Biasibetti Guitars

Biasibetti Guitars: Pinball Art meets the electric guitar

Biasibetti Guitars Luciano BiasibettiThe journey of Biasibetti Guitars is inextricably linked to the figure of Luciano Biasibetti, a true authority in the landscape of Italian guitar collecting and culture. Born in Milan but adopted by Brianza, at 69 years old Biasibetti boasts an extensive experience in the music world: from his early beat experiences with the group “Gli altri” to his studies at Brera, up to a thirty-year career as an elite dealer in his stores 30mila hertz in Monza and Chitarre bizzarre in Milan, frequented by rock stars of the caliber of Piero Pelù. An essayist and popularizer through the magazine Guitar Shop and founder of the Milano Guitars & Beyond exhibition, Biasibetti has owned, analyzed, and resold an incredible 7,000 guitars over his lifetime, including extremely rare pieces.

The fundamental idea that gives life to his current creations stems from an epiphany he had while observing a vintage pinball machine. Empowered by his skills as a mechanical draftsman and a pioneer of relic guitars in Italy, Biasibetti has merged lutherie craftsmanship with Pinball Art. The heart of the project lies in the recovery and transformation of wooden panels from decommissioned electric pinball machines from the ’60s and ’70s, predominantly from the historic American brand Gottlieb. Each instrument, which requires about two weeks of work, is not simply an electric guitar, but a visual work of art and a historical artifact that captures the graphic traces and the “life” of late 20th-century pop culture.

The collection

Biasibetti Guitars Collection The production of Biasibetti Guitars escapes serial cataloging, taking the form of a series of high-end, unique collector’s pieces (one-offs), officially presented in prestigious international contexts such as the Cremona Musica International Exhibition:

  • Pinball Art Guitars (Vintage Gottlieb Line): Solid-body instruments made by converting the playfields of vintage pinball machines. The original graphics by great American artists remain visible on the body, integrated with original interactive elements such as working LED lights and the spring-loaded ball plunger embedded in the structure.
  • Polymaterial Mosaic Instruments: Electric guitars incorporating lead-soldered stained “cathedral glass” tops, plexiglass, ceramic, carved copper, leather, and vintage cans.
  • Automotive and Old West Series: Instruments dedicated to the ’60s motoring myth — featuring motorcycle-inspired racing graphics and nods to classic Italian scooters — alongside models that reinterpret the epic and aesthetic of the old West.

Construction philosophy, techniques, and materials

Biasibetti Guitars PhilosophyLuciano Biasibetti applies a radical construction philosophy to his guitars: avant-garde aesthetics must never compromise acoustic performance, but rather become its primary driving force. The analysis of materials is based on precise physical and organological evidence:

  • The “Electromechanical Roasting” of Wood: The panels of vintage pinball machines, imported from the United States, are made of noble and stable woods such as Maple and Mahogany, materials used in high-density laminated sheets to withstand mechanical stress. Biasibetti highlights a crucial physical phenomenon: over decades of pinball use, the continuous flow of low-voltage electrical current, the rolling of the steel ball, and, above all, the constant heat released by hundreds of incandescent bulbs acted as a process of controlled artificial micro-roasting. This thermal aging crystallized the wood’s internal resins, altering its density and giving the instrument exceptional resonance and extraordinary sustain.
  • Exotic Woods and Materials: Each project is developed following strict thematic and organological consistency. In the model inspired by the Hawaiian graphics of a 1966 Gottlieb pinball machine, for example, the body is paired with a neck made of Red Padauk, an exotic wood chosen not only for its excellent rigidity and high-frequency transmission but also for its chromatic and philological harmony with the visual palette of the playfield.
  • Cathedral Glass and Metals: The inclusion of lead-soldered cathedral glass and copper and ceramic inserts is managed to isolate the electronics cavities and alter the overall mass of the instrument. This allows balancing the body and controlling spurious resonances, combining art glassworking techniques with electromagnetic shielding.

Collaborations and recognitions

Biasibetti Guitars CollaborationsThe brand’s authority rests on Luciano Biasibetti’s historical reputation within the community of professional guitarists and vintage collectors. Having curated and supplied instruments to top-tier rock stars and session musicians during his years of activity in Milan, and the success of his work, position Biasibetti Guitars at the pinnacle of Italian artistic and conceptual lutherie. His instruments are conceived for a niche of investors and musicians seeking a unique piece capable of dialogue with both the universe of professional playing and that of art exhibition.

Direct experience

Biasibetti Guitars develops its projects through direct contact with the musician or collector, who can participate in the selection of the base vintage pinball machine, choosing the graphic theme and the historical significance of the playfield to be converted into a guitar.

Every guitar retains movable mechanical elements from the original game, structurally readapted so as not to interfere with playing ergonomics, ensuring that the instrument is perfectly balanced, comfortable to hold, and high-performing in every technical aspect.