Buscarino Cabaret, my review of....
thomas
first impressions. This is a nylon-string acoustic/electric guitar made for
jazz musicians. It has a cedar top, rosewood body. The back is carved
into a gentle arch, unlike traditional classicals which have flat backs.
Mine is the standard model, with a cutaway, a pick-up of Buscarino's own
design, on-board preamp with tone and volume controls.
It is a small guitar, and not capable of much volume acoustically. That said,
it is still very satisfying to play unamplified. You don't feel like you're
missing anything without the amp. With the amp, it sounds the same except
louder. There is an extra soundhole carved into the upper bout, which lets
some of the sound up towards the player's left ear.
This guitar is optimized for jazz musicians. It works great for jazz,
Brazilian, and baroque music. It is not suitable for Romantic-era
classical music.
What you get is a nylon-string instrument that has unusually good intonation,
compared with most classicals. You can play complex chords anywhere on the
neck and hear each voice separately, well-balanced and in tune.
Describing what is unique about the Cabaret requires contrasting it with a
standard classical guitar. Your standard classical guitar is capable of
great power and tonal variety. Slightly varying your RH attack will give
significant variation in tone. The tone will also change radically as the
volume level changes. The upside of this is that you have so many options,
and great power in your reserve. The downside is that it all becomes very
difficult to control.
The Cabaret is different. It is less touch-sensitive than a standard
classical, responding more like a steel-string. You don't get different
tones at different volumes. You can't change your tone much just by slightly
varying your RH angle or by hitting harder or softer. Even rest strokes
and free strokes on the Cabaret do not sound all that different from each
other. You cannot get the booming, roaring bass. You cannot get the singing,
penetrating trebles just by going to rest stroke and pressing harder.
If this all sounds negative, I don't mean it that way. What the Cabaret
gives you in return is perfect balance between all the notes on the guitar.
You can play a complex chord and hear every note, well-separated, in tune,
and at the same volume level. Moving inner voice lines have great clarity.
Long bebop solo lines sound smooth and even. You never have to worry about
a note getting out of control and messing up your concept. And all of this
is easy to accomplish on the Cabaret, whereas on a standard classical you
are always fighting the guitar to keep these things (tone and volume)
consistent, smooth, balanced and under control.
It is easy to play jazz on the Cabaret. It is hard to play jazz on the
standard classical. That's the bottom line for me. If you want to play
the romantic, Spanish style of the 19th and early 20th century legit
repertoire, the Cabaret doesn't cut it. It doesn't sound bad at all on
that repertoire—-it is incapable of sounding bad! But it doesn't give
you "that sound".
What it does give you is a great jazz nylon sound, that is very easy to
play and sound good with. So if your main repertoire is jazz, Brazilian,
or Baroque, you should love this box. If you want to play classical, you
will need another guitar. I doubt there is a single guitar that can do what
the Cabaret does and also do what the standard classical does.
If you are in the market for a high-end jazz nylon, models competitive with
the Cabaret would have to include Paul McGill's "Super Ace"—-same
general price range, similar conception (but a silly name); and Rick
Turner's Renaissance—-more of an electric and less acoustic, but
significantly less expensive than the McGill or the Buscarino. I would
also look into Abe Wechter's latest guitars, which are also less expensive.
Since I wanted more of an acoustic, the Turner was out for me. I was
deciding between ordering from Buscarino or McGill, and it worked out that
the Cabaret was available a lot sooner. I am very happy with it as a jazz
and Brazilian guitar, but I feel that I still need to own a serious
classical guitar that will sit on a stand next to the Cabaret, for when
I want to play the Romantic repertoire.
foldedpath
news:7d424f23.03071...@posting.google.com:
> I received my Buscarino Cabaret last Wedenesday, and thought I'd post
> my first impressions.
<snip>
That was a great review, thanks! This model is one of the guitars on my
"dream list" for a nylon string some day, so that was very helpful.
