Brand: Gibson
Instrument Categories: Archtop, Electric, Guitars, SOLD, Thinline
The Gibson Byrdland thinline archtop electric appeared in 1955 and represents a functional adaptation of traditional archtop electric for modern needs.
Two top Nashville session players, Billy Byrd and Hank Garland were approached by the Gibson president, Ted McCarty for ideas on new products. As busy players, Byrd and Garland wanted a shorter scale length of 23.5 inches to allow complex, extended chord shapes. The Gibson Byrdland guitar was also given a thinner body, but built in the style of top end archtops – the top and back are hand-carved from solid Spruce and Maple. Most other commercial archtop electrics use laminates for the body to improve feedback resistance.
The Gibson Byrdland has been available over the years with both Florentine (pointed) and Venetian (rounded) cutaway. Presently, the purchaser can specify which cutaway style is delivered. As always, the body uses a carved Spruce top and carved flame Maple back, with flame maple for the sides and three-piece neck. The fingerboard is ebony with Mother of Pearl block position markers, and multi-layer binding is used everywhere.
This Byrdland was built at the Gibson Nashville plant and dates to June 11, 1991. It features the rounded Venetian cutaway and a natural gloss finish, which shows off the spectacular AAA grade flamed Maple used on the back and sides. It is in overall very good original condition, with only minor wear. The gold plated parts show almost no evidence of corrosion or wear.
This label on this guitar is not a ‘standard’ Gibson label, but identifies it as a Master Model and is signed by Jim Triggs, who from 1986 was one of the Master Luthiers at the Gibson Nashville Custom Shop.
The original hard shell brown Gibson case is included.
- Model: Byrdland
- Year: 1991
- Finish Natural Gloss
- Class: Used
- Serial Number: 91621424
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Very Good
- Date Posted: 06/06/2018
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Required CITES documentation
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 7.56lbs 3.44kg
- Scale Length: 23.5in 570mm
- Nut Width: 1.73in 44mm
