1940s Busato Modele #44

A guitar of this stature needs no introduction. Next to Selmers, Busatos are the most sought after guitars by today's top players. So many contemporary Gypsy jazz guitarists play these exquisite guitars:

Romane (he plays a Busato on most of his recordings over the last 5 years)

Stochelo Rosenberg (performs with his Selmer but is an avid collector and player of Busatos)

Yayo and Fanto Reinhardt (Romane's rhythm section get an amazing dry rhythm sound with their Busatos!)

Moreno and of course, Django himself! (see Django's Busato here: Django's Busato).

Django is rumored to have written the ballad Anoumanon his Busato.

So what makes a Busato so great? Generally speaking, it simply out performs other guitars in almost every way. First off, they are positively the loudest guitars ever made! I've compared Busatos to numerous classic Gypsy guitars such as Jacques Favinos and Selmers as well as new guitars by J.P. Favino, Dupont, ALD, and Dell Arte. A good Favino is pretty loud...but the Busato is just a cannon. A vintage Selmer is actually quite timid by comparison. The Busato has three tonal elements which really make it cut in acoustic settings. 1) It is extremely dry. It has little or no natural wetness (reverb.) This makes the guitar much more focused and is therefore much easier to hear in a loud jam setting. 2) The tone is very pure with very simple overtones. The fundamental pitch of single notes are very strong while the overtones are extremely clean and even. Very flute like in character. A Selmer sounds more complex, but is also somewhat "messier" sounding which dampens projection. 3) It responds to the slightest touch. Just barely strike the strings and you get a lightening fast bolt of sound. I really like this because you don't have to play these guitars hard to be loud. Busatos yield an exceedingly wide frequency response. They have a crisp, bright high end which gives your leads some sparkle and adds ambiance and clarity to rhythm work. There's not much mids, except for a slight upper midrange nasalness. But nothing like a Favino in that regard. Like a Favino, there is far more low end than a Selmer, and it's an incredibly tight, clear low end. Not mushy or ill defined in anyway. The tight low end of a Busato mixed with it's dry character really make it excel for rhythm playing. It's just so clear. The high end cracks like a whip and the bass notes are like a kick in the gut. The dimensions of Busatos are fairly close to that of Favinos. Body is 16 1/4" across the lower bout (Selmer is 15 3/4", Favino is 16 1/2".) Busatos are also the curviest Gypsy guitars out there. The bombé (top arch) is the most pronounced I've ever seen on a Selmer type guitar. It's like a huge bubble under the bridge. The back is also beautifully arched.


This guitar has walnut back and sides, a spruce top, and a three piece mahogany neck with an ebony spline in the middle. This guitar has the original BB tuners and tailpiece which are in excellent condition. As you often see with Busato's, this instrument has a 4 piece top, so the "cracks" you see in the top are actually just seams. There are no actual top cracks, and generally the instrument is in very good condition. There appears to have been a pickguard at one point but no there is just some discoloration to the wood in that area, There is an unusual metal plate screwed into the back, close to the tailpiece. Perhaps it was for a pickup of some sort? Otherwise, the instrument is quite clean and plays very nicely. There is some light fretwear.

It should be noted that there were many, many Busato models. Many of which seem to be experiments. This model, which is often referred to as the "Grand Modèle" (oval hole, 14 fret neck), is the one preferred by the pros like Stochelo, Romane, Moreno, etc. Busato's catalog lists this model as item #44.

This guitar is the archetypal Busato, with a bold, clear tone that knocks every note to the back of the hall. The highs sizzle and the lows thump loudly, giving it a character and charm that evokes the Gypsy jams of yore. It is especially well suited to players with a light touch, as it takes very little force to make yourself heard. In fact, it's so loud it seems to defy the laws of physics! No doubt, this outstanding Busato will be the treasure of a lifetime for some lucky owner. You just don't find ones this good very often....

This is the CASH price...add 3% if you'd like to pay with a credit card. 4% for International orders.