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Add to Compare2013 Buscarino Cabaret, Honduran Rosewood & Cedar/Engelmann Double Top
2013 Buscarino Cabaret Custom — a stunning instrument built with gorgeous Honduran Rosewood for the back and sides, and an Engelmann Spruce/Cedar double top. All the classic Buscarino features are here: carved back, cutaway, and medium-width crossover appointments. You’re not sacrificing the qualities of a true nylon-string guitar while stepping into the crossover world — this one strikes a true Goldilocks balance.
It’s equipped with a Barbera pickup system and showcases some truly unique appointments. Notably, you’ll find Larry Robinson’s custom cat-eye inlays and a beautifully crafted soundport in the shape of a paw print. All the cat clichés come to mind — cat got your tongue, the cat’s pajamas — but the real takeaway is how fun this guitar is to play. Exquisite workmanship, and an even more exquisite voice.
Other keywords/misspellings: Luthier, lutherie, bespoke, fusion, hoffee,
$13,000 Add to cartScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.938 in String Spacing 2.281 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann Double Top, Rosewood - Honduran 
Add to Compare2012 Buscarino Virtuoso, Master Grade Big Leaf Flame Maple/Master Grade Carpathian Spruce
Buscarino Virtuoso from 2012: Big Leaf Maple and Master Grade Carpathian Spruce. Wow, what a special creation we have here. Featuring a stunning burst finish and Art Nouveau inlays, this guitar is as decadent as it is sonorous—a rare combination that coincides beautifully. Incredible for nearly any application, it would be hard for a guitar enthusiast of any persuasion or background not to feel somewhat enamored by this jazz box, which, quite frankly, can do so much more. Look and listen for yourself, folks—this is truly a masterpiece from John Buscarino
Other keywords/misspellings: Luthier, lutherie, bespoke, nc,
$17,160 Add to cartScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Spruce - Carpathian, Maple - Bigleaf 
Add to Compare$10,400 Add to cartScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.156 in Woods Spruce - German, Sapele 
Add to Compare2021 Buscarino Rhapsody, Mahogany/Sitka Spruce
According to the dictionary, the word ‘rhapsody’ means: ‘an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling.’ This is an appropriate name for this 2021 16″ Archtop from John Buscarino. It features 100-year-old aged and seasoned Sitka spruce on top, with lightly figured and flamed mahogany for the back and sides. The guitar includes Buscarino’s signature leaf soundport, EVO frets, a Buscarino humbucker paired with a James May Ultratonic pickup system that can be blended via controls on the floating pickguard, which is made of Malaysian Blackwood. Nearly every other appointment on this guitar — including the fingerboard, adjustable bridge, tailpiece, and headplate — is also crafted from Malaysian Blackwood.
Other keywords/misspellings: Luthier, lutherie, bespoke, asheville, hollowbody, jazz, gotoh, hiscox, DS04128221
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Mahogany 
Add to Compare2005 Buscarino Grand Cabaret, Tasmanian Blackwood/Cedar
Here we have one of the most stunning Buscarino Grand Cabaret models we have seen to date. This 2005 Grand Cabaret has some truly exquisite appointments, from the Snakewood fingerboard and bridge to the premium Gotoh tuners with Black Pearl buttons, this guitar commands attention. Built from Cedar and Black Acacia, the voice of this Grand Cabaret is all about control and evenness, with a round bass response and crisp cutting trebles. The Cabaret is one of the most versatile guitars we have in the shop, it suits folk to classical and everything in between.
Other keywords: Luthier, Lutherie, crossover
Here’s an additional demo of this masterpiece: https://youtu.be/ht9kiyG99Us
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.938 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Cedar, Acacia - Black 
Add to Compare2017 Buscarino Cabaret, Honduran Rosewood/Engelmann Spruce
We just can’t seem to keep these in stock! Another Buscarino Cabaret in the shop, this time from 2017. A gorgeous example of John’s flagship nylon crossover, this Cabaret features a carved Honduran Rosewood back with Engelmann Spruce on top, a Barbera saddle pickup, Venetian Cutaway, and slim neck for a play feel familiar for both steel and nylon players. Moreover, we’ve got this one wrapped up in a Hoffee flight case for safety! Ready for one of your own? Give us a shout, we’re happy to put an order together for you with John, and if you’re jonesing for preowned we’d love to find one for ya!
