Steve Howell CMS

John Buscarino in Franklin, North Carolina, makes some of the finest archtop and flattop guitars in the world. I am the proud owner of two of John's guitars - a Rhapsody steel string and a Grand Cabaret classical. They are some of the best guitars I've ever owned. Both of them play like a dream and radiate acoustic tone. The combination of flattops and arched backs on these guitars adds headroom and round, nice tone like few acoustic guitars I have ever owned.

Following is a description of each of them with pictures:

Rhapsody - Details

• Adirondack spruce top
• Plum Pudding mahogany sides and arched back
• Snakewood binding, bridge, fretboard, tuning keys and headstock veneer
• Quarter-sawn highly-figured, aged and seasoned Flame Maple neck
• 16" lower bout
• 1-3/4" nut
• Fleur-de-lis sound port on upper bout
• Buscarino implant pickup

Grand Cabaret - Details

• Cedar doubletop
• Snakewood arched back, sides, fretboard, bridge and binding
• Scalloped 1-7/8" Snakewood nut
• Buscarino implant pickup
• Flying Braces (front and rear)
• 14 3/8" Body Width
• 3 3/4" Body Depth
• Single Venetian Cutaway
• Gilbert Tuners with Snakewood Buttons
• Sound port on upper bout

John has also designed an incredible speaker cabinet he calls The Chameleon. The acoustic or electric option he provides with the flick of a switch is a wonderful tool for guitar switching. I own two of these speakers and have found them to be wonderful as a small PA system for solo gigs. The sound they put out when mounted on stands is terrific. They work great with my Acoustic Image Focus, Allesandro Italian Greyhound, Henricksen, and Fender Acoustasonic amps. Their diminutive size makes them really easy to move around and they put out a ton of sound.

I strongly encourage you to check out the work John does. He's a terrific guy and a master luthier.