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

TLC · Jul 11, 2018

MapleFlame said:
This is an interesting guitar, late 60's inlays but has 50's binding in horn. Second song he plays. I wonder if it was a reboard. Looks like reflector knobs that has the reflectors out No?
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TuRYl1oWTCk" allowfullscreen="" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0"></iframe>

:dude:WOW, I have never seen this video before!

Excuse my excitement and let me just say Hi and thanks for such a cool forum!
I'm new here, stumbled across this site a few days ago when i was looking at some stuff about Glenn Frey's Old Black.
I joined your site and have been looking around and seen this thread about Dickey and Goldie, and i be damned you guys got a video of a show that I can barley remember and i was there!
I was Dickey's tech at the time and yes, that's Goldie!

Here's a couple of pics....the solo of Goldie was taken somewhere backstage and the one of Dickey, Goldie and myself was taken in Chicago during a taping of a Busch beer commercial.

mistersnappy · Jul 11, 2018

TLC said:
Here's a couple of pics....the solo of Goldie was taken somewhere backstage and the one of Dickey, Goldie and myself was taken in Chicago during a taping of a Busch beer commercial.

Great to see this post! I remember hearing that Busch commercial once in the '80s and have never heard it since. Thought I was hallucinating! Any memories of how Dickey had his guitars set up, amps, etc? Cheers!

Stretchman · Jan 27, 2019

TM1 said:
Oye!! I showed this thread to Warren last night.. He just shook his head. Dickey's son Duane was there last night as well. He has a hard time keeping up Dad's guitars I think..
From my recollection, this is what I know.
Dickey gave Duane the SG/LP when he bought his first Goldtop. That one had a Bigsby shadow. there was another GT that was bought around the time Duane was killed. I'm not sure if that's the one that went to Gibson and was refinished in Cherry Sunburst or if it was his first GT. When I saw the "Five Man ABB" in mid-`72 he used a GT and the burst. I seem to recall he used the GT for slide and the Burst for regular lead work.
After Great Southern fused into the Bros., Dickey played a GT as he gave Danny the Burst. I know Dickey had a few GT's as there was one that had a bad bridge that he thought it was bad guitar and threw it in the trash. Reddog fished it out, took it home and fixed it and brought it to rehearsal the next day. Dickey got mad at Dog and put it back in the trash bin telling him it was bad guitar and he didn't want to see it again. Dog took it home and I'm betting it stayed there until he need some money for his illness's a few years back. (He passed away in Feb. 2011). I'm not entirely sure what he's had, but I know in the early `90's he bought a `56 or early `57 GT with P-90's. His then tech, the late Troy Venible installed a pair of humbuckings without having to rout out any wood. That guitar was his backup guitar for a while but now resides in the R`n R HoF in Cleveland and has been there for at least a decade. I know back in the `90's he took the main GT and stripped it and had it sprayed Red. He's had all these other signature guitars and stuff to use, but I'm betting he keeps his old guitars at home these days. I'll ask Duane the next time I see him. He lives most of the time here in L.A. but has been out playing with a band named "Dawes" but also has his own deal and whenever he goes to Jacksonville, Fla. he plays with Berry Oakley (Jr.)'s band.
Anyway...if this GT/Redtop was the guitar he played for a number of years, I simply can not understand why he stripped it and had it refinished. I played it a number of times back in the `90's and it was a really nice playing and great sounding guitar.I would have left well enough alone. I always thought that this was the Fillmore East guitar..
Does anyone know iof there are Bigsby holes on the bottom end that have been plugged/filled or maybe just left alone? If there is evidence of a Bigsby then this is the Fillmore guitar most likely.

