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The Red Thread: Factory Red Gibsons from the Golden Era

flameburst

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Those here have probably seen this already, but there's an ultra-rare, beautiful 1960 Byrdland in original factory cherry on eBay:

Item number: 281112600416

Shame about the strap button on the neck and the varitone clutter but come one - that there is a stunner!
 

JimR56

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Those here have probably seen this already, but there's an ultra-rare, beautiful 1960 Byrdland in original factory cherry on eBay:

Item number: 281112600416

Shame about the strap button on the neck and the varitone clutter but come one - that there is a stunner!

You noticed that too, did you FB? :ganz I posted a link and photos above, a few days ago (post 93). Only a few of those in existence!
 

CDaughtry

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Red 1959 ES 345

Red345%2810%29-XL.jpg
 

flameburst

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You noticed that too, did you FB? :ganz I posted a link and photos above, a few days ago (post 93). Only a few of those in existence!

Oh Bum! Sorry about that. I only dip in now and again and missed your earlier post Jim. :jim I should have known you'd already seen it. :salude What an amazing thing it is!
 

JimR56

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Was just doing some online searching, and came across something I'd seen before, but hadn't posted here. This one is a '61, apparently custom ordered with a red body and a black top. At least the back photo belongs in this thread (but I'll post both).

p2_uslgcn4ml_so.jpg

p1_umjnqncrr_so.jpg


Rare bird!
 

JimR56

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Currently up on ebay- a '60 Byrdland custom order, very similar to the one I posted above (sold at Skinner's auction house awhile ago), but with a varitone and different v/t knobs. The listing has TONS of photos.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-196...0-/281112600416?pt=Guitar&hash=item41739ddf60

Cherry red on spruce just kills me every time.

Well, the links to those photos went dead, but fortunately I just stumbled across several great photos of it, here: http://www.themusicemporium.com/product-detail/product/gibson-byrdland-cherry-1960.1.html

This beauty apparently went for $25K on ebay last year.

ae131005-_1500_1.jpg

ae131005-_1500_2.jpg

ae131005-_750_1.jpg

ae131005-_750_10.jpg

ae131005-_750_4.jpg
 

Elliot Easton

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Another one in Burgundy:

899091.jpg

Sweet Fancy Moses! Can there be anything more beautiful? I know players and collectors are really divided about the double florentine cutaway, but I think these and Kessells are gorgeous. Think of them as giant hollowbody SGs! And in sparkling burgundy? Beyond outrageous. What happened to the future? Were the Jetsons just lying to us? Forget flying cars-I thought we'd have time machines by now! I'd go back and order one of these in lefty as I'm sure no one did the first time around!
 

JimR56

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Sweet Fancy Moses! Can there be anything more beautiful? I know players and collectors are really divided about the double florentine cutaway, but I think these and Kessells are gorgeous. Think of them as giant hollowbody SGs! And in sparkling burgundy? Beyond outrageous. What happened to the future? Were the Jetsons just lying to us? Forget flying cars-I thought we'd have time machines by now! I'd go back and order one of these in lefty as I'm sure no one did the first time around!

Yes, give me a time machine too (hmm... has that thread topic already been done, btw?). I'd probably order a Gobel with a Charlie Christian pickup. I also might have created a double florentine cut Crest (not the rosewood crest, the ultra-rare one), probably in black.

My first high quality guitar was a '64 Kessel (regular). I only had it for about five years before it became part of a trade, and I've missed it ever since. Not quite as keen on the Lopez myself, but it does make a wonderful statement- especially in that color.

So, I'm the one who posted that thing, and I only just noticed that it has two toggle switches! Weird (that it has two, and that I never noticed). :hmm
 

Elliot Easton

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one is a standby switch so you can silence the guitar between sets w/o losing your settings! kinda cool actually, like a country gent has. also the trini has a shorter scale.
 

JimR56

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one is a standby switch so you can silence the guitar between sets w/o losing your settings! kinda cool actually, like a country gent has. also the trini has a shorter scale.

I had forgotten about the shorter scale. Nice.

Speaking of Gents, have you used them? I have a '60, the single-cut version with trestle bracing. Amazing guitar.
 

Elliot Easton

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Yes, I've had several, including a '65 lefty. Right now I have the Gretsch reissue of the '62 w/ all the George Harrison features. I string it with .012 Pyramid flatwounds, and between the heavy strings and the zero fret, it has the greatest, fastest, lowest action w/o buzz of any guitar that I own. The heavier strings don't flop around so you can get ridiculous action, with the truss rod cranked, with literally a whisper of relief. It's a real rail.
 
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JimR56

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Oct 20, 2012
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Yes, I've had several, including a '65 lefty. Right now I have the Gretsch reissue of the '62 w/ all the George Harrison features. I string it with .012 Pyramid flatwounds, and between the heavy strings and the zero fret, it has the greatest, fastest, lowest action w/o buzz of any guitar that I own. The heavier strings don't flop around so you can get ridiculous action, with the truss rod cranked, with literally a whisper of relief. It's a real rail.

My understanding is that trestle bracing was used on Gents up to early 1962. Do you know if your reissue has trestles? Just curious. I absolutely love the sustain they give mine. The thing sustains like a solidbody, while still delivering a bit of hollowbody airy-ness (moreso than a Gibson semi-hollow, to my ears). The 17" body probably contributes to that.
 

Elliot Easton

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I don't know for sure, but since it's a fairly recent FMIC model, after Fender really tweaked the line and got things a lot more accurate I would guess it has the trestle bracing. Mine plays like a dream.
 

abalonevintage

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one is a standby switch so you can silence the guitar between sets w/o losing your settings! kinda cool actually, like a country gent has. also the trini has a shorter scale.


The Trini Lopez Standard was based on the ES-335 and had the 24 3/4 scale.

The Trini Lopez Deluxe was based on the Barney Kessel model which had a 25 1/2 scale.

Thank "snakecharmer" for this info.
 
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