Robert Benedetto

Over a prolific 50 year career, he has personally handcrafted nearly 1,000 instruments, including 500 archtops. “My roots are in jazz guitar. It’s been my love and my focus since Day One.”

Robert Benedetto was born October 22, 1946 in the Bronx, New York, into a family of artists, cabinet makers and musicians. He made his first archtop guitar in 1968.

Robert Benedetto in Pennsylvania Workshop 1994

Pennsylvania Shop, 1994

His reputation grew as he crafted guitars for noted players Bucky Pizzarelli, Chuck Wayne, Joe Diorio and Cal Collins, and, later, Johnny Smith, Jack Wilkins, Ron Eschete, Martin Taylor, Howard Alden, John Pizzarelli, Andy Summers, Jimmy Bruno and Kenny Burrell (collectively known as “The Benedetto Players”). His guitars appear on countless recordings, TV & film soundtracks, in videos, books, magazines, museums (including the Smithsonian Institution) and concerts worldwide.

In 1975, Bob and Cindy (Whyte) were married. For 40 years, Cindy has photographed and extensively documented Bob’s guitars and their players. In 1994, they published the landmark book, Making an Archtop Guitar, following it in 1996 with its companion video, Archtop Guitar Design & Construction. That same year, Cindy organized the Benedetto Players in Concert series. In 2004, Mel Bay Publications produced the acclaimed “Benedetto: Body and Soul” DVD, a biography by William Doyle.

Benedetto Players Concert
Howard Alden, Jimmy Bruno, Adrian Ingram, Andy MacKenzie

Benedetto Players Concert
Andy Summers, Jack Wilkins

From 1999-2006, Benedetto had a licensing agreement with Fender Musical Instruments to produce his models in a small, controlled manufacturing environment. Signature models for Bucky Pizzarelli, Frank Vignola, Jack Wilkins and Howard Alden were also created.

In 2006, Benedetto joined forces with Howard Paul to create Benedetto Guitars, Inc, in Savannah, Georgia, manufacturing a broad line of more affordable professional instruments without compromising the unparalleled Benedetto worldwide reputation for singular quality. The company plays a part in both the business and cultural communities.

Robert Benedetto working on guitar close-up black and white

Howard Paul and Bob Benedetto in shop shot through a guitar shape in black and white

Robert Benedetto examining back of a guitar black and white

In 2018, a Benedetto 50th Anniversary concert was presented by the Savannah Music Festival featuring Howard Alden, Chico Pinheiro, Romero Lubambo, “King” Solomon Hicks and Pat Martino. The Second Edition of his book “Making an Archtop Guitar” was published in 2018 (Centerstream Publishing/Hal Leonard).

Beginning January 2015, Benedetto began a change in composition: Bob and his wife Cindy are enjoying a “retirement” lifestyle that allows them to focus on their other interests including Benedetto Amps, Bob’s painting and sculpturing hobbies, Cindy’s archival of the Benedetto history, and of course lots of guitar gigs for Bob! Bob’s longtime apprentice, Master Luthier Damon Mailand has taken the reigns as Production Manager, training new luthiers, carving magnificent arch tops at Bob’s personal workbench, and providing the quality control to maintain Benedetto’s unimpeachable reputation as the best in the world.

“I can think of no two people in the history of lutherie who have done more to increase appreciation for the archtop guitar than Bob and Cindy Benedetto.”

Randall Kremer Smithsonian Institution

1989 NAMM

Gallery

Bob shapes guitar neck, 1993. (photo: Jonathan Levin)

Bob and his father Salvatore, 1980 Clearwater, Florida shop. (photo: Dick Valentine)

Howard Alden, Jimmy Bruno, Frank Vignola, Bob Benedetto, Tal Farlow, Bucky Pizzarelli, Cindy Benedetto Waterloo Jazz Festival, NJ, June 1996 (photo: Rich Raezer)