Buscarino

Overview

Buscarino is a brand of handcrafted archtop and flattop guitars built by master luthier John Buscarino. Instruments are custom-made for individual customers, using premium woods like Carpathian Spruce, Honduran Rosewood, cedar, and rosewood, targeting jazz and classical musicians.³⁴⁶

History

John Buscarino operates as a solo artisan luthier, handcrafting guitars to personal specifications. He apprenticed with Augustine LoPrinzi and Bob Benedetto, gaining expertise in nylon string, steel string flattop, and archtop designs. After 20 years as an independent builder, he marked the milestone with the 20th Anniversary Virtuoso Archtop model.³⁵⁶

Product Lines

Manufacturing

All guitars are handcrafted from scratch by John Buscarino as a solo luthier in the United States. Production is fully in-house and custom, with no evidence of outsourcing. Premium tonewoods such as Carpathian Spruce and Honduran Rosewood are selected for each build.³⁴⁶

Notable Products

• 20th Anniversary Virtuoso Archtop - Premium jazz archtop with Art Deco design and European cello woods, described as Buscarino's crown jewel.
• Buscarino Cabaret - Nylon-string acoustic/electric with cedar top and carved rosewood back for jazz and Brazilian music.
• Buscarino Italia Jumbo - Jumbo flattop with 16-inch lower bout, Carpathian Spruce top, and Honduran Rosewood back/sides.

Reputation

Buscarino guitars are prized by musicians for their exceptional craftsmanship, playability, and tone across jazz, classical, and Brazilian styles. Professionals view John Buscarino as a 'luthier's luthier' due to his apprenticeships and versatility in guitar types. Specific models like the Cabaret are noted as unsuitable for Romantic-era classical, limiting versatility in some genres.¹⁶