I'm especially interested in the comments on intonation. That always seems
a bit rough on the classical guitars I've played. Does Buscarino use a
compensated saddle? Compensated nut?
Also... what strings are you using right now on the guitar?
--
Mike Barrs
thomas
>
> I'm especially interested in the comments on intonation. That always seems
> a bit rough on the classical guitars I've played. Does Buscarino use a
> compensated saddle? Compensated nut?
I don't think so, although I'm not really much of a gearhead.
The guitar does tune up very well, all over the neck. That I
know.
> Also... what strings are you using right now on the guitar?
Whatever was on there when it came to me. I think they are Thomastiks.
They are very nice strings, but they are already beginning to fray after
only a couple of days. I think I read somewhere that this was
a bad batch that was fraying and that the company will replace
them, but I haven't checked into that yet. But otherwise I like
them.
Toby
classical music. I understand perfectly what you mention about controlling
a good classical guitar in a jazz setting. One of the thing I do to help
out is to play with relatively old strings. However, I do love the sound of
a classical guitar in it's full potential, particularly in slower-paced
arrangements.
Toby
"thomas" <tomb...@jhu.edu> wrote in message
news:7d424f23.03071...@posting.google.com...
> that repertoire--it is incapable of sounding bad! But it doesn't give
> you "that sound".
>
> What it does give you is a great jazz nylon sound, that is very easy to
> play and sound good with. So if your main repertoire is jazz, Brazilian,
> or Baroque, you should love this box. If you want to play classical, you
> will need another guitar. I doubt there is a single guitar that can do
what
> the Cabaret does and also do what the standard classical does.
>
> If you are in the market for a high-end jazz nylon, models competitive
with
> the Cabaret would have to include Paul McGill's "Super Ace"--same
> general price range, similar conception (but a silly name); and Rick
> Turner's Renaissance--more of an electric and less acoustic, but
skrohn
Did you look into the Kirk Sands guitars.
If so what were your impressions.
tomb...@jhu.edu (thomas) wrote in message news:<7d424f23.03071...@posting.google.com>...
> that repertoire?-it is incapable of sounding bad! But it doesn't give
> you "that sound".
>
> What it does give you is a great jazz nylon sound, that is very easy to
> play and sound good with. So if your main repertoire is jazz, Brazilian,
> or Baroque, you should love this box. If you want to play classical, you
> will need another guitar. I doubt there is a single guitar that can do what
> the Cabaret does and also do what the standard classical does.
>
> If you are in the market for a high-end jazz nylon, models competitive with
> the Cabaret would have to include Paul McGill's "Super Ace"?-same
> general price range, similar conception (but a silly name); and Rick
> Turner's Renaissance?-more of an electric and less acoustic, but
thomas
> Thanks for that review.
> Did you look into the Kirk Sands guitars.
> If so what were your impressions.
No, I didn't. My understanding is that Kirk builds electric
nylons, and I wanted an instrument that would satisfying
to play acoustically as well as amplified. I suppose the
Sands would be more comparable to the Turner. Then on
the acoustic side, you would have the Buscarino, the
McGill, and the Wechters.
Jeff Singer
You've articulated the same thoughts I've always had, but could never
quite put into words.
Thanks!
Jeff Singer
thomas
would be typical for someone used to playing a standard classical.
For such a high-priced guitar, I wondered at first why the Cabaret
wasn't responding to RH touch. Then after a while I realized it isn't
a classical guitar and is not intended to respond as a classical guitar.
It's a different kind of instrument, with fewer tonal options
than a classical, but much easier to get a jazz nylon style
sounding good on compared to a classical.
Jeff Singer <j...@nospam.reallybig.com> wrote in message news:<MPG.19871317c...@NEWS.OPTONLINE.NET>...
Jeff Singer
just not AS responsive as a traditional classical.
What strings are you using? I use LaBella 413P recording strings, as
they are nice and quiet when amplified, also very smooth to the touch,
sweet to the ear. Always breaking, though.
