Busato on eBay

Guitarangelo

So while we're on the subject of GJ guitars on eBay, any thoughts on whether this is a real or fake Busato?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/gypsy-guitar-bu ... 3a87cf7b0c

Michael Bauer

Funny thing, it has a label now. Other than pointing that out, I am staying out of this one…for a number of reasons.

Al Watsky

When the numbers get up there a label is not a reliable indicator of the identity of the builder. Ask any violin dealer.

Michael Bauer

Agreed Al, but there have been a few Busatos that I am personally aware of that were fitted out with counterfeit labels and sold that were absolutely not Busatos. I am not suggesting this Busato is not the real deal, but if it didn't have a label when Ted played it, and it does now…well, you figure it out. I have been told how to spot a fake label, but unless someone has been around a number of Busatos, and knows what's wrong, it would be easy to be fooled.

Busatos are probably the hardest guitars to identify with certainty, yet the second most expensive, so it has been tempting for a few disreputable dealers lately to call any guitar of the Sicilian school a Busato. A guy brought me a guitar at Django in June that had been sold to him as a Busato. When I looked at it, there wasn't anything about it that was consistent with any Busato I have ever seen or played. I had to tell him that in my opinion, it wasn't the real thing. It was an anonymous Italian guitar worth half of what he paid for it. So instead of getting a bargain Busato, he got an overpriced Sonora-like guitar. It did have a very nice sound, so it wasn't a total loss. It just wasn't what he thought he got.

Al Watsky

I've only seen a couple of the real thing. The oddest guitars ever. A counterfeit anything ain't the real thing.