from lacquers to tuners, from cases to sandpaper. I have experimented with several different woods for bridges and saddles, have checked out multitudes of endpin jacks and tested miles of cables all to make sure that only the very best goes into each and every Buscarino Guitar Ever since I started building guitars over 20 years ago I have been collecting and storing high quality instrument grade wood. It is seasoned and aged to perfection before I even think about using it for one of my guitars. One of my strictest requirements is that the wood must be aged and seasoned for at least four years before I will use it to build an instrument. By acclimatizing the wood in my own shop I can guarantee the stability of each and every one of my instruments. Tired of the same old Ebony Fingerboards, Pickguards, Tailpieces and Bridges? Why not try something new and exciting that will make your guitar unique and different. I have several high-quality exotic woods to choose from that will turn your guitar from a Work of Art into a Masterpiece. At least one of every model I make is owned and played by a professional touring musician. By having these guitars out on the road, played in every imaginable setting from an outdoor reception to Carnegie Hall, from a Smoky Club in New York City to a cozy Caf? On the Shores of Italy, I can say with absolute certainty that I have designed a guitar that stands the test of time. With proper care and handling, Gig after Gig your Buscarino will perform as good if not better than the day you bought it. As a Guitarist myself, having studied Classical Guitar and having worked in bands for over 10 years, I have first hand knowledge of what a guitar player needs and expects out of his guitar. I pride myself in designing a guitar that has the perfect balance of form and function. One of the most frequent comments that I hear from those who own and play my instruments is how comfortable and easy they are to play, which for me is the finest compliment I can receive.”

Specifications

Starlight Archtop

Serial Number: SP01117716

2-Piece Hollowed Out Sapele Mahogany Body

Carved and Arched 5A Private Stock Highly Figured Flame Maple Top

1-Piece Sapele Mahogany Neck with Deadbolt Neck Joint

1 23/32" Neck Width 

25" Scale

22 Jumbo Stainless Steel Frets

14" Body Width 

1 3/4" Sides

Macassar Ebony Headstock Veneer

Macassar Ebony Fingerboard

Lock Top Design to Eliminate Feedback

2 Kent Armstrong Alnico 5 Built-In Humbuckers

3-Way Selector Switch

Gotoh Tuners with Ebony Buttons

Resomax Bridge and Gotoh Stop Tailpiece

Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish in Light Honey Sunburst

Master Volume and Master Tone with Push/Push for Coil Splitting

Bocote Knobs

2-Way Adjustable Truss Rod

TKL Custom Case