Beuscher Busato (1950s) Grand Modèle Erable, D-hole || Gypsy Jazz, Manouche, Django, Gipsy Guitar

For sale on consignment is something genuinely special: an ultra-rare 1950s Paul Beuscher label guitar built at Busato's workshop. Only a handful of Busato Grand Models were sold through the Paul Beuscher Paris atelier, this is one of them.

Although it carries a Paul Beuscher label, the build is unmistakably Busato in workmanship. Even more important, it has the Busato sound we all love from vintage recordings: loud, dry, fast response, and remarkably balanced.

The guitar has Grand Modèle specs, with a substantial “fat” neck, 67.5 cm scale, 41.5 cm lower bout, 13 3/4 frets to the body (a late Busato trait seen on several famous late examples). It has a high-end Spruce top, stunning Birdseye Maple back and sides, plus rare golden dot inlays that are typically only seen on later 1950s Busatos. A particularly interesting detail is the thick-lined rosette, a style more commonly associated with earlier Sonora Busato's, but also observed on a few very late 1950s Beuscher-labeled Busatos, likely reflecting late-period use of remaining stock.

According to the previous owner, her father was the very first owner of this guitar and for a 60–70 year old instrument, the condition is honestly dream-like: besides the two capo marks on the back of the neck it is completely crack-free, with the original finish in perfect and original shape (see UV photos), and with its original fretboard and original brass frets still fully intact.

As you’d expect from a Grand Modèle, the top tier fine-grained Spruce top delivers clear, strong fundamentals and exuberant projection. It’s powerful, loud, and dry, yet extremely even and balanced across the range (see videos). The setup is professional: the frets were recently leveled, the bridge was replaced, and the action is set around a very comfortable 3 mm. At only 3.7 lbs / 1.7 kg, it feels almost weightless in hand.

The instrument was clearly meant for a professional player as it has all the aspects you’re looking for in an acoustic gypsy jazz guitar: big, fat rhythm chords plus rounded, well-defined lead lines. Only few gypsy jazz guitars are truly this loud and come with amazing tone. Furthermore, the large D-hole makes it also versatile outside the genre.

This guitar is a unique chance to invest into an extremely rare 1950s Busato in extraordinary condition, with the typical phenomenal Busato sound, offered here at a player’s price.

Background
Paul Beuscher was a Parisian atelier that sold a wide range of instruments, including guitars made by various respected workshops and luthiers such as Busato, Castelluccia, Di Mauro, and Favino, rebranded under the Beuscher label.

According to expert Arnaud Legrand, during the Cité Griset and later Champigny-sur-Marne eras, Busato’s production was directed by foremen. After foreman Gino Papiri left in the late 1940s to assist Favino, Pierre Calza took a leading role on many of the more deluxe and bespoke instruments (pictured in the last photo). Calza, who learned his trade with piano maker Gaveau, is often associated with refined build choices and the frequent use of lighter maple, a combination that contributes to the exceptionally open, responsive voice heard in some of the finest late Busato-era instruments. The luxurious veneers seen here, including Birdseye Maple, are consistent with the late high-end Busato character.

Specifications
Atelier Paul Beuscher
Luthier  Bortolo Busato / Pierre Calza
Period 1950s
Model Grand Modele, Erable
Sound Hole Grande Bouche, D Hole
Fret Neck 14 frets
Condition  Excellent
Size 16 1/4" or 41.5cm (Busato)
Scale Length 67.5cm (Busato)
Depth 9.5cm
Nut Width 1.81" or 46mm
Top  European Spruce
Back and Sides Birdseye Maple
Neck  European Maple
Fingerboard  Ebony
Binding  Ebony
Finish  Nitrocellulose
Tailpiece  BB Nickle plated
Tuners  Three-on-a-plate, BB open tuners, Nickle plated
Action  3mm
Strings  Argentine 1510
Weight  3.7 lbs / 1.7 kg
Hard Case Yes