RICKENBACKER ELECTRIC 12: The Story of the Guitars, the Music, and the Great Players

Click the cover to pre-order your copy now on Amazon and save 34%.

Tags: Rickenbacker , 12 String, Roger McGuinn, George Harrison, Beatles, The Byrds

For sale is this rare, left-handed 1990 GMP prototype guitar.

$1,299.00, with original case. Contact us for payment and shipping options.

Click here to view a dozen additional images.





We are selling this guitar for a long time friend and customer. He brought the
guitar to our shop the day he received it from the builder, and we can verify
that his following description is accurate. 

"For those interested, GMP was an American guitar company located in San
Dimas California, and was in existence from approximately 1990 to 2005.

GMP only made 1,115 instruments, and this guitar is #26.

This instrument is superbly crafted and all components and finish are of the
highest quality, the pictures speak for themselves.

This guitar has the original unique GMP body design that was called the
Classic. Subsequent body designs like the "Pawn Shop Special" and the
"Roxie" were more traditional looking.

The guitar's serial number is 26-10/22/90 and it is stamped proto, short for
prototype. I was endorsed by GMP for a short time and this guitar was made
specifically for me and has been in my possession for the last 18 years.
I worked on this prototype with Dave Pearson, he and all the staff at GMP
were very nice and accommodating to me.

What makes it a prototype is that it's the first GMP that had the 2 single
coils, one humbucker pickup configuration. I'm not sure, but it might also be
the first lefty guitar they made and possibly the first with a tremolo unit.

It has a single volume knob, 5 way pick-up selector and a coil split switch
for the humbucker which also makes it unique to other GMPs.

The body and the 24 fret neck are mahogany, the fret board is ebony and the
guitar has a 2 piece quilted maple top hand picked by me with a beautiful
cherry sunburst finish.

The inlays on the neck and the GMP logo on the headstock are abalone shell
also hand picked by me.

The trem is made by Wilkinson and is currently set to dive bomb only, trem
arm is included.

The gears are Sperzel locking tuners.

The neck is straight and the action is low and there's no fret wear.

The guitar originally had Seymour Duncan pickups, but the PUs were changed
several times over the years and it currently has DiMarzio Virtual Vintage
PUs installed.

The 2 original Duncan single coils will be included in the auction, the
Duncan humbucker is long gone.

Also included is the original case, which like the guitar is in excellent
condition.

I took good care of this guitar and besides a little pick swirl and a few
minor surface marks that don't show in the pictures the only visible flaw is
a small chip in the clear coat by the volume knob, which is visible in the photos.

2 of the 4 machine screws that secure the plate that covers the control
cavity are missing, but would be easy to replace."

Tags: Lefty, Prototype

Here we have an excellent playing and sounding all original 1963 Strat with all of the features you'd expect.

• L Series Serial Number
• 'Green' Nitro Pickguard
• Clay Dot Markers with wide 12th fret spacing.
• Single Line Klusons
• Brazilian Rosewood Fingerboard
• 3 Tone Sunburst finish.

There have been no modifications or alterations to this guitar. We are offering it for sale for an old friend (well, 6 months older than me) who would rather see it go to a good home than sit neglected in his closet. I had no problem recommending this instrument to one of my best friends, and have no reservations offering it for sale on his behalf.

Included are the original trem arm, bridge cover, strap, 'hang tag' owner's manual, and case keys.

The guitar was purchased new in 1963 in Canada, and as a result has a non-standard Canadian case. I have seen others come out of Canada with these cases, and this is the case that was purchased new with the guitar.

In light of the current market's rapidly changing prices, I am not listing a price. If this is the guitar you are looking for, drop me an email and we'll try to make it happen.

Additional images can be found here.

Tags: Fender, Stratocaster, Pre-CBS

This 1965 Fender Stratocaster, serial number 100193, was formerly owned and used by renowned guitarist Eric Johnson.

Eric can be seen with this guitar on the cover and in the cover story of the January 1993 issue of Guitar Player magazine.

