Gibson Lucille

**Marty Grass** · 09-29-2017, 04:43 PM

I couldn't resist and picked up an ebony Lucille from the Chicago Music Exchange.

And some videos.

I'm pretty familiar with the model and have owned a couple over the years. It tends to be heavy due to the neck being more substantial than the average semi-hollow and the unrelieved solid maple center block. They are commonly about 9.5 lbs. My 345, which is a bit lighter than average for a 345, weighs 7 lbs. It has great sustain and playability.

I love the appearance. It speaks to me. That's my only defense.

**Stringswinger** · 09-29-2017, 05:25 PM

Did you get it for less than the $2495 price advertised on their website?

**Marty Grass** · 09-29-2017, 05:52 PM

I got $100 off.

I know that most have a very smooth transaction with the Chicago Music Exchange. I had a small problem with a missing nut for the pickguard. After several promises to send the part with no results, I gave up and got my own. That took the shine off of an otherwise stellar deal.

**Alder Statesman** · 09-29-2017, 05:55 PM

Congrats. Nice choice!

**citizenk74** · 09-29-2017, 06:05 PM

"It speaks to me" is all the justification one should ever need. It looks like a beauty. I look forward to your NGD, particularly details on the VT. Congrats!

**Stringswinger** · 09-29-2017, 06:07 PM

great price for a great looking guitar...

**vinnyv1k** · 09-29-2017, 06:15 PM

In the 90's I was totally on a blues kick. All I played was a 335 and a black Lucille. It was a great axe.
A early Congrats Mark ! I always dug the King brothers.

**Woody Sound** · 09-29-2017, 06:40 PM

Black, or red? They're both awesome in a different way.

**2bornot2bop** · 09-29-2017, 06:51 PM

Killer buy! I've owned 2 of them, one in black the other in red. I found the Lucille neck to be the most comfortable of all Gibson guitars...okay, only 8 guitars, but still, the Lucille necks left a big impression on me.

Congrat's, and all the best Mark!

**Max405** · 09-29-2017, 08:00 PM

Nice guitar MG. Does it have the Ren Wall tunable stop tailpiece? I swear that is the best invention ever. It would be cool for you to show Ren that you have one on your guitar. I know he was very proud of that.

**skykomishone** · 09-29-2017, 08:07 PM

Nice! B.B. let me play his once, and he also gave me a beer out of the cooler he had backstage at the Ludlow Garage in Cincinnati. Unbelievable experience. The Staple Singers played too. It was insane. The guy standing next to me saw how crazy I was about the King and it turned out he was a local radio host that knew him. He told me to stay with him at intermission and he'd introduce me. Bam! What a great person he was, being kind to a young player like that. Totally floored me. Loved that guitar, but I don't remember what kind of beer it was!

Congrats on the NGD!

**BigMikeinNJ** · 09-29-2017, 08:54 PM

Nice guitar Marty !!

Maybe we should get an OVER/UNDER Pool going on how many members tumble for the latest CME sale... LOL

Enjoy it in good health

Big

**Thumpalumpacus** · 09-29-2017, 09:24 PM

Play it like you stole it, brotha.

**Jazzstdnt** · 09-29-2017, 09:24 PM

That's a regal looking guitar.

**Marty Grass** · 09-30-2017, 07:39 AM

Black.

There's something imposing about that color. BB King generally used black in his final years.

I have two cherry guitars already. Sounds like I'm talking about buying a shirt when I put it that way.

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Black, or red? They're both awesome in a different way.

**Marty Grass** · 09-30-2017, 07:47 AM

This a great buying opportunity but it will hurt the used market, which I'm sure Gibson well knows.

I suspect Gibson will contract its product line. The 335 is the flagship of their semi-hollows and should be the last one standing. Maybe they'll make limited runs of the others.

Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ

Nice guitar Marty !!

Maybe we should get an OVER/UNDER Pool going on how many members tumble for the latest CME sale... LOL

Enjoy it in good health

Big

**Marty Grass** · 09-30-2017, 08:02 AM

The finer tuner tailpiece is a sore point for Ren Wall. At the time, Ren was doing artist relations for Gibson as well as guitar design, especially electronics. Ren noticed how the violin fines tunes at the tailpiece, which he thought could be a good idea for the guitar as well.

