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10-21-2017, 02:06 PM #1Dutchbopper Guest
I have been playing my 1963 BK custom for over a year now. It's a great guitar, very resonant with a classic sound. I came across an article by George Gruhn in which he explains the discovery of two prototypes that look like Kessels but clearly predate the introduction of the BK line by 2 years. One had the familiar double cutaway associated with the later Barney Kessel model and the other was a similar instrument, except for a single cutaway.
So Barney had no part in designing the instrument after all. He was only asked to endorse it after the fact. Perhaps that explains his reluctance to play it.Walter Carter checked Gibson’s records on this guitar and found it listed as being made for Tal Farlow in October, 1960. He found no record of the other guitar. Since Farlow is now deceased, we are unable to ask his personal recollections, but it’s clear this guitar pre-dates the introduction of instruments made with the Barney Kessel endorsement. It would appear Kessel was shown an instrument of this type and decided to endorse it rather than designing a Barney Kessel model on his own.
I have always found many similarities in the BK and the Tal Farlow model. I played a 64 Farlow a few years ago and it was a very similar instrument, sound wise. It was of a lighter build than the current TF models and more resonant therefore, like my BK. Sure, my own TF reissue has a less hifi/complex sound than my BK but even here there are still many similarities, the most obvious difference being the spruce top (BK) and maple one (TF).
Interestingly, at the time, the BK custom was more expensive than the TF. Even more expensive than a Byrdland. The BK is a class act.
For the article, click here.
Regards,
DBLast edited by Dutchbopper; 10-21-2017 at 02:29 PM.
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10-21-2017 02:06 PM
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10-22-2017, 10:11 AM #2Dutchbopper Guest
I turned this post into a Blog entry and posted it on several guitar groups. There was a comment by one of the readers that confirms Barney Kessel had nothing to do with the design of the Gibson Barney Kessel:
Regards,I met Barney Kessel at the Maryland Inn, in the late 70's he played there many times. I had just purchased this exact guitar from a pawn shop that week. I was in the restroom and he happen to be coming in also, I told him I had purchased his guitar just a few weeks ago, he laughed, clearly stated " I had nothing to do with that guitar or its design. This from the man himself. .....
DB
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He probably preferred his Kay....
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10-22-2017, 12:03 PM #4Dutchbopper GuestLOL. Was he ever seen playing one?
Originally Posted by TOMMO
He probably preferred his Kay....
DB
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Interesting, maybe that single cutaway BK they mentioned in the Gruhn article is the very first prototype presented to Tal since it is sometimes mentioned there were 3 of them, it would place it before the 2nd (faded to blonde) and the stolen 3rd appearing on the Trilogy album cover which is pretty much identical to the production model.
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Wasn't the spruce top a laminate as opposed to solid on the BK Custom? I think that as well as the humbuckers as opposed to Charlie Christian p/up might have been what Barney didn't feel comfortable with. I believe he played an L-7C with an ebony fingerboard and CC p/up for most of his career.
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Barney played an ES-350 with a CC PUP and chickenhead knobs. At some point he taped over the Gibson logo on the headstock (Possibly when he had an endorsement deal with Kay?) Originally Posted by jads57
Why Gibson has never made a reissue 350 with a CC PUP is a mystery to me. That seems like it would sell better than the double cut BK ever did.
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Ithought that he played a solid top Gibson? My mistake, thanks for the correction.
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ES-350 w/CC, a laminated guitar.
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Dick your playing and sound are excellent as always on the BK. I just cannot get over the looks of the sharp double cutaway, truly and uglier guitar is hard to find. Compared to a Tal I just do not see anything redeeming in the BK other than it gets the tone, but that is the player too.
I bought a BK years ago the top was caving in and it played fine but in the end I sold the guitar for a song and keep swapped out the case. The yellow crush velour lifton case are some of the best. In these days resides my Lyle copy of an L5 guitar from about 1971. Now there is a fine guitar.
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A pic of him with a Kay BK would be killer.... Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
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Hey! Here we are:
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Somebody else liked it, too:
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This is a bit harsh. Originally Posted by deacon Mark
I always thought the double cutaway made it look like something Batman might play. And if so, there is the fetching Barbara Gordon, who, as we all know, had a secret thing about Batman.
That in itself would make me consider this guitar...off to Gotham, and to serenade the lovely Miss Gordon.
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Different strokes for different folks. I love the look of the kessel and I also love the look of the original Ibanez double cut metheny's. They were inspired by art deco and are beautiful!
Originally Posted by deacon Mark
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Vinlander, that was exactly the same thought I had on reading that.
The first Tal Farlow prototype was promplty sent back to Gibson by Tal with a request for them to follow the design he had given them (which included a cutaway shaped along the lines of the upper bout of an F style mandolin, probbly not a practical specification for Gibson). With a single cutaway it would just look like a Florentine style archtop and I think that would look pretty snazzy.
I've always had trouble with the second cutaway on the GBK from a visual perspective, although one cannot argue with the tone! I work in nursing homes and one day I heard a visiting musician playing some solo jazz tunes in the activity room. It was one of the warmest, fattest, nicest jazz guitar sounds I have ever heard. I peeped in and here the guy is playing a GBK through IIRC a Deluxe Reverb. Whatta sound!
Dick, that guitar sure sounds fine in your hands, holy cow. Somehow that makes the double cutaways more attractive.
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And P.S. the kessel and metheny have the best upper fret access of any archtops I've ever played.
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10-22-2017, 03:39 PM #18Dutchbopper GuestI entirely dig the 50s/60s art moderne design of the Kessel. I could not think of a classic archtop model that is more 60s than the BK. By no means less beautiful than my Tal Farlow. Originally Posted by deacon Mark
The eye of the beholder. So not really debatable.
DBLast edited by Dutchbopper; 10-22-2017 at 04:04 PM.
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"While Gibson received a great deal of input from players and artist endorsers, it is clear the company’s own design team was responsible for the vast majority of its innovations and new models."
Shocked! I'm shocked!
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a while after Kessel died, I remember there was an auction selling off his personal guitars . Does anyone remember that ? Circa 2006 ?? If I recall correctly he owned very few instruments, besides the ES350 there was a bass, a solidbody, and to my surprise then also one of the Kay’s indeed ! Not a Gibson BK model.
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Originally Posted by TOMMO
He probably preferred his Kay....
The local music store had one of these recently maybe two. Very interesting looking guitar, but not a great guitar. Some of the old Kay's were nice though. Being out in the desert people come into the store after clearing out garages and such with all sorts of stuff and some of it really interesting.
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Hah, is that his brother standing next to him? Originally Posted by TOMMO
Hey! Here we are:
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Batman suggestion was good. The BK model could also be designed by Angus Young in his jazz days.
I would imagine that as a hard working session player Kessel might have played with anything with enough strings to make the session done. And make it sing.
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(Referring to the photograph in the prior post.)
No, that's his double.
That way he could have exclusive endorsement contacts with each company without getting into trouble. (At least for a while.)
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I still want one of these. I’m even tempted to buy a burst and have it refinished, just scared of the tiny 60’s neck.
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