Best wishes,
Jeff Singer
In article <7d424f23.03072...@posting.google.com>,
tomb...@jhu.edu says...
Steven Rosenberg
of money, and I'm not so sure I buy this argument about lack of
response to right-hand touch being better for jazz playing. In defense
of the Buscarino, Gene Bertoncini's sounds pretty great, both solo and
in an ensemble situation.
The Kirk Sand guitars go for $3,500 to $5,500, also a lot of money.
There are a lot of traditional classical guitars available in this
range and for less. For recording solo guitar in the studio with a
microphone, some of these might be better and cheaper options.
And for amplified playing on stage, can these guitars really beat out
the Takamines ranging from $800 (EC132-SC) to $1,500 (HD5C), Alhambra
5PCWE ($1,400) or the Ramirez 2CWE ($2,000)?
And there's always the Ovation, although those don't seem to be
terribly available at the moment.
tomb...@jhu.edu (thomas) wrote in message news:<7d424f23.03072...@posting.google.com>...
thomas
> Actually, I don't find it SO unresponsive to variations in touch; it's
> just not AS responsive as a traditional classical.
>
> What strings are you using?
Good point--the strings could be playing a big role. I think
Buscarino sent it to me with Thomastiks, which are still on
there. They are nice strings but are already fraying after
just a couple of days.
thomas
> What I'd like to know: Is this guitar worth the $6,000? That's a lot
> of money, and I'm not so sure I buy this argument about lack of
> response to right-hand touch being better for jazz playing. In defense
> of the Buscarino, Gene Bertoncini's sounds pretty great, both solo and
> in an ensemble situation.
Gene also played pretty great-sounding jazz on his standard classical.
A great musician will sound great on any box. For me--a mediocre
hobby musician--I sound a lot better playing jazz on the Buscarino
than on a standard classical. I also sound better on the Buscarino
than on the factory-built guitars I was able to audition.
Is it worth the big bucks? Only you can answer that. My sense of
the guitar market is that as you travel higher up the price
ladder, the rewards are diminishing, and it takes a lot more
effort on the shopper's part to achieve those rewards. In other
words, the differences in quality between your average $500 guitar
and your average $3,000 guitar are pretty great.
Go up the price ladder another $2,500--from $3,000 to $5,500--and you
haven't achieved nearly as much improvement in quality as you did in
your first step. In fact, the differences between the "average"
$3,000 guitar and the "average" $5,500 guitar are probably
negligible. At those price ranges, you need to compare
individual guitars, not models or makers--which means a lot
more intensive shopping effort.
And that's just for the average level of quality. An energetic
and patient shopper could probably find a single $1,000 guitar
that will best the majority of $5,000 guitars, if you look long
enough.
As for your other question about high vs. low price range
models in amplified situations: My sense is that for quiet
gigs, then yes, the better-sounding acoustic guitar has the
potential to give a better amplified sound. But once you get
into high volumes, the electronics begin to make more difference
than the box's acoustic qualities.
The other question is whether you want to take a high-priced
instrument out of the house that often. Earl Klugh is a big
time collector who has bought something like 20 McGills (!).
But when you see him on the gig, he's playing a factory-built
electric. He saves his nice custom acoustics for recording.
I play a solo gig in an expensive restaurant--no drunks, no
trombone players--so I will take the Buscarino to that.
It goes from my practice room, into the case, into my lap while I
play the gig, then back in the case while I drive home. I wouldn't
take it to a bar where there are drunks, or a big band rehearsal
where there are trombone players, and I certainly would not
travel with it.
I caught Charlie Byrd on BET a few nights ago, and his sound
was terrible. Charlie was a fine player, but 20-25 years ago
when this gig was taped, few people had access to good-sounding
amplified nylons. Today we have a much wider range of choices.
I am a middle-aged guy in a position to indulge in one really
nice guitar, and so I did. I could have put my money into
a sports car, or wooing a 25-year-old, but I am happy with
a minivan and my wife, so this guitar was my mid-life indulgence.
