Robert Benedetto to bring HQ, manufacturing operation here
The effort to bolster Savannah as an arts center just got a big shot in the arm with the decision of renowned archtop guitar maker Robert Benedetto to locate his headquarters and manufacturing operations in town.
Benedetto and the Savannah Economic Development Authority and the Creative Coast announced the decision at a cocktail reception April 20 at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts. The Creative Coast is an arm of SEDA tasked with fostering and recruiting knowledge-based business to Savannah.
Creative Coast Executive Director Chris Miller said Benedetto’s decision to locate in Savannah brings higher-wage, sustainable jobs and furthers the city’s image as a ‘creative coast’ and a center of innovative ideas.
“Benedetto Guitars is one of the world’s finest craftsmen of musical instruments, and this is going to set a big bright star over Savannah that will be visible around the world,” he said. “When people see that star, they’re going to say, ‘Wow, what’s going on in Savannah?’ It will really highlight the fact that Savannah is a great place for first class creative craftsmen and business people to live.”
Benedetto is considered the world’s foremost maker of archtop guitars. He crafts them through his manufacturing company and makes some by hand. They are prized by jazz guitar players such as John “Bucky” Pizzarelli, who on April 26 will donate one of the seven-string guitars custom-made for him by Benedetto to the Smithsonian Institution. Until March of this year, Benedetto had a contract with Fender Musical Instruments Corp. in Corona, Calif. He ended that affiliation and began looking for new locations.
Benedetto will join other well-known instrument makers in Savannah, such as Randy Woods Guitars, Gretsch Guitars and Harry Lane Banjos.
Benedetto is scouting locations in Savannah with between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet of space. He plans to employ 15-20 people at opening, both in guitar crafting and management positions, then about 45 to 50 people once the company gets up to full production. He hopes to be in production by January 2007.
Benedetto considered Nashville and Atlanta before deciding on Savannah.
“It’s just a perfect fit for what we do,” he said. “It’s a very cultural, artsy community. I love all the little cafes and restaurants, the crafts people, the artists. It’s just a great vibe.”
Former Chatham Steel executive Howard Paul was instrumental in bringing Benedetto to Savannah. Paul, Himself a professional guitarist for about 32 years, met Benedetto in 1996 when he asked him to custom-craft a guitar for him. Paul resigned his post as director of administration at Chatham Steel last month to serve as president of Benedetto Guitars. He will handle the company’s daily operations while Benedetto focuses on his product line.
The two were initially concerned about recruiting a workforce to the smaller town, but changed their minds after a visit to Guenther Wood Group, considered one of the foremost crafters of antique-style furniture.
“Greg Guenther has recruited his workforce from all over world,” Paul said. “What it told us was if you build a high-quality product and you find a great quality-of-life city to do it in , people will come because of it.”
Benedetto will make three ranges of instruments. The professional laminated manufactured instruments will range in price from $3,000 to $7,000. Hand-carved flagship models will range from $18,000 to $26,000. Benedetto will also custom-craft one-of-a-kind instruments on request starting at about $45,000 and going up depending on what people want in the guitar. Benedetto has sold instruments for over $100,000.
One of the big draws to Savannah for Benedetto was the industrial design program at Savannah College of Art and Design. While Benedetto and Paul are not sure how much the company will draw from the program’s graduates, Paul said he has a feeling the SCAD grads will make up a healthy portion of Benedetto’s workforce.
“It may have been one of the pivotal reasons Bob chose Savannah,” Paul said. “Having an industrial design program that caters to artisans is something that you just don’t find in other places, so we think that SCAD graduates will think it’s cool to work in a guitar factory, and we think that they’re going to have some skills to lend themselves to being a part of our workforce.”
Benedetto Guitars will also use Quick Start Georgia to train some of its guitar manufacturers. The company will make about 30 guitars a month to begin with. Within 24 months it hopes to be making about 62 instruments a month, then 120 a month within 48 months.
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Courtesy of The Business Report and Journal
By Christian Livermore
TBR Staff
