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Perhaps the Ugliest Gibson pickguard I've ever seen....lol


onewilyfool

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When I displayed this guitar last autumn under a pickguard-thread called Flora and Fauna, someone responded that Presley had drawn these zig-zags himself. Think the piece was created in the late 50'ties, which is sensed by a closer look. We are in the zone between pre-60ties western world cocktail bar and Sovjet Sputnik arts. As a matter of fact I think Elvis nailed it - he should have continued such experiments.

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When I displayed this guitar last autumn under a pickguard-thread called Flora and Fauna, someone responded that Presley had drawn these zig-zags himself. Think the piece was created in the late 50'ties, which is sensed by a closer look. We are in the zone between pre-60ties western world cocktail bar and Sovjet Sputnik arts. As a matter of fact I think Elvis nailed it - he should have continued such experiments.

 

It is a style that is usually called either googie or populuxe. You are correct, it was in response to the interest, back in the 50's and 60's, in the space race and anything like it. Think Seattle Space Needle, Old Holiday Inn signs, LAX airport, The Jetsons and the like. I doubt Presley had the artful talent to create such a faddish design.

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I've been Jonesing for an SJ-200 lately and when I came across a picture of one with that pickguard, I almost barfed. These things are a matter of personal taste, I realize. Many people consider the standard SJ-200 pickguard to be hideous. But I love the standard and really dislike the Elvis. As I understand it, the design was Elvis' idea. Must've been around the time he was trying to get Richard Nixon to make him a special FBI drug enforcement agent.

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It is a style that is usually called either googie or populuxe. You are correct, it was in response to the interest, back in the 50's and 60's, in the space race and anything like it. Think Seattle Space Needle, Old Holiday Inn signs, LAX airport, The Jetsons and the like. I doubt Presley had the artful talent to create such a faddish design.

 

Seattle Space Needle - never heard of that one, but it's right on. Read that it's from 1962 and checked some photos of the interieur. It sure captures that late 50'ties/first60'ties pretty immature, but charming attempt to reach out for 'the great future'. So does the over the top Elvis guard. It would give me the migraine to have it in house, still I admire Presley for casting himself after the project. One thing must be said about you Americans - You have the spirit, guts and ability to just go for a theme, an obvious solution or a new idea, , , and then in a couple of years make the result the state of the art (okay, the guard might be an exception). Over here we tend to consult a panel of ever spooking forfathers for green light and advice, then walk around a big oak-table like longbearded philosophers for months before we even appear on square one.

 

TommyK - Do we see a trace of populux in the Gibson Firebird and Explorer ?

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Seattle Space Needle - never heard of that one, but it's right on.

 

It is supposed to be a signature building of Seattle, Washington.

 

Seattle Space Needle

 

One thing must be said about you Americans - You have the spirit, guts and ability to just go for a theme, an obvious solution or a new idea, , , and then in a couple of years make the result the state of the art (okay, the guard might be an exception). Over here we tend to consult a panel of ever spooking forfathers for green light and advice, then walk around a big oak-table like longbearded philosophers for months before we even appear on square one.

 

I had a manager once who called it "Fall Forward Faster." Sometimes you got to take the bull by the horns, thrown the spaghetti against the wall, then see what sticks. General Patton used it to great effect during the Second World War. Keep pushing, keep attacking, don't give your enemy time to dig in.

TommyK - Do we see a trace of populux in the Gibson Firebird and Explorer ?

 

Fire Bird? Explorere? populuxe.... Yeah, I'd say so.

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General Patton used it to great effect during the Second World War. Keep pushing, keep attacking, don't give your enemy time to dig in.

 

 

 

 

 

Oouuhh, the wild Mister Patton, , , ! Believe it or not, I went to Belgium to follow his trails in the Ardennes during The B. of Bulge a couple of years ago, carrying fuel for a Sherman in a vintage M3 half-tracker (that Joachim Pieper sure was a severe opponent). Unfortunately we broke down in the woods.

A bit off theme here, , , apart from my theory that the WW II US-campaigns through Europe might have been first chance for these geographies to hear/see ringing Gibsons ever.

 

(Btw only brought my Lee Oskar harp)

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  • 8 years later...
1 hour ago, KD Elvis said:

I'm an Elvis Impersonator and Tribute Artist and I say, Iam not a big fan of that guitar. My uncle had a replica and I was like NOPE! The guitar he used in Aloha From Hawaii is the one I own and use.

elvis aloha guitar.jpg

I like this Dove version

I'm a big EP fan. I have the Martin D28EP with the leather cover.

 

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1 hour ago, slimt said:

The Elvis model  Gibson looks like a Andy Warhol design.   Just the lines say Warhol. 

 

1 hour ago, Dave F said:

I like this Dove version

I'm a big EP fan. I have the Martin D28EP with the leather cover.

 

Very Impressive. I wish I had that Martin, too. Must be beautiful!

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