Iconic guitars--where are they now?

[Cunamara]

Duane Allman's Les Paul?

There were two sunbursts (one plain, one striped) and a gold top that he's been pictured with, as well as the SG style Les Paul which he bought from Dickey (so that Dickey could buy his own iconic gold top) and used mainly for slide. The plain LP is the one heard on "Fillmore East." There are photos of Duane playing an ES-335 with the Bros as well.

As I've heard the story, at least one of the sunburst LPs went to Gregg who traded it to Twiggs Lyndon (Allman Bros head roadie) for a classic car. When Twiggs had it refretted, the old frets were hammered into the back of the guitar spelling "Duane." ISTR there was a tribute LP made by Gibson that duplicated his name on the back in fretwire. I think that was the stripey one, but I am not sure. It may be that sunburst or perhaps the other one ended up hidden in a wall in Steve Morse's studio for safekeeping to go to Duane's daughter Galadriel when she grew up. She'd be long grown up now so I am assuming she has or had it.

Dickey has or had Duane's round-neck Dobro.

[fws6]

There is this interview with the guy who believes he tracked down Charlie Christian’s ES-250.

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

Believes.... you are putting it very right.....

[wintermoon]

Chuck Wayne’s D’angelico?
Kenny Burrells D’Angelico?

I remember way back when Mandolin Brothers had Kenny's NYer for sale. It had been refinshed sunburst at some point.
I used to know a guy that had Chuck's Excel but he said it sounded terrible acoustically as the inside had been lined w pool table felt to cut down feedback.

[Gitfiddler]

The recent thread about Tommy Tedesco's guitar got me thinking--where are all the historic and iconic guitars that made so much great music? Maybe if we harness the collective wisdom of this forum...

I'll start with one I saw in person:

George Benson's Gibson Johnny Smith with which he recorded Breezin'--at the American Instrument Museum in Phoenix.



I'll throw out a couple of others for you guys to work on:

Scotty Moore's ES-295 he used for first Elvis recordings.

Les Paul's LP prototype.

BB King's Lucille (ES-355).

Bo Diddley's Twang Machine.

Eric Clapton's Blackie Strat.

John Lennon's sanded-down Casino.

Joe Pass's ES-175 used on Virtuoso.

Segovia's 1937 Hermann Hauser SR.

I realize I could do a little googling. I do know the answers to some of these, but thought it'd be more fun to crowd-source.

There are MANY celebrity owned guitars at Phoenix, Arizona's Musical Instrument Museum (MIM).
If you ever are in the area, plan for about 4 hours of amazing guitar scenery. Highly recommended!

Home - Musical Instrument Museum

[mr. beaumont]

Anybody know what happened to Danny Gatton's guitars?

[John A.]

Anybody know what happened to Danny Gatton's guitars?

Some of them are here:

Danny Gatton Collection : Guitars : Electric : Jims Guitars, Inc.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about the rest.

John

[wintermoon]

Scotty Moore's '63 "Elvis Comeback Special" Super 400 is @ The Hard Rock Cafe.

[Chazmo]

...along with Grapelli's violin at Cite de la Musique in Paris.

I also saw Oscar Moore's Gibson at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California a few years ago. Moore was the best jazz guitarist you probably never heard of.

[wintermoon]

Which one?

[Cunamara]

I also saw Oscar Moore's Gibson at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California a few years ago. Moore was the best jazz guitarist you probably never heard of.

Well, not so true in this room! Moore is well known here.

I think it's likely that Oscar Moore (and Irving Ashby and John Collins after Moore left, IIRC) is one of the main reasons why I play jazz guitar. My dad was a Nat Cole fan and I grew up listening to those trio records. Amazing stuff. Between that and pop/rock music being guitar based when Imwas a kod, pretty much doomed to play guitar.

Oscar Moore's Telecaster is also around somewhere, there was a thread on that a couple years back. IIRC it was Olympic white with gold plated hardware and a rosewood board. Maybe the first jazz Tele player?

[ThatRhythmMan]

The Smithsonian has an entry in their collection for Johnny Smith's Gibson JS. The entry shows that it was a gift of Johnny Smith. Did he have more than one or is this the only one?

Record Johnny Smith's Gibson Electric Guitar | Collections Search Center, Smithsonian Institution



They also have Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" ES-350T.


Record Electric guitar belonging to Chuck Berry, nicknamed "Maybellene" | Collections Search Center, Smithsonian Institution

[Greentone]

I know a guy who owns Danny Gatton's '53 Telecaster, before Danny started playing the fancy looking stuff made by Fender's Custom Shop. I will refrain from naming him, though, so he doesn't get pestered. He owns an amp that was Danny's main gigging amp, too.

Point is, the guitar is not lost.

Wait...I may be mis-stating things. It might actually be Roy Buchanan's '53 and amp, now that I think about it.

[rob taft]

If you are referring to MY, it is "Nancy" Roy's 53 telecaster but he has a huge collection so who knows. Another mystery is where is Clapton's Beano guitar or the Les Paul that was used to record the Blues Breakers LP. That guitar which was stolen prior to Cream is reported to be in the hands of a USA collector.

[Easy2grasp]

There was an article in Guitar Player August 1998 about the discovery and restoration of Wes's L-5.