1963 Gibson barney kessel

$7,495.00

  • Year: 1963
  • Manufacturer: Gibson
  • Model: barney kessel
  • Case: Hard
  • Color: Sunburst
  • Condition: Excellent
  • Description: Rare and distinctive early Barney kessel. EC Condition, comes with a 50s browncase with pink lining, that might be original to the guitar, PAF short magnet(PAT) pickups, never openened potcans/electronics, typicall 1962-1963 model with 42mm neck width and spruce top and a maple body 17th fret body meeting neck construction (by 1964 Gibson changed to 14th fret body-neck joint and by 1965 Gibson had switched to all-maple body) The Barney Kessel Artist model was introduced in 1961, with a 645mm (25 1/2") scale length, with their double-Florentine cutaway shape –somewhere between a ES-335 and a SG model typical 60s Gibson stylig! A 17-inch body width gives the guitar plenty of stage presence, while the mear 7.6cm (3-inch) depth makes it very comfortable. Aaron Thibeaux, better known as "T-Bone" Walker actually used one of these. There were only 154 Barney Kessel Regular models made in 1963. Comes with a very nice original Sunburst finish that only slightly checked and is really in beautiful condition. Pickguard is original, as is the very cool trapeze tailpiece with the raised diamond and the rosewood shield with the "Barney Kessel" nameplate. Only issue is someone tried to scratch the matching serial number but the 62 ist still readable. This vintage Gibson is extremely collectable and a great player of excellent quality, a perfect in-between Archtops like the L5 and the RockandRoll guitars like the ES-335, very rare and very much sought after. The one-piece mahogany neck has been untouched, and the original vintage Kluson Deluxe tuners remain.