Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

New Fretboard Journal is out. Derek Trucks and a Gibson Acoustic!

MorrisrownSal

By MorrisrownSal
in Gibson Acoustic

Recommended Posts

MissouriPicker

MissouriPicker

Posted
Posted

Trucks isn't mentioned very often when people talk about legendary pickers, but he's definitely one of them. Just one of those great musicians mainly known in guitar circles for his skills. Nice to see him with a Gibson and getting some publicity........Incidentally, speaking of great guitars, ran into an old friend at my Wednesday afternoon gig. He wanted to show me what he bought about three weeks ago. Said he knows this guy who owns an Olsen that is a copy of what James Taylor plays and that he played it several times and wanted to place an order for one ($14,000). He said the sound is astounding. Then, one day about three weeks ago he and his wife go into the GC in Overland Park, Ks. and he's noodling on some guitars and then he picks-up this used Hummingbird Standard. He said he hadn't played a "bird" in years and that it totally blew him away. His wife said "that sounds really cool" and look at the price (2450). He bought it and says he saved 11,000 and that's it's as sweet as any guitar he's played. For me, there's something very different between a Gibson and other nicely-made guitars. Most, if not all high-dollar guitars sound pretty good, but Gibsons actually have a personality. Not all guitars are made the same....I told him that with all the bucks he saved, that he should get a J45 to go along with the bird.

OldCowboy

OldCowboy

Posted
Posted

Trucks isn't mentioned very often when people talk about legendary pickers, but he's definitely one of them. Just one of those great musicians mainly known in guitar circles for his skills. Nice to see him with a Gibson and getting some publicity........Incidentally, speaking of great guitars, ran into an old friend at my Wednesday afternoon gig. He wanted to show me what he bought about three weeks ago. Said he knows this guy who owns an Olsen that is a copy of what James Taylor plays and that he played it several times and wanted to place an order for one ($14,000). He said the sound is astounding. Then, one day about three weeks ago he and his wife go into the GC in Overland Park, Ks. and he's noodling on some guitars and then he picks-up this used Hummingbird Standard. He said he hadn't played a "bird" in years and that it totally blew him away. His wife said "that sounds really cool" and look at the price (2450). He bought it and says he saved 11,000 and that's it's as sweet as any guitar he's played. For me, there's something very different between a Gibson and other nicely-made guitars. Most, if not all high-dollar guitars sound pretty good, but Gibsons actually have a personality. Not all guitars are made the same....I told him that with all the bucks he saved, that he should get a J45 to go along with the bird.

Personality is good. I've usually thought of that quality as soul, and Gibsons for sure have it. To me, it's like other makers' guitars resemble singers who've had voice lessons while the Gibson has a natural gift.

jt

jt

Posted
Posted

JT,

 

Great article. I have been a big fan of DT for years, and the way he approaches life and music. Your story captures this.

Thanks for the kind words! They mean a lot.

  • 4 weeks later...
jt

jt

Posted
Posted

Play4him,

 

Thanks for sharing that video. I'd not seen it.

 

I got the chance to play the guitars Derek had with him on the road (including his just purchased Les Paul Goldtop that is one serial number away from Duane's!). What struck me is that his action is so low that it's perfect for my wimpy, fingerpicking hands. Derek plays both slide and fretted on the same guitar (electrics in open E and acoustics in open D) and never produces any fret rattle with is slide. He's got amazing technique.

play4him

play4him

Posted
Posted

Play4him,

 

Thanks for sharing that video. I'd not seen it.

 

I got the chance to play the guitars Derek had with him on the road (including his just purchased Les Paul Goldtop that is one serial number away from Duane's!). What struck me is that his action is so low that it's perfect for my wimpy, fingerpicking hands. Derek plays both slide and fretted on the same guitar (electrics in open E and acoustics in open D) and never produces any fret rattle with is slide. He's got amazing technique.

 

Jt,

 

I agree. I really like his playing.

Rambler

Rambler

Posted
Posted

Congrats, JT. Your are in high cotton.

 

Dont read too much into the Smeck. Ive also seen shots of him with an L00 and a D28. I dont think he has a thing for particular flattop they way he does with SGs. Speaking of which-- there are a couple of clips of him playing BB Kings entire trip on bottleneck in open E. Every last danged inflection. That is so impressive. he can jump from that to a raga and then your std Elmo James. He lives and breathes music.

 

(in this context, its awfully close to crossing the line from tribute to oneupsmanship. Not intentionally, but B is clearly floored).
jt

jt

Posted
Posted

Congrats, JT. Your are in high cotton. ... Dont read too much into the Smeck. Ive also seen shots of him with an L00 and a D28.

 

Indeed. He let me play his black and white 1930s L-00, a full page photo of which appears in the article. A very nice guitar. In the article, I point out that Derek says it, with a vintage DeArmond pickup, is his favorite acoustic slide guitar. But, as I also point out in the article, Derek only recently acquired the Smeck, and he loves it. I suspect that it has already supplanted the L-00 as his acoustic slide guitar of choice. I'll report back.

 

Speaking of which-- there are a couple of clips of him playing BB Kings entire trip on bottleneck in open E. Every last danged inflection. That is so impressive. he can jump from that to a raga and then your std Elmo James. He lives and breathes music.

 

(in this context, its awfully close to crossing the line from tribute to oneupsmanship. Not intentionally, but B is clearly floored).

I reference that clip in the Fretboard Journal article.

mz-s

mz-s

Posted
Posted

Just subscribed on my iPad. The magazine looks excellent. Looking forward to reading a few back issues and enjoying the future ones.

jt

jt

Posted
Posted
(not s subscriber).

 

Ah, my bad. I figured folks commenting in a thread about a magazine article would have read the article.

 

You can easily remedy your lack of subscriber status! :)

Rambler

Rambler

Posted
Posted

Ah, my bad. I figured folks commenting in a thread about a magazine article would have read the article.You can easily remedy your lack of subscriber status! :)

Thanks, JT. Not that motivated.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...