Dickey Betts' "Redtop" Goldtop...a bunch of cool pics!

CDaughtry · Oct 28, 2015

A buddy of mine sent me a bunch of pictures of Dickey Betts' "Redtop" Goldtop (in it's present condition) that Dickey used back in the Eat a Peach days and on a ton of live recordings.
This old girl has been through alot! Check out the broken neck and the replaced fingerboard. Thank God the original serial number was preserved!
What a great piece of rock n' roll history!

I wonder what this thing would be worth if it had original parts on it? Anyone care to speculate?

In any event, enjoy the ULTRA COOL pics!!!!

WBailey · Oct 28, 2015

I'm not kidding. These pics actually hurt.

I have very fond memories of seeing/hearing Dickey and Goldie together. :dang

Is this for sale ?

Will it be restored ?

Restored; ONE MILLION DOLLARS !!

CDaughtry · Oct 28, 2015

I don't know the answer to either of those questions. I sure hope someone would restore it!:dude:

mistersnappy · Oct 28, 2015

If I'm not mistaken, the Goldtop Dickey used from '70-'73 is the Betts/Toler guitar, Ser # 8 1810. That was the FIllmore East/Eat a Peach guitar. There was a different one used on his first solo tour and possibly for the ABB tour '75-'76 that was another Darkback. He got yet another regular brownback one which he used from '77 up to '94 that was painted red. Is this *that* one?

Info on the Betts Toler: http://allmanbrothersband.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&file=viewthread&tid=52798

CDaughtry · Oct 28, 2015

You are probably right. I was passing on third hand information from my buddy regarding the era in which Dickey played it.:jim
This one was a darkback...check out the serial number that has been preserved. Thus, it must be the 75-76 era one that you reference.

Mistersnappy...do you happen to have pics of him playing it back when it was red?

It's amazing that its got an almost center seamed top, with great wood on it!

WBailey · Oct 28, 2015

Wow ! I didn't even look at the serial !

That ain't Goldie !

I just saw Redtop/ Goldtop in the title.

So, is this the one he gave Toler ?

guitty · Oct 28, 2015

The Betts/Toler is still sound and safe, and in great playable condition.
Udo Pipper, who made some great videos of it back in 2005, recently checked out the guitar for some weeks. He said, today it's sounding and playing at least as good, if not better. He suggested, Gibson should make a CC or Signature also of this.
Half of the run like the original Goldtop and the other half like the current Cherryburst (like it looks for about the last 44 years) would come to mind.

zorglub! · Oct 28, 2015

Thanks for sharing, Charlie.

Mark Kane · Oct 28, 2015

I think Doug Hoffman is who sprayed the red in this guitar. He used to have some pics on his site . At that time which was probably the late '90's the neck had broken 3 times if I remember correctly. That's the one Gibson did the red sig model of.

mistersnappy · Oct 28, 2015

CDaughtry said:
You are probably right. I was passing on third hand information from my buddy regarding the era in which Dickey played it.:jim
This one was a darkback...check out the serial number that has been preserved. Thus, it must be the 75-76 era one that you reference.

Mistersnappy...do you happen to have pics of him playing it back when it was red?

It's amazing that its got an almost center seamed top, with great wood on it!

No, sadly I don't. I was only aware of "Goldie" as being painted red and this apparently isn't it. So, I guess Dickey had two former Goldtops that he painted red? Its a mystery. Maybe Don Butler has some ideas on this. :hmm

goldtop0 · Oct 28, 2015

Geez that one has been through the ringer for sure:wow

Thanks Charlie.

mistersnappy · Oct 28, 2015

WBailey said:
Wow ! I didn't even look at the serial !

That ain't Goldie !

I just saw Redtop/ Goldtop in the title.

So, is this the one he gave Toler ?

No, this is a different one. Check the link I posted earlier to the ABB site- thats the Betts/Toler Lester. :salude

bsteff666 · Oct 28, 2015

Wow. Dickey's Goldtop would be one of the holiest
grails to me. Would love to see this restored.

I always believed it was the one he played in the early
90's that became the redtop.

This one.
http://youtu.be/G1jpQu6qR1E

This performance is a little loose in spots...but I love the tone Dickey gets from that Goldtop.

MapleFlame · Oct 28, 2015

Yeah this needs a ton of work, doesn't look braz, inlays awful, binding and frets yikes. I've restored worse, so there's hope with this one. Top wood is really dirty. Body binding ridge smaller.

DHBucker · Oct 29, 2015

Looks like a job for Kim at Historic Makeovers to me. If anyone could get this guitar back to fighting trim he could.

66SuperTremMKIV · Oct 29, 2015

Joe Glaser or Dan Erlwhine also would do a great job.

https://youtu.be/EA0LtElaUIo

All you really need - Old Marshall Plexi, Ragged 4x12 Cab / Celestion Greenback Pulsonic Cones, 1x Great LP.

sws1 · Oct 29, 2015

CDaughtry said:

YIKES!!!!

CDaughtry · Oct 29, 2015

As is, without any restoration, hypothetically speaking, what would you pay for it?

Without the Dickie panache, is it worth...10-15k?

With the Dickie vibe.....30k?

What say you ABB fans?:spabout

burstone · Oct 29, 2015

With or without Dickie vibe, 10K tops if you twist my arm and jab me with a needle. :spabout
Too many issues even though it has a cool looking top.

GuitarMikey · Oct 29, 2015

You trying to buy, CD?

Dickey Betts' "Redtop" Goldtop...a bunch of cool pics!

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