Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST,Page W
Date: 03 Jan 23 - 10:09 AM

Just purchased from an antique mall in New Mexico a beautiful mandolin made by Phil in 1984. Its gorgeous. I’m so grateful to have her. It was made for Lynn I’m assuming as it is inlaid in the head in pearl.

Hard to find any information on him and his wife.

Can’t help thinking his family should have this beautiful instrument. I’ll be a lifelong caretaker and player of her. would love to have more information about Phillip.

There are photos in the handmade wooden case of him making this instrument.

I feel blessed to have found this mandolin by accident.

Thank y’all for starting this post.

??

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 11:02 PM

I knew Phil from the UW, then when we shared a pad on E 5th St. in NYC in the early 60s. I sold him my 1942 Gibson SJ, then took it back. Lost track of him when he moved out west. I am told that he died of a heart attack.

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 21 - 05:57 PM

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST,DBuege
Date: 17 Apr 20 - 06:18 PM

Buss built a twelve-string for my brother, modeled on a J-200. Beautiful curly-maple back. They played guitar together in Madison, informally. My brother went to see Buss when he played at UWM Kenwood Inn in Milwaukee (early 70s?) Buss told my brother he built three twelve-strings and two fell apart, so there probably is only one still extant.

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST,Steve Andersen
Date: 16 Jan 20 - 06:57 PM

Phil and I played together in a campus band called the "Good Year Blimp" at Glen and Ann's and other venues. The name of the group came about in the 602 Club as he was arguing and breaking up with his girl friend whose parting words were: "You're so fat you should start a band and call it the Good Year Blimp". He looked across the table at me and said: That's a good idea." Before we left the bar we had a bass player, a keyboard man, and a drummer. He also did the inlays on my 12 string which I bought new in 1963 and still play today.

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 18 - 12:50 AM

Phil & I were friends in Madison, both being Madison natives, students @ UW.   I moved to NYC in 1961, and Phil came there shortly after. We shared a pad on E 5th St. Both of us eventually returned to Madison. I sold him an elderly Gibson SJ that a friend had mistreated. Phil refinished it, installed a new back, then I ended up getting it back from him, still have it in 2018. Phil moved out west, and I lost track of him. Clearly Phil's skills with instrument repair and making improved substantially when he loved out west.

Subject: RE: Instruments: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST,Lathechuck
Date: 10 Nov 17 - 08:47 PM

I have a Phil Buss "baroque" guitar, made in Madison, WI, 1964. The label inside says "made for Mary Lynn Buss". This instrument looks as though it may have been a first effort. It's very plain: no binding or purfling, and kind of a rough finish all around. Also, it was missing a few frets, and a few were in the case instead on the fingerboard. The saddle was loose in the case. But the fingerboard showed a little wear, so I like to think that someone had a good time playing it.

If anyone's interested in it, you can contact me at my "from" address, at g m a i l (you know the rest, but maybe I can avoid robotic spam). It should be playable again in a few days.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Aug 17 - 01:02 AM

I knwq Phil in MADISON AND GRAND JUNCTION COL AND PLYED WITH HIM . HE MADE GUITARS AND MANDOLINS AND ALSO AT LEAST ONE 12 STRING GUITAR. pHIL PASSED AWAY SOME YEARS BACK,. rolling stone MAG HAD A SHORT PIECE ABOUT HIM.i SURE WOULD LIKE TO FIND ONE OF THE INSTRUMETNS THAT HE MADE. hE WAS A BRILLIANT MAN, GREAT PAINTER, SCULPTER, MACHINIST, WOOD WORKER, AUTO MECHANIC AND TERRIFIC FLAT PICKER. i PLAYED WITH HIM SUNDAY NIGHTS AT THE nITTY gritty IN Madison FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN THE LATE 60S AND EARLY 70S.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST,Michael in Barcelona
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 09:08 AM

Just saw this while doing a search for Phil. We were buddies in Madison in the 60's where he was a guitarist and banjo player in the folk scene of the time. He started making guitars around '64 or so and a friend of mine, Van Rozay from San Jose, bought one of them. Said it was pretty damn good. I'm not a guitar player myself so have no idea. Van lifes out in Washington State I think. I hear from him from time to time. He put an album out awhile back and it was pretty good. He's a Long time singer-songwriter friend since my childhood.

Phil moved to Santa Fe in the early 80's and that was the last thing I know about him. I lived there from 77 to 90 but haven't been back since 94 and have not been in touch with anyone there since then.

One musician from Madison days who might know of his whereabouts is Johnny Kalb, Danny Kalb's younger brother. He lives in NYC and plays around the city and also makes guitars I think. They knew eachother really well so if Phil is still alive he might know something.

Good luck with your search.

Subject: Folklore: Phillip T. Buss: Guitar Maker
From: GUEST,Seth in Olympia
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 08:18 PM

I had a handmade guitar for thirty years that had a label inside the soundhole that said it was made by Phillip T. Buss in Madison, Wisconsin in 1965. It was really pretty and I liked it a lot , but so did someone else, and it was stolen from my home. I've given up looking for it, I'm just interested if anyone else bought or played guitars made by Mr. Buss?
thanks
seth from Olympia