The Rickenbacker Model 381-12 dates back to 1957 work by Roger Rossmeisl, a German luthier hired to develop new designs, which he defiinitely delivered.
The Gibson B B King Lucille made its debut in 1980 as the B B King Custom, with features specified by the great guitarist himself. Based on the ES-355 models that King had used for years, the Lucille has a sealed, thinline body to resist feedback at high stage volumes. As B B King tended to sit next to his amps, turn them up all the way and then control volume from the guitar, feedback could be an issue.
Built at the Gibson Memphis plant, the Gibson ES-335 Rich Robinson is very much like a ‘new’ 1963 model. The ‘Custom Made’ plaque on the body was frequently used to cover stop-tailpiece collars when a Bigsby was installed, either at the factory or after purchase. The cherry finish very common in that era, and the metal parts have gone through a ‘VOS’ aging process to simulate natural oxidization.
The Duesenberg Starplayer Bass takes inspiration from classic German basses of the 1950’s and 1960’s, but with significant improvements. The Starplayer Bass uses single cutaway hollow body with laminated Spruce top on a laminated Flame Maple back and bent Maple sides. The Maple neck is short scale – 30.3 inch or 770mm – and has a bound Rosewood fingerboard, plus a dual-action truss rod.
The Gretsch ’59 Silver Jet is a very cool guitar, with all the late-50’s trappings – Bigsby, TV Jones Classic Filter’Tron based pickups, and a standout silver sparkle finish! The Gretsch Jet is an under-rated guitar, but has appeared on many hit recordings. Chet Atkins used one on many classic recordings, and the first few Beatles albums feature George Harrison with his Jet.
MORE →
This Gibson ES-345TD was built during 1960 at the historic Parsons Street plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It has its original PAF pickups, and the Varitone has been disconnected. The bridge has been changed to a later ABR patent number bridge. It has been refretted – no fretwire could withstand the amount of use this guitar received. It’s very likely it was refretted at The Twelfth Fret.
