Benedetto Guitars American made archtop jazz guitars since 1968.
Every single Benedetto guitar is made here in the United States, all under the same roof, at our shop in Savannah, Georgia.
Our Flagship guitars (carved) are made in one section of our building and the Professional Series are made in a different room. The rough milling, finishing, buffing and final assembly are done in the same rooms by the same hands whether a $4,500 Bambino or a $40,000 Sinfonietta. Absolutely no compromise in quality, or outsourcing of labor.
Founded in 1968 by American luthier Robert Benedetto, Benedetto Guitars, Inc. of Savannah, Georgia is celebrating over 50 years of jazz guitar excellence. The internationally renowned company builds some of the world’s most collectable and expensive instruments while still focusing their production on the needs of professional and aspiring jazz guitarists.
Benedetto guitars have been played by four generations of jazz masters including Johnny Smith, Kenny Burrell, Bucky Pizzarelli, Martin Taylor, and Pat Martino as well as Howard Alden, Dan Faehnle, Jack Wilkins, Ron Eschete, Frank Vignola, Chico Pinheiro, Jimmy Bruno, Earl Klugh, Andreas Varady and many others. The Benedetto guitar appears on countless recordings, videos, and TV and film soundtracks, and has been featured in books, magazines and museums (including the permanent collection of The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History), and on concert stages and jazz festivals around the world.
2009 Miner Benedetto Wine Release Concert, Miner Wines, Napa Valley.
Howard Alden, Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Paul, and Vintner Dave Miner
Born in the Bronx, New York in 1946, Benedetto’s great American journey has taken him from his personal workbench as an independent luthier, through prominence as author of the highly acclaimed 1994 publication “Making An Archtop Guitar,” to overseeing construction via licensing agreements at Fender & Guild guitar companies (1999-2006), to chairmanship of his own Benedetto Guitars, Inc. manufacturing company (July 2006).
President/CEO of Benedetto Guitars Howard Paul notes that “Bob’s unparalleled career has impacted the entire industry, and raised the bar for luthiers, manufacturers, and players alike. His 47 years of experience, experimentation, collaboration with the greatest players of their day, and willingness to share his secrets and know-how can be heard and felt in every Benedetto guitar made today, as they reflect Benedetto’s character and talent.”
Beginning in January 2015 Benedetto saw a change in composition: Bob and his wife Cindy will enjoy 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.
“Bob Benedetto is the foremost builder of archtop guitars in the world. With tools that had belonged to his grandfather and tools that he made himself, he started making guitars entirely by hand. He rose to become the standard bearer of a tradition of hand craftsmanship that threads its way back through the work of John D’Angelico, Orville Gibson, Lloyd Loar and even further to the centuries-old reverence for artistry and craft that is so much a part of the Italian and Italian-American heritage.”
Tom Wheeler Renowned Guitar Historian, Author of The Guitar Book; American Guitars; The Stratocaster Chronicles; former Editor in Chief, Guitar Player Magazine
About Miner Wines
Vintner Dave Miner commissioned his first Benedetto guitar with a finish stained from Miner’s Cabernet Sauvignon. Bob Benedetto loved the “stain” so much, a partnership was born where each year Benedetto creates a new “Vinodetto” model Miner Headstockfor Dave, who releases a new vintage of Miner ‘Benedetto Signature’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Each vintage — starting with 2002 — is released at an annual Benedetto Players concert on the winery property.