I think a regular gigging jazz musician does not need to spend
$5,000-6,000 to get a good amplified nylon sound. Probably
spending $1,000-$2,000 would get you 80-90% of the quality
of the Buscarino, McGill, Sands, and similar high-end models.
But if you want to get the best guitar possible, you have to
spend a huge amount of energy in shopping and trading, and be
prepared to drop the big bucks when you come across one.
For some folks the rewards will be worth it.
Jeff DeMond
and play) TWO Buscarino Cabarets - one seven string, one six string, and I
love them both (and they are and sound different). They are, as has been
said, not true classical guitars. They are, however, in my view much more
true to the classical tradition than less-expensive guitars built purely as
nylon-string-guitars-for-electric-players. Hearing Charlie Byrd on an
Ovation drives this home for me.
Two key points - first, John B. builds wonderful instruments (I also play
one of his archtops). His fretwork, finish work and overall attention to
detail are very, very good. Second - I've never played another nylon string
guitar with intonation as accurate and voicing as consistent as these
Cabarets. If you care a lot about those things, the Cabarets will not
disappoint.
The low-A on my seven string simply sings like a cello when amplified. Just
icing on the cake for me. On top of all that, John and wife, Melissa, are
just great people to deal with.
Jeff DeMond
"thomas" <tomb...@jhu.edu> wrote in message
news:7d424f23.03072...@posting.google.com...
Steven Rosenberg
I'm interested in how Buscarino deals with the problem of intonation
-- I've seen a photo and the bridge looks different. Individual
saddles of some type are used, but are they adjustable. (Another
problem with classical intonation, as you move up the neck, arises
from higher action -- you have to press down farther to fret the note,
and that affects intonation.)
A seven-string classical? That should be interesting. And where do you
get that low A string? Must be hard to find.
Also, does anybody have experience with Linda Manzer's classicals?
"Jeff DeMond" <jde...@optonline.net> wrote in message news:<2PIUa.181948$ye5.30...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net>...
Jeff Singer
Hex Pickup system, which has individually adjustable sound posts for
each string, kind of like six little "chicklets" sitting in the slot.
However, not all of his cabarets are fitted with this pickup. I believe
most now are delivered with his "implant" pickup, somewhat proprietary.
These guitars all have a simple straight bone saddle, uncompensated, yet
they still possess the most unbelievable intonation imaginable. I'm not
sure why John's guitars have such "perfect" intonation, but they do. Low
action may account for some of it, but there is much more to it than
that.
It's really the intonation that makes these guitars work so well for
jazz. Traditional classicals cannot generally boast of spectacular
intonation, though some newer entries (Byers, for example) do come
closer to the mark.
--
Jeff Singer
http://whatstrings.com - "What strings do YOU use?"
steven_h_...@yahoo.com says...
Joe Finn
> you "that sound".
>
> What it does give you is a great jazz nylon sound, that is very easy to
> play and sound good with. So if your main repertoire is jazz, Brazilian,
> or Baroque, you should love this box. If you want to play classical, you
> will need another guitar. I doubt there is a single guitar that can do
what
> the Cabaret does and also do what the standard classical does.
>
> If you are in the market for a high-end jazz nylon, models competitive
with
> general price range, similar conception (but a silly name); and Rick
> significantly less expensive than the McGill or the Buscarino. I would
> also look into Abe Wechter's latest guitars, which are also less
expensive.
>
> Since I wanted more of an acoustic, the Turner was out for me. I was
> deciding between ordering from Buscarino or McGill, and it worked out that
> the Cabaret was available a lot sooner. I am very happy with it as a jazz
> and Brazilian guitar, but I feel that I still need to own a serious
> classical guitar that will sit on a stand next to the Cabaret, for when
> I want to play the Romantic repertoire.
Sounds like a great instrument. I hope you'll be very happy with it.
.......joe
--
Visit me on the web www.joefinn.net
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