Other keywords: xover, classical guitar, nylon-string, fingerstyle, crossover guitar
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.875 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann, Rosewood - Honduran 
Add to Compare2021 Buscarino Cabaret Custom, Quilted Sapele/Red Cedar
John Buscarino’s Cabaret model is the ideal crossover instrument: easy to play, easy on the eyes, chock full of modern features, and clear and powerful to boot. This 2021 Cabaret Custom is decked out with Red Cedar top, Sapele back and sides, cutaway, and an oak leaf-shaped soundport. A James May Ultra Tonic pickup brings you into amplified territory with ease, too. The back is carved to give the body more air to move, without making the sides deep and inhibiting playability. The result is a deceptively effortless playing experience.
Other keywords: crossover classical, andy jurik, fingerstyle, jazz, DS04128421
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.938 in String Spacing 2.281 in Woods Cedar - Western Red, Sapele 
Add to Compare1996 Buscarino Monarch Archtop, Flamed Maple/Sitka Spruce
Full size, full tilt, full frontal: our 1996 Buscarino Monarch Archtop in Sitka and Flamed Maple. This is the cream of the archtop crop from ’96 that’s been waking up handsomely in the intervening years, and is now oh so wide awake. AA aged and seasoned Sitka Spruce top pairs up with an AA aged and seasoned Flame Maple body and a 17” lower bout, Abalone tree of life fretboard inlays plus Burl headstock veneers and Scheller M6 tuners. Benedetto humbucker with volume at the pickguard, and a 25 inch scale that’s just so easy on the hands. This is a showstopper Buscarino Monarch—you won’t want to put it down.
Other keywords: jazz box, arch top, big-leaf, custom guitar, B1029795, arched top, duane simpson
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.688 in String Spacing 2 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Maple - Figured 
Add to Compare2020 Buscarino Cabaret Crossover, Indian Rosewood/Carpathian Spruce
Anyone fancy a like new 2020 Cabaret from our own John Buscarino? We thought so! John’s nylon crossover is an exercise in effortless playability and powerful projection, thanks to creature comforts in the form of cutaway, soundport, and radiused fretboard, plus a carved Indian Rosewood back to add interior space and projection. The Carpathian Spruce top is trimmed out with lovely Curly Koa, and at the headstock we find a smooth-turning set of Schaller tuners with Snakewood buttons. The bridge and headplate veneer are upgraded with Brazilian Rosewood, and John adorned the soundhole with one of his intertwining ribbon-style rosettes that’s just stunning. Plus this beauty is rigged up with a James May Ultra Tonic to carry you faithfully on to the stage.
Other keywords: xover, classical guitar, nylon-string, fingerstyle, crossover guitar, bn05126020
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.875 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Carpathian, Rosewood - Indian 
Add to Compare1994 Buscarino 17″ Archtop, Quilted Maple/Spruce
Somehow John Buscarino manages to coax a huge amount of power and presence out of his tops while also maintaining clarity and articulation—this gorgeous 17 Inch Archtop from 1994 exemplifies that with a silky setup to boot. AAA Quilted Maple back and sides paired with Spruce on top, a Benedetto humbucker with volume knob on the guard, and 25” scale for sweet, sweet trebles. This beauty has opened up handsomely in the almost three decades it’s been making music, and it’s set up for another three!
Other keywords: jazz box, arch top, big-leaf, custom guitar, AT0719794, arched top, duane simpson
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.68 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Spruce, Maple - Quilted 
Add to Compare1998 Buscarino 14-String, 5A Bigleaf Maple/Sitka Spruce
This one’s in a category all its own. In 1998, renowned teacher and music writer Robert Yelin commissioned this force of nature 14-string archtop from the one and only John Buscarino, and the result is quite a unique piece. The 14-string setup is essentially a 7-string Jazz guitar in double courses, with the additional strings adding a low B (or A, or C) to the bass register. There is a long line of 7-strings in Jazz, but this is the first time we’ve seen one set up with octave strings. You’d be amazed how much color and flexibility that single string (well, double) adds to your playing.
