For over 160 years, Castelfidardo on Italy's Adriatic coast has been the world capital of accordion making. Here, where the accordion industry began in 1863, Bugari Armando's instruments are still built today – by hand, one instrument at a time.

The Bugari family

It all started with Enrico Bugari, an accordion player who founded his own workshop. His instruments quickly won people over and were soon sold all over the world. In 1961, Nello Bugari handed the business to his son Armando – the birth of "Armando Bugari srl". Even after a serious accident in the 1980s left him in a wheelchair, Armando insisted on coming to the workshop every day to watch over production with a keen eye.

Rise to a global brand

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Bugari Armando expanded worldwide and became one of the most important and respected names in accordion making. In 2007 the company acquired the Zero Sette firm and the Giulietti brand. 2012 brought its own photovoltaic system for clean energy, and in 2019 an international investment partnership secured a leading position in exports worldwide – while production remained "Made in Castelfidardo".

Today

Today around 40 employees build standard-bass, bayan and convertor accordions – exclusively at the headquarters in Castelfidardo, from the finest Italian components. Production is led by Gianluca Gobbetti – and his son now works side by side with him, carrying the craft into the next generation. Enrico's guiding principle still holds true: "Quality prevails."

"A man who works with his hands is a worker. A man who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. But a man who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist."

The story of Bugari Armando

From the production in Castelfidardo

Two glimpses into the workshop – every Bugari is made by hand.