This is "Goldie" as Dickey calls it. This is from "Toys for Tots" that Dickey played a few years ago with Duane. His then Guitar Tech Carlos and subsequent tech Bain have verified this. He played this many times around Sarasota over the last several years. From private parties at his property in Myakka, to joining his daughter's band (Kim Betts), benefits, concerts, etc
I have played in Kim Betts band (As half of the guitar players in Sarasota have), and all of Dickey's Great Southern Band are my friends that I play with from time to time. BTW, Berry Oakley Jr lives in Sarasota and Duane does join him from time to time at Hoosiers in Osprey that is close to where Dickey lives.
Dickey has trashed nice guitars like the first prototype "Goldie", serial number DB00001 that is in about 5 pieces right now. Apparently Dickey busted it up in an argument at home.
Dickey now plays a new custom SG made specially for him by Gibson. He played it at a few shows recently before busting his noggin out by his pool. He is doing well now and not sure if he'll go out again. The last lineup of Great Southern was Dickey, Duane, Pedro, Mike Kach, Damon Fowler, Frankie Lombardi, and Steve Camilleri.
Devon, Duane, and Berry are now on a new venture called "Allman Betts project. They will be playing The Clearwater Blues Fest in a few weeks. Meanwhile I just might just get Dickey for my festival the same time next month with Chris Anderson and Johnny Neel, Damon Fowler, Mike Kach, and Frankie Lombardi (https://synchronicityfestivals.com)

El Gringo · Jan 28, 2019

Dickey is a big favorite of mine and heavily influenced me on the Les Paul . I owe a debt of gratitude for inspiration to Mr.Bett's !

xroadie_jim · Jan 29, 2019

Ok, since no one asked. What happened to the husk in the OP?

Ken Fortunato · Jan 29, 2019

Being a huge Dickey Betts fan, the one thing I can say with absolute certainty is, Dickey is never getting anywhere near one of my guitars...

eace2 :rofl

El Gringo · Jan 29, 2019

KennyF said:
Being a huge Dickey Betts fan, the one thing I can say with absolute certainty is, Dickey is never getting anywhere near one of my guitars... eace2 :rofl

You are cracking me up and I have to agree with you and ditto for me as I don't care who it is , as they are all off limits to any and everyone except for my tech who is there guardian and caretaker .

Ken Fortunato · Jan 30, 2019

El Gringo said:
You are cracking me up and I have to agree with you and ditto for me as I don't care who it is , as they are all off limits to any and everyone except for my tech who is there guardian and caretaker .

eace2

Drayve85 · Jun 12, 2019

+1 on what happened to the original husk?!?!

musekatcher · Jun 13, 2019

MapleFlame said:
This is an interesting guitar, late 60's inlays but has 50's binding in horn. Second song he plays. I wonder if it was a reboard. Looks like reflector knobs that has the reflectors out No?

Thanks for this post, enjoying it now. I saw Betts around 1986, Spring time. He had to borrow a guitar and equipment from an opening band, his stuff got there late. He was dressed like normal - unlike this video, where he looks more like a Hall and Oates fan, lol. Guitar does look a little whittled on, but heck, I think it communicates his adaptability. I give him a break for not having time to be a professional luthier. Betts is a favorite of mine for sure.

Edit: Thanks to MapleFlame for posting.

MapleFlame · Jun 15, 2019

musekatcher said:
MapleFlame said:

This is an interesting guitar, late 60's inlays but has 50's binding in horn. Second song he plays. I wonder if it was a reboard. Looks like reflector knobs that has the reflectors out No?]

Thanks for this post, enjoying it now. I saw Betts around 1986, Spring time. He had to borrow a guitar and equipment from an opening band, his stuff got there late. He was dressed like normal - unlike this video, where he looks more like a Hall and Oates fan, lol. Guitar does look a little whittled on, but heck, I think it communicates his adaptability. I give him a break for not having time to be a professional luthier. Betts is a favorite of mine for sure.

Edit: Thanks to MapleFlame for posting.

Click to expand...

