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Players of Bursts before Keith Richards?

Mark 63

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
8
I apologize if this question has been asked and answered (searches didn’t succeed). But did any known guitarists play these LPs during the years they were made? I’ve seen lots of pictures of P90 LPs in the hands of Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin, Freddie King, Les himself... but can’t think of any player with a Burst prior to Keith and his Bigsby Burst.
 

somebodyelseuk

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Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
457
I apologize if this question has been asked and answered (searches didn’t succeed). But did any known guitarists play these LPs during the years they were made? I’ve seen lots of pictures of P90 LPs in the hands of Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin, Freddie King, Les himself... but can’t think of any player with a Burst prior to Keith and his Bigsby Burst.
There's a guy in the UK called Cosmo, been playing one since 1960, I think.
I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of him until I read a feature about his collection last year. His guitar was the second burst sold new in the UK and he now owns the first as well.
He is well known in the music biz...
I'll dig the article out and post more later.
EDIT: Here ya go
https://guitar.com/features/collect...smos-otherworldly-love-for-vintage-les-pauls/
 
Last edited:

sglp63

Active member
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
529
The Keith Burst was owned by John Bowen of the (English) band Mike Dean & The Kingsmen. The guitar may have been imported to the UK by the Canadian gutarist Ken Lundgren, who played in a local BC band called The Pacers before moving to the UK. The other guitarist in that band, Jack Dawes, also played a Burst (later sold to Randy Bachman).

Earlier, in the USA, Travis Wammack.
 

rob livesey

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
655
There's a guy in the UK called Cosmo, been playing one since 1960, I think.
I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of him until I read a feature about his collection last year. His guitar was the second burst sold new in the UK and he now owns the first as well.
He is well known in the music biz...
I'll dig the article out and post more later.
EDIT: Here ya go
https://guitar.com/features/collect...smos-otherworldly-love-for-vintage-les-pauls/

In that article Cosmo talks about a replica from a well known maker. Well, I bought that guitar when Cosmo put it up for sale. He pulled all the vintage parts before sale, but it was a nice guitar.
 

LeonC

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Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
805
George Benson was playing one in 1964 with Jack McDuff, FWIW.
 

brandtkronholm

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Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,749
George Benson was playing one in 1964 with Jack McDuff, FWIW.

Oh yeah! I forgot about that! Here's a link to a Youtube video:


Note: at 3:01 George Benson makes his "Burst cluck like a hen!
Also note: It's a 'Burst through what appears to be a Tweed Fender Bassman. Apparently George Benson got the memo a few years before everyone else!
 
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