Finding Charlie Christian's guitar

**jasaco** · 11-12-2015, 06:06 PM

Excuse me if this has been posted before, but I just stumbled upon it now and found it interesting to read...

Finding Charlie Christian?s Guitar: Lynn Wheelwright Interview | Jas Obrecht Music Archive

**Fred Archtop** · 11-12-2015, 06:19 PM

Thanks for sharing. I've heard that this guitar has been tried out by Pat Metheny and that it's still a great instrument, which is unfortunately not always the case with guitars of that age.

Cheers

**MarkRhodes** · 11-12-2015, 06:23 PM

Fascinating article. Thanks!

**Dan Hunting** · 11-12-2015, 09:12 PM

I got to hear Lynn play this guitar at the Musical Instrument Museum. It was heavenly.

**Jabberwocky** · 11-12-2015, 11:30 PM

THE GRAIL! If Henry J. had any nous, he'd re-issue this and have it "weathered" to perfection by his best artisans.

This, for me, is the money shot:

Finding Charlie Christian's guitar-charlie-christian-gibson-es-250-jpg

Finding Charlie Christian's guitar-charlie-christian-gibson-es-250-jpg

Charlie Christian looks remarkably handsome here. First time that I have seen this photograph. Something old that is something new to me.

Thank you for linking the article.

**ruger9** · 11-13-2015, 06:59 AM

I can't believe the guy has never even strummed a chord on it! I get the "I'm not worthy" thing, but seriously... *I* am not worthy, but I would at least have played it some!

**floatingpickup** · 11-13-2015, 08:29 AM

Unbelievable! Does anyone know which vintage guitar dealer he bought it from? I can't believe they didn't realize what they had.
Keith

**Dedalus** · 11-13-2015, 09:01 AM

Great read, thanks.

**wintermoon** · 11-13-2015, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

Unbelievable! Does anyone know which vintage guitar dealer he bought it from? I can't believe they didn't realize what they had.
Keith

I do, the guitar was offered to me first as I had been on their want list.
I won't name the dealer but it came out of the midwest
didn't know it was Charlie's guitar of course and the replaced back killed the deal for me.
had I known.....

**floatingpickup** · 11-13-2015, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

I do, the guitar was offered to me first as I had been on their want list.
I won't name the dealer but it came out of the midwest
didn't know it was Charlie's guitar of course and the replaced back killed the deal for me.
had I known.....

Wow. That would have been a terrific acquisition.
Keith

**wintermoon** · 11-13-2015, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

Wow. That would have been a terrific acquisition.
Keith

as our dear departed Patrick would say.....

**fws6** · 11-13-2015, 01:53 PM

So, you all believe the story ? I think MANY people were quite critical when it first appeared like 4-5 years ago ? Must be several older threads on here also

(BTW I do own a genuine Jimi Hendrix owned / stage played Strat !!!! It has a replaced body and a replaced neck since he owned it but still it is quite dear to me)

**jazzbow** · 11-13-2015, 06:08 PM

I gotta post this...

Cool.....

**AlainJazz** · 11-13-2015, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by jazzbow

I gotta post this...

Cool.....

Just great!

**campusfive** · 11-14-2015, 02:32 PM

Ugh... that clip just bugs me so much. The tone is just completely wrong. They play the head for "Seven Come Eleven", but then just change to blow over blues for no reason - I guess "Seven Come Eleven" doesn't have enough changes for them. If you're gonna do a "Charlie Christian tribute" using the guy's guitar, you could, you know, like, maybe just try to get the right sound. The arrangement makes no sense, the soloists, both on guitar and sax, make no effort to get into character. The ensemble at the end is stupid.

If you get to play Charlie's guitar, at least throw down a couple of the guy's classic licks.

Ok, I'm gonna go listen to a bunch of Charlie for a while to calm down. Ugh....

**Hep To The Jive** · 11-14-2015, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by campusfive

Ugh... that clip just bugs me so much. The tone is just completely wrong. They play the head for "Seven Come Eleven", but then just change to blow over blues for no reason - I guess "Seven Come Eleven" doesn't have enough changes for them. If you're gonna do a "Charlie Christian tribute" using the guy's guitar, you could, you know, like, maybe just try to get the right sound. The arrangement makes no sense, the soloists, both on guitar and sax, make no effort to get into character. The ensemble at the end is stupid.

If you get to play Charlie's guitar, at least throw down a couple of the guy's classic licks.

Ok, I'm gonna go listen to a bunch of Charlie for a while to calm down. Ugh....

I agree completely, there's no spirit of CC in that video. With that kind of tone he would be better off doing a Pat Martino tune. I didnt know "Seven Come Eleven" was a blues head really! Wow

I think this video belongs to the thread Why Jazz Grown To Be Old And Moldy. When you come across a square jazz like that...

**entresz** · 11-17-2015, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive

I agree completely, there's no spirit of CC in that video. With that kind of tone he would be better off doing a Pat Martino tune. I didnt know "Seven Come Eleven" was a blues head really! Wow

I think this video belongs to the thread Why Jazz Grown To Be Old And Moldy. When you come across a square jazz like that...

My first thought when I heard that clip was how terribly 'white' it sounded...