Eric Clapton’s 1958 korina Gibson Explorer on display is likely the second one he owned, which was acquired in the early ’80s. His more famed Explorer appeared on Slowhand’s 1975 live album, E.C. Was Here, and traveled the world with him on his 1974-’75 tour.
Nashville, TN — Celebrity guitars, classic 6-string designs, photos of musicians from Woody Guthrie to Prince, paintings, and other works of art comprise the Frist Art Museum’s Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art, which will be on exhibit through August 13. It’s the first show to explore the instrument’s symbolism in American art, from the early 19th century through the present, and includes 125 beautifully curated works.
In addition to Eric Clapton’s ’58s Explorer, above, here are some highlights for gear fiends—and there are plenty of other instruments not pictured:
Keith Richards’ ’53 Fender Telecaster
Richards’ ’53 Tele sports a Broadcaster neck. The Rolling Stones’ guitarist played this instruments in the ’80s and ’90s.
Photo courtesy of Frist Art Museum
Brian Setzer’s ’56 Gretsch Silver Jet
The former Stray Cat strutted with this sparkling example of a Gretsch classic for about 20 years, starting in 2000.
Freddie King’s ’63 ES-335
This guitar is among the iconic Gibsons associated with King during his career, which helped define the sound of blues rock. King’s other favorites included a 1954 Les Paul goldtop that was destroyed when it was tipped over by his children at play, and a 1964 ES-345 that he used on his 1971 album, Getting Ready.
1930s Stella Gambler Deluxe
This Oscar Schmidt-built 12-string work of art, circa 1930, came decorated with overlapping playing cards in a nod to America’s preoccupation with gambling.
John Lee Hooker’s ’65 ES-335
The great bluesman employed a wide variety of models during his career, which spanned more than a half-century, ranging from Stella acoustics to the Epiphone Sheraton to this Gibson ES-335.
Gibson Style O
Gibson made these Style O hand-carved archtops from 1908 to 1925. It has a spruce top and maple back and sides.
Celebrity Guitars
This wall of guitars played by famed musicians also includes a 1954 Stratocaster owned by Eldon Shamblin, a member of Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys who helped craft the Western swing sound; Les Paul’s 1975 Recording model, which was a guinea pig for many of his mod experiments; a rare salmon-finish 1963 Strat; and a 1955 Strat played by Ronnie Wood.
Courtesy of Frist Art Museum
- Deep Blues: Freddie King's Texas Blues ›
- Rig Rundown: Eric Clapton ›
- Gretsch Announces New Brian Setzer Signature Models ›
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But that’s not to say he hasn’t made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the band’s career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others don’t, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