This custom color Dakota Red guitar is original, except for the work done at Eric’s request. The rosewood fingerboard has been planed and re-fretted, the original 3 way switch has been notched to into a 5 way switch without removal of the original wiring, and one ground & one hot wire were loose and were re-soldered.

Eric Johnson is considered one of the 100 greatest guitarists of the 20th Century. His 1986 solo debut album, Tones earned a Grammy nomination. Four years later Ah Via Musicom reached near-platinum sales. The single "Cliffs of Dover" was a top 5 hit and earned Eric a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental. He received the "Best Overall" guitarist award from Guitar Player Magazine for four straight years. On the fifth year he was inducted into their "Gallery of Greats."

We sold this instrument in 2004. 

Images: © Route 66 Guitars/Odyssey

Tags: Fender, Stratocaster

This is me, in 2003, with George Harrison's Fender Rosewood Telecaster, prior to it going to auction.

George used this guitar most prominently on the film and LP 'Let It Be,' including The Beatles final live performance on the roof of their Apple offices and studio in London. He also used it on 'Abbey Road,' and the Cream hit 'Badge,' before giving it to Delaney Bramlett while playing on tour with Delaney & Bonnie.

I have been involved in the recovery or sale of several of the instruments the Beatles used to play and record their music. Being able to play the parts to these great songs (even upside down and backwards!) on an actual instrument used to record them is a staggering experience. Of course I gave my best "I'm not worthy!" first, but did it anyway.

The guitar was auctioned in late 2003. It was purchased by Ed Begley, Jr. on behalf of the George Harrison Estate. It is back with George's family, where it belongs.

Fender currently offers a replica of this instrument through the Fender Custom Shop, based on measurements taken when Delaney, and later I, took it to their Custom Shop facility.

Tags: Rosewood, Telecaster, Beatles

This late 1980's Rickenbacker 370/12 is a one-of-a-kind. Built to order for a Nashville session player who didn't take delivery, it was offered to us to sell.

The white finish, gold binding, gold plated parts, and uncarved 381 body depth would remind any guitar savvy individual of a Gretsch White Falcon. This resemblance seemed lost on the folks at Rickenbacker until it was pointed out to them after we presented it for sale.

Photo: ©1991 Scott Jennings/Route 66 Guitars

We had the guitar for a couple of months before RIC CEO John Hall requested the guitar back. To my knowledge it is still hanging in his office with the remaining instruments in the company's collection.

This studio shot was taken during the same session as my lefty 1959 Les Paul Special that appears in The Les Paul Book, and a one-off Gibson that will be featured here soon. Jeffrey did not take this image. I am quite certain he wants that known, as he was less than complementary about the way it turned out. Regardless, it is an image of a truly one-of-a-kind Ricky 12.

Tags: Rickenbacker , 12 String

I opened Guitar Gallery in Old Pasadena, 20 years ago today.

While I enjoyed the previous six years I spent
at Voltage Guitars, this was my baby, for better or worse...



I believe this image was taken (by me) the day the carpet was installed,
which was two days after we opened for business.

The guitar/amp combo was used in the artwork that appeared on our
first t-shirt designs. (1953 lefty Les Paul and Gibson amp.)

I miss that shop, our great customers, and that guitar, to this day.

Tags: Anniversary, Gibson, Les Paul, Lefty, Gold Top

We stumbled across this image today in our archives, and thought it was worth sharing.

This is a lefty 1960 Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollowbody Model 6120, with its original white leather 'cowboy' case. We've seen a total of three lefty 6120s, and this is the finest example. It should be noted that the blank pickguard on this instrument is original. All pickguards on left handed Gretsch guitars built prior to the mid-1970s were blank, as these were essentially one-off instruments.

This particular guitar was one of Scott's prized possessions, although he didn't have it for very long. He acquired it in 1984 from Voltage Guitars, where he worked at the time, and kept it until 1987.

