Barney Kessel's guitar: Gibson L-7 or ES-350?

[lpdeluxe]

I have my own dramatic revelation: my lady friend (and percussionist in my combo), Jody, told me that her father's cousin was Ray Leatherwood, the upright bass player on the album that included Cry Me a River. The singer was Julie London, and the guitarist was (of course) Barney Kessel. This is available as a CD, which includes that album as well as a followup with Howard Roberts and a different bassist. Recommended (I gave Jody a copy for Christmas a couple of years ago).

I saw a Gibson Barney Kessel in the flesh a few years ago: cherry sunburst (AKA "sunburn"), double pointed cutaways, banjo fingerboard inlays, Barney, what were you thinking? And the earlier Kay BK signature was even worse.

...and through it all he played his modified ES-350.

[randyc]

On the original question: after close study of Kessel's instrument in stills and video, it seems clear it is in fact an ES-350 from 1947 or '48. These are the only two years the model was built with a single pickup. (Barney himself was off by a year or two in the interview above, as the 350 was not introduced until 1947.) Though the L-7C body is identical in shape and size, the body of Kessel's guitar is fully sunburst on the back and sides, while the L-7 is burst only on top. Also, the tailpiece on Kessel's guitar is gold plated, while the L-7 had nickel hardware only. Finally, the 350 would have been a better conversion choice, as the braces would neither have to be cut nor moved, as they would be on the L-7. And it's quite likely Kessel would have preferred the laminated body of the 350 as it's more feedback resistant, and sturdier against the rigors of the road. As noted above, the dot-inlay ebony fingerboard was added during the conversion.

Hope this helps set the matter to rest, wherever the actual guitar is located today. Cheers!

Joe Vinikow
archtop.com

If Joe Vinikow (Thanks for my L-5, Joe) says it's so then I for one am content that the ambiguity has been resolved.

randyc

[silverfoxx]

I tend to think ES350 too, although having looked at the L7, the shape is pretty similar. I think you're right about the Kay - I read that Kessel was not very complimentary about it in conversation! I'm not sure he always got on very well with Gibson either - there are videos on YouTube where you can clearly see that the Gibson logo on his guitar has been covered with black tape.

I recall that BK was less than impressed when presented the the Gibson Barney Kessel model,
double cutaway, and apparently asked for the money ( endorsement fee ,one assumes ) when
nothing was forthcoming, he subsequently masked off the Gibson logo on his current L7 /350
in his displeasure. I was told this by my late tutor who was a friend of Barney, Wes, JP and many
other notable players in his day.

[lawson-stone]

I was just mooching about through today's posts and came across the discussion of BK, and this from the Youtube link. From most of the things I've heard about him he sounded rather unpleasant. I'm sure I can be just as unpleasant - so why can't I play like this:

To pick up from that other 'Epi thread' (Meggy will understand this) I saw Barney Kessel at The Royal Theatre in Lincoln - along with Martin Taylor and others. That would be in the late 80's. On the same tour he played a couple of numbers I believe with the already-mentioned Leo Solomon Trio at the Humberstone Country Club. Barney Kessel - in Cleethorpes.

And did you see where he removed the pickup selector switch (?) from the upper bout? Man that guy loved tinkering with guitars.

[wintermoon]

And did you see where he removed the pickup selector switch (?) from the upper bout? Man that guy loved tinkering with guitars.

switch?
if you're referring to Barney's 350, it's a first year model w/only one pickup, so no selector.
I have a blonde '47 w/the stock single P-90.

[oldane]

And did you see where he removed the pickup selector switch (?) from the upper bout? Man that guy loved tinkering with guitars.

I'm not sure we are seeing the ghost of a PU selector switch. A switch wouldn't make sense on a one PU guitar and there's no sign of a filled hole from a bridge PU. In the video I can see a round spot on the upper bout but it's not located where a selector switch would be. It may be a scratch, a fingerprint or whatevever.

As for who's owning the guitar now, Bruce Forman had it in his possession and used it at some point after Barneys death, but I don't know if he actually owns it or just had it on loan.

BTW, Forman was quoted saying that the guitar was in need of a setup. It's quite interesting to see that some top name guitarists instruments are actually in a so so shape. That goes for Tal Farlows prototype Farlow model in later years whose frets were badly worn. A Danish guitarist befriending Freddie Green in his late years had the opportunity to play Greens famous Gretsch and reported that it - apart from the monster high action - was in an awful condition and very much in need of loving care from a competent luthier.

Barneys guitar was discussed here in 2012: Barney Kessells guitar, any other musicians guitars being used.
As can be seen, there was speculation about there being two guitars equipped the same way. It would make sense for a travelling and busy musician to have a spare instrument, but it could also have been the same instrument at different points in its lifespan. Barney was known to have had it/them refinished and worked over at least a couple of times.

