Finding Charlie Christian’s Guitar: An Interview With Lynn Wheelwright

[JasO]

In 2002, guitar builder and researcher Lynn Wheelwright was flipping through an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine, hoping to improve his database of descriptions and catalog numbers. He chanced upon an ad for a Gibson ES-250 archtop. For collectors and researchers of early electric guitars, this is a highly desirable model, since Gibson only manufactured them between 1938 and 1940. Gibson had published a catalog photo of the great Charlie Christian playing one with a natural finish. An astute researcher, Lynn quickly realized that the advertised guitar was none other than Charlie Christian’s actual guitar. It is, in fact, the only guitar that’s ever been proven to be directly connected to Charlie Christian.

 

I recently began posting a series of Charlie Christian-related interviews with Benny Goodman, producer John Hammond, and Barney Kessel. I was thrilled to get a donation from Lynn Wheelwright, whose name I didn't recognize. After I emailed my thanks, he wrote back and mentioned that he had Charlie's ES-250. This was too good to pass up, naturally, so I convinced him to do an interview for the website.

 

Not only does Lynn cover Charlie's guitar in-depth, but he also provides great insights into common misconceptions about the early electric guitar history, as well as pre-Christian players such as Alvino Rey and pioneering manufacturers including as Doc Kauffman and Leo Fender. For fans of guitar gear, this one's a must-read. I've posted the entire conversation here: Jas Obrecht Music Archive: Finding Charlie Christian's ES-250

[SamBooka]

Thanks for posting.

I too have never heard of Lynn Wheelwright but the name Jas Obrecht rings a bell. :)

[frenchie1281734003]

Thanks for posting, that was a very enjoyable read.

 

Steve.

[kidmo]

Thanks for that Jas. I find the history of guitars very interesting also am just now appreciating how influential Charlie was. It's a shame that on a Gibson forum you have over 1500 views and only a few replies especially about a Gibson. Keep doing what you do.