He sold this guitar, along with a lefty 1964 Stratocaster (his first vintage instrument,) and a couple of other instruments, in an attempt to raise the funds to purchase a 1960 Les Paul Standard that ended up in the working collection of Paul McCartney. Five years later he did acquire another lefty 1960 Les Paul Standard for a client, but at five times the cost...

We're working on a full article on all four known left handed Les Paul Standards built between 1959 and 1960, including never before published images. (There are no known Sunburst finish 1958s.) Look for that article to appear on our site in the coming month.

Tags: 1960, Gretsch, 6120, Lefty

As we're on the guitar show theme, I'm posting images from other shows. Oh, those were the days of real vintage guitar shows, not new Gibsons and PRS guitars in vintage dealer's booths...

I'll re-post with a better/larger scan when I track down the original negative...

Instruments on table (left to right):

1. (Partially cropped) 1964 Rickenbacker 366/12 - Reported to be a prototype for the 6/12 Convertable models, it is a 1964 360-12 retrofitted with the converter comb assembly. Left the factory in the early 1980's.

2. 1963 Rickenbacker 360/12 - The first twelve string built by Rickenbacker.

3. 1957 Rickenbacker Combo 800 - Original or ancient refinish in sparkle blue. Double coil "horseshoe" pickup.

4. 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard - Gold Top. Earliest and cleanest example of a lefty with humbucking pickups.

5. 1969 Rickenbacker 381 - MapleGlow.

6. 1968 Rickenbacker 381/12 - FireGlow. Only known 3 pickup version. Thinner body, thinner German carve than on standard 381's.

7. 1957 Rickenbacker 330 Capri Prototype - Dark sunburst (Autumnglow).

8. 1970 341/12SF - Roger McGuinns slant fret light show 12 string. Now residing in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum.

9. 1986 Rickenbacker Model 325/12. Short scale 12 string.

10. Mark Lacey Premier Archtop - Blonde. Mark still makes some of the best instruments you would ever hope to play.

11. Mark Lacey Empire Archtop - Sunburst.

12. 1967 Epiphone Riviera - Cherry Red.

13. 1968 Gibson ES-335 - Cherry Red.

14. Dobro... unknown (memory failure)

15. 1965 Fender Jazzmaster - Seafoam Green with matching head. Mint condition with deluxe "rifle" case.


16. 1932 National Style "O" - Etched palm trees...


Instruments on floor (left to right):

1. 1965 Rickenbacker Model 330 - Fireglow.

2. 1963 Rickenbacker Model 625 - Fireglow.

3. New Rickenbacker Model 370/12RME1 - FireGlo. Roger McGuinn Limited Edition model.

4. 1963 Rickenbacker Model 460 - Fireglow. Rare model. "Full Face" pickguard, deluxe inlay, body and neck binding.

5. 1970 Rickenbacker Model 360 - Fireglow. Unusual bound headstock model.

6. 1964 Rickenbacker Model 615 - Black.

7. 1954 Gibson ES-140. 3/4 scale, deep body.

8. 1950's plastic Macaferri. Unsold stock.

9. 1965 Vox Phantom XII - Black. Early English made version.

10. New Custom Schecter "Strat-style" - See-thru White. (Yes, yes, "Strat" is a registered trademark of Fender something or another...)

11. 1968 Gibson SG Standard - Cherry Red.

12. 1961 Danelectro Longhorn Model 6 String Bass - Copperburst.

URL Links: Lacey Guitars • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum

Tags: Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker , Epiphone, Lacey, Danelectro, Roger McGuinn

In recognition of the passage of 20 years since we opened the shop in Old Town Pasadena, here are a couple of shots from our first guitar show appearance. I have more, and will be adding them soon.

Instruments in image above (left to right):

1. 1964 Fender Jazz Bass - Sunburst. Left handed.

2. 1959 Fender Stratocaster - Three tone sunburst. Left handed.