Ren invented the Gibson tailpiece inspired by the violin, the TP6. BB King liked it and wanted it on his Lucilles. It was also offered on some other guitars as well.

Gibson did not pay Ren anything for this design despite Ren doing the work on his own time. Ren told me that he was naive and was taken advantage of. There were other things he designed that he got no credit for. Not happy.

One of his concepts was the notion of a balanced set of strings as far as pull goes. He thought some neck twists may be due to a heavy pull on either the lower or higher strings. Ren did something simple. He measured how many pounds of iron hanging off a simulated guitar neck and bridge it took to bring a string to pitch. He believed that it would be best to have a balanced set so that all strings had the same weight pull.

This led to so called balanced string sets with the weight pull listed on the pack of strings. Now you see this pretty much everywhere. He got no recognition for that contribution-- until right now.

Ren fought Gibson to some degree about getting compensation for his contribution but soon realized it was a fight not worth pursuing. He did patent the Heritage Ren Wall pickup when he joined Heritage.

Originally Posted by Max405

Nice guitar MG. Does it have the Ren Wall tunable stop tailpiece? I swear that is the best invention ever. It would be cool for you to show Ren that you have one on your guitar. I know he was very proud of that.

**ruger9** · 09-30-2017, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

It speaks to me. That's my only defense.

And that's the only defense you need! I'm going through the process now of "figuring out" which guitars are keepers and which ones aren't. I want to thin heard, partly for simplicity and party to bring in more guitars! LOL But seriously, I'm examining sound, looks, feel, etc etc.... swapping pickups, etc.... but that really is the bottom line. My #1 (an MIA tele I've had for almost 25 years) speaks to me. My recent acquisition MIM Cabronita Thinline has always spoken to me, and especially since I got the right pickups in it.

But all my others... they look good, sound good, some sound GREAT... but.... IDK.... I play them well, as well as anything.... but they are missing that intangible thing.....

**Max405** · 09-30-2017, 09:26 AM

As you know, I’ve talked to Ren a couple of times about various things. He can’t be a nicer gentleman.
When mentioned the tailpiece and how much loved it, he was happy. It sucks that he got screwed. But he knows it’s a brilliantly executed idea, long after the compensation would have been gone.

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

The finer tuner tailpiece is a sore point for Ren Wall. At the time, Ren was doing artist relations for Gibson as well as guitar design, especially electronics. Ren noticed how the violin fines tunes at the tailpiece, which he thought could be a good idea for the guitar as well.

Ren invented the Gibson tailpiece inspired by the violin, the TP6. BB King liked it and wanted it on his Lucilles. It was also offered on some other guitars as well.

Gibson did not pay Ren anything for this design despite Ren doing the work on his own time. Ren told me that he was naive and was taken advantage of. There were other things he designed that he got no credit for. Not happy.

One of his concepts was the notion of a balanced set of strings as far as pull goes. He thought some neck twists may be due to a heavy pull on either the lower or higher strings. Ren did something simple. He measured how many pounds of iron hanging off a simulated guitar neck and bridge it took to bring a string to pitch. He believed that it would be best to have a balanced set so that all strings had the same weight pull.

This led to so called balanced string sets with the weight pull listed on the pack of strings. Now you see this pretty much everywhere. He got no recognition for that contribution-- until right now.

Ren fought Gibson to some degree about getting compensation for his contribution but soon realized it was a fight not worth pursuing. He did patent the Heritage Ren Wall pickup when he joined Heritage.

**Marty Grass** · 09-30-2017, 04:21 PM

Bought it yesterday afternoon. Received a shipping label today. Not shipped yet.

**Stringswinger** · 09-30-2017, 04:28 PM

I have always been a big fan of the TP-6 tailpiece. A great innovation.

**silverfoxx** · 09-30-2017, 05:39 PM

JD & MG,
I was unaware of the origins of the Ren Wall tailpiece used by Gibson
on the Lucille, it appears that in their dictionary, the words Integrity
and appreciation, are missing. All too easy to say after the event that
a patent would have helped. Some of us are too trusting.

**2bornot2bop** · 09-30-2017, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

Black.

There's something imposing about that color. BB King generally used black in his final years.

I have two cherry guitars already. Sounds like I'm talking about buying a shirt when I put it that way.

A black Lucille is stunning - It looks very REGAL. Fitting as it was created for a KING!