In addition to being a great player, Chet Atkins came up with many great ideas to push the guitar forward. During his association with Gibson, two novel instruments appeared: the Gibson Chet Akins CE Classical Electric, and the Gibson Chet Atkins SST solidbody acoustic. Both were efforts to produce the tone and responsiveness of nylon-string or steel-string acoustic guitars, with the support of as much amplification was required but without any of the feedback problems – no matter the volume.
These instruments feature a mahogany back with a spruce or cedar top, mahogany neck with rosewood or ebony fingerboard. The bridge contains an under-saddle transducer pickup, and three active roller volume, treble and bass tone controls are on the upper bass side.
This 1992 Gibson Chet Atkins SS uses a spruce top, and ebony for the fingerboard and bridge. It sports a gloss black finish with 5-pointed mother of pearl ‘star’ position markers. It has been actively played, and so has a few marks here and there on the top and lower bout. However, it plays very well.
The Gibson Chet Akins CE Classical Electric and the Gibson Chet Atkins SST solidbody acoustic were discontinued, the CE in 1992 and the SST in 2006. However, the underlying concept for these instruments is completely valid and has been adopted by a number of builders. The most successful example is the Godin Multiac, which is available in many configurations and is very popular with performers requiring both the nuances of an acoustic and the practicality of a solidbody.
Serial Number: 92662330. This dates the instrument to September 23, 1992, production number at the Gibson Nashville plant.
Pricing: $1,200.00 Canadian, with original brown Gibson case.
Status: SOLD