3. 1961 Gibson EB-2 Bass - Left Handed. I bought this bass in 1986 from a music store that had it stored in the original Gibson shipping box in the back. It got one ding in the finish while on display, so they put it away and forgot about it. Still smelled new. This was one of my personal instruments for many years.

4. 1958 Gretsch Duo Jet - Black top. Left Handed.

5. 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom. Sunburst. Left handed.

6. 1966 Gibson Byrdland - Honey Sunburst. Left handed.

7. 1960 Model 360F - Fireglow. Factory original unsold stock.

8. 1986 Rickenbacker Model 325/12. Short scale 12 string. Unsold factory stock.

9. 1960 Gibson Les Paul Special - Cherry Red. Left Handed. One of two I have seen. The other was one serial number later than this near mint example. Featured in "The Les Paul Book" (Bacon & Day).

10. 1967 Epiphone Riviera 12 String - Cherry Red. Left handed. The cleanest guitar I have ever seen in my life. I bought this guitar in 1983, and very much regret selling it in the early 1990s.

11. 1965 Epiphone Sheraton - Blonde. Left handed. Only known blonde lefty. My baby. This guitar was in my collection for 23 years.

12. 1967 Rickenbacker Model 360/12 (Behind Steven) - Left Handed, FireGlow. One of my personal guitars, and twin to the guitar to the left. Internal routing includes block for Convertable assembly. Unsold factory stock.

13. 1963 Rickenbacker Model 365 (Steven is holding) - Blonde. 'Double bound' body. Unsold factory stock.

14. 1971 Rickenbacker Model 331 'Light Show' - Burgundyglow.

15. 1969 Rickenbacker Transonic 200 Series amplifier - Used by Led Zeppelin on their first U.S. tour.

16. 1969 Rickenbacker Transonic 100 Series amplifier - Combo model. (peeking over top of table)

17. 1959 or 1960 Rickenbacker Model 345 Capri. Factory original unsold stock.

18. 1968 Rickenbacker Model 370F - Dark FireGlow. Unsold factory stock.

19. 1967 Rickenbacker Model 360F Prototype - German carved top (like model 381, but not as deep.) Control knobs on semi-circular control plate. Separate plate for pickup selector switch. Unsold factory stock.

20. 1960 Rickenbacker Model 360F (Partially hidden) - Blonde. Unsold factory stock.

21. 1968 Rickenbacker Model 360F - Black. Unsold factory stock.

Persons in photo (left to right):

Steven Miller - Steven worked for and with me at Voltage Guitars, helped me set up my shop, and following this show worked for me for several years. Sadly, Steven passed away in 1996 (the same day I closed my retail store. It's not a coincidence.)

Cesar Rosas - Guitarist/singer/songwriter with 'Los Lobos'. A fellow lefty, he has been an acquaintance for many years. In this shot he is tuning up my 1959 Fender Stratocaster.

Elliot Easton - Guitarist for 'The Cars'. Elliot is a long time friend (us lefties tend to stick together.) In this photo Elliot is playing my 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom. This instrument later ended up at his place... not sure how that happened.

? - I can't recall who this is. I believe he was there with Cesar.

Instruments on table (left to right):

All are Rickenbackers

1. 1982 Model 4002 Bass. Unsold factory stock.

2. 1959 or 1960 Model 345 Capri. Factory original unsold stock.

3. 1967 Model 370 - Blonde. Factory original unsold stock.

4. 1967 Model 375 - Blonde. Factory original unsold stock.

5. 1968 Model 360 - Fireglow. Factory original unsold stock.

6. 1968 Model 365 - Fireglow. Factory original unsold stock.

7. 1960 Model 360F - Fireglow. Factory original unsold stock.

URL Links: Dallas Guitar Shows

Tags: Guitar Show, Rickenbacker , Lefty

We've added 20 more instruments to the Guitar Gallery. Click the link on the right to check out the new additions.

Today was a short work day.

Our online Shop is now.... well... online. Click on the link to the right, and there you are.

New instruments, accessories, books, etc. are all available.

