Benedetto Guitars

No name is more associated with contemporary archtop guitars than that of Robert Benedetto. In a career that stretches back nearly half a century, Bob has refined the sound and playability of the archtop guitar, earning him the honor of being living legend of American lutherie. Born in New York City, Bob began building archtop guitars in the 1960s, quickly attracting a clientele that reads like the "Who's Who" of jazz guitar: Bucky Pizzarelli, Chuck Wayne, Joe Diorio, Cal Collins, Johnny Smith, Jack Wilkins, Ron Eschete, Martin Taylor, Howard Alden, John Pizzarelli, Andy Summers, Jimmy Bruno and Kenny Burrell. Beginning in 1999, Bob took a more managerial role by overseeing the production of his guitars at larger shops (first at Fender's Custom Shop and later at the current Benedetto factory in Savannah, GA.) While these later instruments are of excellent quality, most players and collectors covet the earlier models that Bob built himself.