Tuned to A, chord positions which root on the 5th string suddenly have a fat bottom end when you fret on the seventh pair, instead. Or you leave it at B for easy access to more legroom for those walking bass lines. John built this one out with carved 5A Bigleaf Maple back and sides and a Sitka Spruce top, Maple bindings, and a flower-and-vine inlay scheme along the fretboard and tailpiece. The neck carve has a wide, shallow profile that’s comfortable in hand, and the setup has the classic silk smooth feel we’ve come to expect from every Buscarino.
Other keywords: jazz box, arch top, big-leaf, custom guitar, 14 string, RY0150699
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 2.125 in String Spacing 2.5 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Maple - Bigleaf 
Add to Compare2012 Buscarino Grand Cabaret, Madagascar Rosewood & Adirondack/Cedar
We’ll take one of John Buscarino’s Grand Cabarets any day. These are hands down some of our all-time favorite crossover nylon string guitars, with John’s impeccable build quality bringing buckets of rich nylon tone to an easy-playing setup. This particular Cabaret from 2012 is dressed up with a Carved Madagascar Rosewood back, and features a Cedar/Adirondack Spruce double top for added power and projection. Additionally, this one has a Venetian Cutaway and one of John’s custom-carved soundports in the upper bout. The neck is closer to Classical dimensions with a 1 15/16” nut, but the scale length comes in at a flattop standard 25.4”. When you’re ready to take this Buscarino on stage, it’s been outfitted with a killer Barbera pickup system to boot!
Other keywords: xover, classical guitar, nylon-string, fingerstyle, crossover guitar
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.93 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Double Top - Spruce/Cedar, Rosewood - Madagascar 
Add to Compare2011 Buscarino Rhapsody, Plum Pudding Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce
John Buscarino’s catalog includes everything from nylon string crossovers to straight ahead flattops, archtops, and the experimental space in between. This 2011 Rhapsody model features flattop bracing on its Adirondack Spruce top, but John carved the Plum Pudding Mahogany back in the style of an archtop guitar. The result is a voice that combines warmth with punch—an excellent flatpicking machine that can cover a lot of territory. John added a fleur-de-lis soundport to the upper bout to keep the player in tune with their tunes, and a K&K Pure Mini pickup for onstage work.
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, guitarbuilding, buscarino guitars, flat pick, jazz, adriondack, hiscox
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Mahogany - Figured 
Add to CompareBrand New Buscarino Cabaret, Malaysian Blackwood/Cedar
Beautiful, much? Our latest Buscarino Cabaret was custom built for one of our clients, and we’re happy to say that John more than delivered on every count. These crossover nylon string guitars are some of our all-time favorites, and this one comes to us with a hand carved Malaysian Blackwood back, Cedar top, and Koa bindings throughout. Oval soundhole with an all-wood rosette, hand-carved Fleur de Lis soundport, Brazilian Rosewood bridge—and on.
This Cabaret crossover is built with player comfort at the forefront. The short, 630mm scale fingerboard comes with a 30” radius to feel more like a steel string, and John installed stainless steel frets to maximize the lifespan of this effortless setup. 48mm at the nut, 57mm at the saddle, smooth-operating Sloan tuners with Snakewood knobs, an undersaddle pickup, and Venetian Cutaway as the cherry on top.
Even brand new, this Buscarino has immense clarity and note definition. We love how easily it plays, and the amount of projection that John’s teased out of this nylon string guitar is impressive, even by steel string standards. We cannot recommend the Buscarino Cabaret more highly. If you’re interested in getting one for yourself, give us a shout! We’re happy to help.SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.875 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Cedar - Western Red, Blackwood - Malaysian 
Add to Compare1995 Buscarino Cabaret, Flamed Maple/Engelmann Spruce
It’s always a pleasure to have one of John Buscarino’s Cabaret crossovers in the shop, and this Maple beauty from 1995 has had some time to open up for added warmth and sustain.
The neck profile errs on the side of a C shape, and the 1 3/4 inch nut will feel especially familiar to steel string players. A Venetian Cutaway keeps those upper frets from getting too dusty, and John’s early proprietary “Implant” pickup offers an excellent amplified tone with a built-in volume knob accessible by the soundhole. Weighing a scant 3lbs 11oz, this Cabaret crossover is certifiably effortless to play, and the Engelmann Spruce top lends a creamy flavor to the overall voice.
We’re hard-pressed to think of another nylon crossover we’d recommend more highly than a Buscarino Cabaret. Snag this one before it gets gone!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann, Maple - Figured
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.