All transactions are handled through Amazon. This means that all pricing, sales and return policies, shipping policies and costs, etc., are Amazon's. It's safer, and ultimately cheaper for you, and simpler for us. We receive a small "finder's fee" whenever you buy anything through our shop, even if you do a search for something we don't list on our page. This helps us pay for our hosting, and gives us time to upload more cool stuff to our Gallery, and other sections of the site. Running our own e-commerce servers would be a full time job in itself... we'd rather let Amazon do the heavy lifting.

Our vintage instruments, parts, and accessories may be handled in the same manner. We are still deciding on the best way forward.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or grievances, feel free to email us using the link at the bottom of the page, or via chat. If we're awake, we're online. [The lord loves a workin' man... with an iPhone.]

Scott & crew

URL Links: Shop

No bassist has done more for and with popular music than James Jamerson. While his name may not be known by the countless millions of fans of his playing, his sound and style have influenced every player to pick up the instrument since Motown's first hit record.

This instrument was James Jamerson's personal upright bass. He purchased it in 1957 and used it in Detroit's jazz clubs while honing his style, on tour with Smokey Robinson, and on countless classic Motown recordings that play somewhere in the world every second of every day. Enduring hits by Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha Reeves, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Marvin Gaye, and others were created using this instrument.

In later years James Jamerson, III continued to use this bass, playing it on further hits. This bass was last played in the film documentary Standing In The Shadows of Motown. The bass, as it appeared in these images, is in the same condition as when James Jamerson last used it, including the set of strings.

James Jamerson passed away in 1983. He was among the first group of sidemen inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2004 he posthumously received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award along with his fellow members of Motown's house band, known as The Funk Brothers.


URL Links: Motown • James Jamerson

Tags: Motown, bass

Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's 1960's Mosrite Mark IV Gospel

This instrument is unusual in a couple of ways. It is one of only two known examples of a Mark IV style Mosrite Gospel model. While Kurt owned and smashed many cheap (usually Univox) copies of Mosrite guitars during his career this was one of only two actual Mosrites he owned. (The other was damaged and given away.) It was also one of his favorite guitars, which saved it from the usual fate of the instruments he used for live performances. Kurt purchased the guitar in San Francisco in 1990.

According to Kurt’s tech, Earnie Bailey, "Kurt had only one Gospel, and this is a beyond rare guitar. At the time Kurt died, I was secretly working with Loretta Mosley to build Kurt a lefty Gospel," ".in some cool color." Unfortunately, Kurt passed away as Earnie was gathering photos to send to Mosrite of Kurt's original. "Loretta sent me a nice letter after it ended, as she had recently lost Semie (husband, founder of Mosrite) and was now running Mosrite on her own... she had sent me some sales literature of another Gospel, but could find no history of ever having made one based on the Mark IV guitar."
[Quote reprinted from www.kurtsequipment.com]

Kurt had painted the very small Mosrite dot markers with white-out to make them more visible in a live setting. Although a subsequent owner removed this simple modification, residue of this is still visible on the instrument.This is a factory right handed instrument, so it was modified for Kurt with a strap button added to the treble side horn, and the original metal string guide has been flipped to allow it to be strung left handed. The original case bears the words 'NIRVANA' and 'Fuck Elvis' in white paint, which while painted over with the same paint are still visible on inspection.

This was a featured instrument in our ‘Icons of 20th Century Music’ auction, held in Dallas, TX, in April 2004. The guitar sold to a collector for $131,450.00. At one time Kurt’s lovely widow, Courtney Love, attempted to claim ownership of the instrument. This was problematic for her, as he had sold the guitar before they were married.

URL Links: Kurt Cobain • Mosrite • Nirvana

Tags: Mosrite, Nirvana, Kurt Cobain

Gregg Allman gave this 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Gold Top' to Dan Toler during his time playing guitar with the Allman Brothers Band. Dan used this instrument with the Allman Brothers Band for 3 years, and for 7 years with the Gregg Allman Band. It was also used on recordings released by both groups.