:dude:

AVGDeluxe · Nov 16, 2019

My name is Greg, and I have great news ...this guitar has been restored, and I am working with the owner and it has turned out amazing ...be looking for video and pics soon and yes it will be for sale !! We had the right people do the work it looks amazing, and it has a beautiful Ice Tea burst and a gorgeous Brazillian Rosewood Fingerboard and some Tom Holmes personal wound PAF pickups ...which some folks say sound more like real PAF's than some originals !! I will be posting pics here next wednesday !! ....I am honored to be part of this restoration and we have done all we could to make it worthy of the guitar. We were not able to get provenance from Dickey Betts or his management ...so it will be sold on its own merits ...however ...the story of a Les Paul being painted by Dickey Betts with a spray can has been verified ..and this one was definitely painted with a red spray can at one point and we left the paint in the pickup routs ...so ...stay tuned !! Again this Guitar is going to be making music for the first time in almost 40 years !!

CDaughtry said:
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!!!!

AVGDeluxe · Nov 16, 2019

My name is Greg, and I have great news ...this guitar has been restored, and I am working with the owner and it has turned out amazing ...be looking for video and pics soon and yes it will be for sale !! We had the right people do the work it looks amazing, and it has a beautiful Ice Tea burst and a gorgeous Brazillian Rosewood Fingerboard and some Tom Holmes personal wound PAF pickups ...which some folks say sound more like real PAF's than some originals !! I will be posting pics here next wednesday !! ....I am honored to be part of this restoration and we have done all we could to make it worthy of the guitar. We were not able to get provenance from Dickey Betts or his management ...so it will be sold on its own merits ...however ...the story of a Les Paul being painted by Dickey Betts with a spray can has been verified ..and this one was definitely painted with a red spray can at one point and we left the paint in the pickup routs ...so ...stay tuned !! Again this Guitar is going to be making music for the first time in almost 40 years !!

xroadie_jim said:
Ok, since no one asked. What happened to the husk in the OP?

AVGDeluxe · Nov 16, 2019

My name is Greg, and I have great news ...this guitar has been restored, and I am working with the owner and it has turned out amazing ...be looking for video and pics soon and yes it will be for sale !! We had the right people do the work it looks amazing, and it has a beautiful Ice Tea burst and a gorgeous Brazillian Rosewood Fingerboard and some Tom Holmes personal wound PAF pickups ...which some folks say sound more like real PAF's than some originals !! I will be posting pics here next wednesday !! ....I am honored to be part of this restoration and we have done all we could to make it worthy of the guitar. We were not able to get provenance from Dickey Betts or his management ...so it will be sold on its own merits ...however ...the story of a Les Paul being painted by Dickey Betts with a spray can has been verified ..and this one was definitely painted with a red spray can at one point and we left the paint in the pickup routs ...so ...stay tuned !! Again this Guitar is going to be making music for the first time in almost 40 years !!

Doc Sausage · Nov 17, 2019

Holy repeating post. Seems more like, “Old Gregg!”

kthesheep · Nov 19, 2019

We just finished the restoration of this guitar today.
For those who would like to see the process:

https://historicmakeovers.smugmug.com/Shipped-2019/8-3142-DB/n-qNbtj7/

https://historicmakeovers.smugmug.com/Shipped-2019/8-3142-DB/n-qNbtj7/

mistersnappy · Nov 19, 2019

Nice work! Looks like it would've been a Goldtop originally judging by serial range. Was there any evidence of it being a Darkback? It kind of looks that way in the selector switch cavity and back of headstock. :hmm Also looks like it was an -ex-Bigsby guitar?

sws1 · Nov 19, 2019

Was this originally a center seam GT?

kthesheep · Nov 19, 2019

mistersnappy said:
Nice work! Looks like it would've been a Goldtop originally judging by serial range. Was there any evidence of it being a Darkback? It kind of looks that way in the selector switch cavity and back of headstock. :hmm Also looks like it was an -ex-Bigsby guitar?

This was for sure a 1958 Goldtop. We Left the original Dark Back and original serial # in the form of a Stinger to keep Province.

kthesheep · Nov 19, 2019

sws1 said:
Was this originally a center seam GT?

Yes

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

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