Gallery: 1960 Gretsch 6120 • Lefty
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.
History: 1992 Dallas Guitar Show, Part 1
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
History: 1989 Dallas Guitar Show
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
Gallery: Motown Bassist James Jamerson's German Upright Bass
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
Gallery: Kurt Cobain's 1960's Mosrite Mark IV Gospel
Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's 1960's Mosrite Mark IV GospelThis 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
Gallery: Allman Brothers 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Gold Top'
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 History: Guitar Gallery • Pasadena • 1990
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
Gallery: Roger McGuinn's Custom 1967 Rickenbacker 370-12
This custom ordered 1966 Rickenbacker 370-12 was built for The Byrds
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.
URL Links: Roger McGuinn • Rickenbacker • Experience Music Project