This guitar had been in the Allman 'family' for years, and as was done to several other instruments the band members owned it was sent back to the Gibson factory in or around 1973 to be refinished. The tuners, pickup rings, and one of the tone knobs were replaced at that time.


The Book Gibson Electrics includes a shot of Dickey Betts playing this instrument.


The Patent Applied For ('PAF') humbucking pickups, wiring harness, switch cap and ring, pickguard and bell cover are all original to this guitar.


URL Links: Gibson Guitars • Allman Brothers Band • Dickey Betts 

Tags: Gibson, 1957, Les Paul, Gold Top

Guitar Gallery. Old Town Pasadena, California. Prior to the name change.

Here are a couple of shots I found in a drawer. I do not know the exact date they were taken, but based on the instruments it is sometime in 1990.

This was my favorite shop of the four I was involved in. It was the closest to my need for a space that works as function integrating form. It was featured in Japanese magazines (an article of which I will post as soon as I can get a translation,) and in some Japanese tour books for the L.A. area. There is some pride there...

Top Image: The front instrument is the first Rickenbacker 12 string, built in July of 1963, 5 months before the one acquired by George Harrison was completed. We sold it for the original owner, Suzi Arden, who was a friend of Rickenbacker’s owner F. C. Hall. She headlined a western review in Las Vegas at the time, and Rickenbackers were featured prominently in her act. At the time these images were taken we restored for her what was likely the first 4001 bass produced, replicating the original headstock, grafting the new one to the instrument, and matching the original FireGlow finish. (I still have the original headstock around here somewhere.)

The instrument on the bottom right is Roger McGuinn's (The Byrds) slant fret(!) 'Light Show' 12-string - designated as a model 341-12SF - which our tech restored for Rickenbacker prior to it's return to Roger. The body was severely cracked at the tailpiece bracket, back seam, and neck/headstock. The back of the headstock was veneeered and blended in to the neck to make it stable. Our guy, Tom Smith, did an amazing job. Contrary to another web site’s history of this instrument, it was not refinished to JetGlo. The finish applied to the repaired areas was painstakingly matched to the original BurgundyGlow. This guitar is now on display in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum.

The three lefties are unsold stock from 1967, purchased new by me for my own collection, from the CEO of Rickenbacker, John Hall, in 1989. The one on the left is BurgundyGlow, not black (JetGlow) as it appears in this shot. All three of these instruments feature the internal routing consistent with a ‘Convertible’ model, although no lefty 366-12s were ever produced.

The center instrument is a beautiful 1958 Combo 600 model in Cloverfield Green, also unsold stock from the Rickenbacker factory warehouse.


I have additional images in the archives of all of these instruments, with the exception of the combo model. I will be posting entries on each of them in the future.

Bottom Image: This shot contains vintage Vox amps, Rickenbackers (including a Banjoline and a 456-12), Fenders (notice the lefty 1966 Electric XII,) etc. We were a PRS dealer at the time. This was before he made lefties (don’t get me started on Paul Smith.)

There we have it for today’s look into the past.

Scott


URL Links: Roger McGuinn • Rickenbacker • Rock Hall • Suzi Arden

Tags: Guitar Gallery, Rickenbacker , PRS, Lefty, 12 String, Vintage, Roger McGuinn, Celebrity

This custom ordered 1966 Rickenbacker 370-12 was built for The Byrds frontman and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Roger McGuinn, as a replacement for his original 1964 Rickenbacker 360-12.

That original 1964 guitar had been returned to the factory to add the third pickup. Roger & his tech installed a treble booster circuit under the pickguard and rewired the guitar to have three separate volume controls.

When Roger ordered the new instrument, the factory made these modifications for him, with the exception of the treble booster, which once again Roger installed after picking it up from the factory. When viewed up close it becomes obvious that the on-off switch between the two toggle switches is was cut by hand.

