FS: $2900 + S&H Busato Shop Guitar (?)

paulmcevoy75 · December 3

Update: it appears that this guitar is likely something made in the Busato shop or by someone associated with the shop. It is definitely not a super high quality Busato but it is a cool AF guitar. I'm playing it right now and really enjoying it. It definitely has the old gypsy sound. I have the action a touch on the side of high comfortable, I could bring it down a touch but it's pretty easy to play as-is.

I put new frets on it and it plays well in all areas of the neck. I was able to use higher frets on the tongue where there was some fall off so I didn't have to take much wood off the fingerboard. I also radiused the board a little bit. It plays really nice with 10s, 11s might work great too. Modern tuners that look pretty perfect and work well. I took the chippy finish off the back of the neck and oiled it and it feels really, really nice.

It is very similar to one of the guitars here (thanks @littleknicky ) so I think the Busato association doesn't seem unreasonable BUT I'm absolutely not an appraiser or very knowledgeable about obscure French guitars so take it with a grain of salt. My guitar has something that looks like Beech for the neck and back and sides and doesn't have side purfling. I thought the binding was painted on but it's not, at least mostly it's not (the body is bound, it looks like they painted the area around the cutaway black instead of binding it.

https://guitarejazzmanouche.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34194

It's a super cool little guitar and you can play waltzes all day, smoke little cigarettes and hang out at the cafe with a beret. I'm enjoying playing it and don't mind having it around but I'm drowning in guitars.

$2900 + S&H I'm open to super cool trades but really need some $$$$$$ right now.

Original Post:

(Note: at some point when I figure out what this is, I'll change this into a for sale posting).

So as not to clog the other thread, this is my mystery guitar. I traded Travis Bleen for it. It wasn't super playable when I got it. Recently I got to work. It didn't need a ton, I planed the fingerboard into a 12" radius, took some weight off the bridge, got the replacement tuners fit and took the finish off the back of the neck and oiled it. It plays pretty great now. I could lower the strings a touch but it works pretty nicely as is.

It sounds really good in an old Manouche guitar that is set up well way. Has some growl and overtones. Definitely not a modern guitar and as far as could be from what I'm making, in a cool way.

I have not much idea what it is. It has a sort of Busato shape to it. The rosette is nicely done. The purfling is elaborate but sloppy in sections. It's individual purfling logs set into a rabbet I think. The "binding" is painted on.

The headstock looks like most other Parisian guitars I've seen. I wonder if the same guy was making the necks for everyone? They all look the same-ish to me.

The back and I think the sides are laminated. There's a minimal neck block. It is one of the lighteat guitars I've ever held. I would think it's fragile but it's survived well the intervening 80 or so years. Neck is beach I think and the fingerboard is some tropical hardwood, I'm not sure if it's Rosewood or something else.

If anyone has any idea what this is please let me know. I am absolutely not an expert in these guitars. My guess would be someone who was involved in the Busato shop but quality wise I don't think it's a Busato.

paulmcevoy75 · December 3

paulmcevoy75 · December 3

Here's a little clip of me hacking away on it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oh5a5jTkRotGpMh97

tbleen · December 3

This was a really unique instrument. The honkiness of the sound and natural reverb immediately reminded me of the Tchan Tchou Vidal recordings (the original La Gitane). It has a curved back, a slight bowl shape to the back, which I think gives it more natural reverb. A friend once commented it sounded kind of like a banjo. I didn't know how to take that comment, haha, but most agreed it had a cool old sound. I had just traded it because I really enjoyed playing one of Paul's guitars, which cuts through a lot sharper at loud acoustic jams in NYC restaurants.

I had purchased the guitar in Amsterdam a few years back. It originally belonged to Tessa Spaaij (you can see her playing it here pre-pickguard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbcZWi73DtM)

Here are some more clips of it in the field....

https://youtube.com/shorts/vLM9WjN89xM?feature=share

https://youtu.be/wuMoRrEHklo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ9kCUwo8eg

littleknicky · December 4

I have a similar guitar and have played this one. The consensus among those more knowledgeable than I is that these guitars were likely made in the Busato shop. I was told it could be a Model 43. Whether or not Mr. B actually put his hands on them, who knows.

Some interesting reading:

https://guitarejazzmanouche.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34194

paulmcevoy75 · December 4

Well I guess I'm a Busato owner. Good morning.

wim · December 4

A good looking guitar. It does have that "plinky" Tchan-Tchou sound, I agree!

paulmcevoy75 · December 5

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/118911#Comment_118911

$3000 for the guitar + S&h and applicable sales tax

I'm told the pick guard is this stuff. I would imagine it would be easy to remove with an iron but tbh I don't mind the pick guard and would probably leave it. Or plan on a bigger pick guard if it took off the finish.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0797HV524?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title