[lawson-stone]

switch?
if you're referring to Barney's 350, it's a first year model w/only one pickup, so no selector.
I have a blonde '47 w/the stock single P-90.

Well, there's hole in that guitar on the video in the upper bout where a selector switch or other control might go. Maybe someone took a shot at him? Looks like about a .38 special sized hole...

[vinlander]

not a hole, more looks like some smudge

[Greentone]

BK's guitar was a first-year ES-350. Look at the top--maple. It is not a L7 as some people thought.

The first year 350 was a single P90 guitar. It was the successor to the single P90 ES-300, but it had a cutaway. Here, Gibson had introduced the pinnacle of jazz guitars--with the exception of the lack of the cobalt pickup (the Charlie Christian)--it was even better than the ES-250.

Both Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel made it their instrument of choice for the remainder of their careers. Tal, of course, added doo-dads to his and had Gibson go with a shallower rim--bingo, the TF signature guitar.

BK installed a CC pickup from either a ES 150 or 250 and made the supreme jazz box. The laminated body resisted feedback and the tone was even better than the ES-175. I say this begrudgingly as a 30-year plus ES-175 player.

I can't think of anything about that particular guitar of Kessel's that I don't like.

[wintermoon]

"with the exception of the lack of the cobalt pickup (the Charlie Christian)--it was even better than the ES-250."

aside from lack of cutaway, how so?
plus the 250 had a carved spruce top.

[Jabberwocky]

Attachment 34776

Trust the Japanese to give proper homage to an American jazz hero:

1512014

All that's missing is a strip of black tape...

Yes, it's for sale. JPY330 000.

[2bornot2bop]

Attachment 34776

Trust the Japanese to give proper homage to an American jazz hero:

1512014

All that's missing is a strip of black tape...

Yes, it's for sale. JPY330 000.

Crazy huh. And that guitar looks crazy good! A made in Japan CC pickup? I wonder what it sounds like?

[Burrellesque]

Has this been shared here?

[ugarte]

I think artist endorsements rarely worked out over the long term back in the day. Its never been easy making a living (or more) as a musician and I can imagine how someone like BK or HR, years after the endorsement money is gone see a print add with a picture of them and a Gibson/Fender/whatever.

I swear I have seen BK in cameo roles in Hollywood films as a guitar player in a band, that probably only paid scale but somewhere an agent must have convinced him that the exposure was useful. There is this Jimmy Stewart, Kim Novak film called bell, book and candle that was sort of the seed idea for the bewitched TV series, there is a crazy scene in a club full of witches and warlocks where there is sort of a pseudo-jazz band, Jack Lemon plays wild bongos and I swear the guitar player (playing a very nice looking new strat) is BK.

[pubylakeg]

Kessel isn't in "Bell B. + C." but he was in the first episode of John Cassavete's series "Johnny Staccato". I think I read he also acted a cameo in a Perry Mason episode.

Ever see the episode of Sanford & Son with Herb Ellis in it ?

[archtops]

BK appears in the classic jazz short 'Jammin The Blues' from 1944 here:

I believe it's his first screen appearance. Enjoy!

-jv

[Dutchbopper]

In a Barney Kessel-and-his-guitars thread invariably two things come up:

1. Barney Kessel did not like the Gibson BK it so it must be a bad guitar.
2. The BK is ugly.

1. Is totally wrong. It is a great vintage guitar, especially the early BK Custom ones are high end guitars. A BK Custom was more expensive than a Tal Farlow at the time. What Kessel thought of it is totally irrelevant to me. I am my own man.
2. Is subjective. I happen to just love it. It´s impossible to find a more 60s model. I totally love its looks.

Now tell me this guitar sounds bad:

DB

[citizenk74]

DB, that BK, and your playing, are BA! TY!

[Burrellesque]

OK I think I got it right this time
Has this been posted? Haven't seen it before....

[Burrellesque]

Here's something else I found...

Bruce Forman as previously mentioned..


THE UNIQUE GUITAR BLOG: Barney Kessel Guitars

[Runegitane]

I knew a fine Luthier in Minneapolis, MN around the mid 1980s, Dave Patterson, and he had sold me an archtop of his making (great guitar, 17", gold dearmond rythmn chief p.u., amazing craftmanship and sound). Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis were doing a thing at a mpls jazz venue called the Downtowner and Dave wanted to borrow my guitar to take and show them, hoping for feedback and I suppose maybe an order. He didn't have anew example at hand at the time.

So he goes to the gig, and on intermission he takes the guitar back to the dressing room to show Barney, who was there, while Herb was busy. Never got it out of thee case before Kessel dismissed him shortly saying "I've already got a guitar" . No interst or encouragement there, probably a case of bad timingalso, but evidently Kessel was not a gear enthusiast, had his lifelong jazz ax and that was that. And of course imagine the history in that guitar!

The luthier came back quite downhearted, but he perked up a couple years later when Kennt Burrell bought a couple of his instruments.