The tuners were also replaced some time in 1967 with an unwieldy set of gold Schallers (see image below. The 6 mounted to the edge of the headstock were reversed, leaving the tuner buttons facing the front of the guitar.

This was Roger’s main guitar from 1966 through the end of of 1970, when it was retired, and later sold to the Guitar Center in Hollywood, California. In 1970 he ordered a third instrument due to the damage this one had seen through constant use.

We had the 6 inch neck crack repaired, and I wired the guitar back to Roger’s specs with what remained of the original harness, less the missing treble booster circuit. The previous owner had completely removed the original harness and installed an even more complex switching arrangement.

This guitar was auctioned as one of the premier instruments at our ‘Icons of 20th Century Music’ auction in Dallas, Texas, in April 2004. It sold for $117.500.00. Since then it has been auctioned a second time. I do not know the identity of the current owner.

Roger’s original 1964 360-12 is in the Permanent Exhibition of the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington.

We’ve posted a few items for sale featuring the beautiful front and back images of this guitar here.

I am currently authoring two book featuring our vintage and celebrity-owned instruments, as well as having posters and other cool items designed using the images from our archives.

Feel free to submit comments, suggestions, etc. using the Contact Us link at the bottom of this page.

Scott


URL Links: Roger McGuinn • Rickenbacker • Experience Music Project

Tags: Roger McGuinn, 1967, Rickenbacker , 12 String, Vintage, Celebrity

...I thought we’d kick off the new site’s Gallery section with this unusual beer related instrument from our archives.

What we have here is a left handed 12 string 1987 Hamer ‘Miller Genuine Draft’ promotional model guitar.

Created as promotional instruments by Hamer Guitars for the Miller Brewing Company between 1986 & 1987, this custom-ordered lefty is the second variant model. It is one of only two to three dozen of the black and gold ‘Genuine Draft’ model instruments produced.

Features of this instrument include:

• Rhomboid body shape.
• Opaque black finish.
• Miller Genuine Draft graphics.
• Single OBL humbucking pickup.
• Chrome plated hardware.
• 12 Schaller tuners.
• Adjustable bridge & stop bar tailpiece.

The silver trim border on the face of the instrument is inlaid metal. An unusual touch.

These were not inexpensive instruments, which may explain why so few were produced, and were built to Hamer’s typical high standards.

This instrument was part of my personal collection for several years, and I actually recorded with it. It is a nice sounding guitar, although due to it’s single picked is somewhat limited in tonal variation.

I do not know the current whereabouts of this instrument. If you are the current or a previous owner, or have any further info on this guitar or others like it, feel free to email us.

Scott

URL Links: Hamer Guitars • Miller Brewing Company

Tags: Hamer, 12 String, Miller Beer, Lefty, 1987

I’d say welcome back, but it’s us that’s been away.

The new site is set up as a blog, to make adding information a bit simpler for us, and more bite-sized for you. We’ve also added an RSS feed, as that’s what all the kids are doing these days.

Thousands of images of instruments we have had in our hands over the years are being sorted, scanned, and cleaned up, so that we can present them here. Hopefully Scott will provide information on these instruments, as well as anecdotes relating to their crossing our path. We feel this is the best way to preserve this information before his memory goes...

Any items currently available for sale will be in the Inventory category link to the right. When they have sold they will be moved to the Gallery category. Nothing in the Gallery category is currently available for sale, so don’t ask. Either it’s long gone, or we’re not giving it up.

By popular demand, we are bringing back the world famous Roadkill section of the site. Several of these stomach-turners will be up as soon as the anti-nausea meds kick in so we can write them up. Again, the click is to the right. We are accepting submissions, and will credit you if you want us to. Make sure and make that clear in your email, as we prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to outing our customers on the site. We realize a few of you are still respectable members of your community.

We’d be happy to receive feedback via email as to what you think of the changes. Keep it civil, or when you least expect it you may find yourself on our Roadkill page.

The Fine Folks at Route 66 Guitars


URL Links: none

Tags: Welcome