Description
Description
This ain’t your average Gretsch Billy-Bo! From the bench of Gretsch Custom Shop Master Builder Gonzalo Madrigal, this guitar features wood from—well, another bench—reclaimed from a roundup rodeo, and was acquired by Chicago Music Exchange from an FMIC private event.
Gretsch Custom Shop went “whole hog” on its Western theme when choosing appointments and hardware for this G6199-CST Roundup Rodeo Bench “Billy-Bo,” including a belt-buckle tailpiece depicting a scene around a chuck-wagon, metal-studded tooled leather–strap binding around the sides—complete with emblems of Texas longhorn steer—and even a number “7” carved right into the guitar’s top—which we think is a visible testament to this guitar’s provenance, indeed.
Outside of this guitar’s thematic visual aesthetic, the “Billy-Bo” body shape is modeled after the Gretsch model first dubbed the “Jupiter Thunderbird,” which is one of the signature Gretsch body shapes designed by influential blues guitarist Bo Diddley, himself.
The bluesman eventually gifted his personal Gretsch G6199 to Billy Gibbons, who used Diddley’s Jupiter Thunderbird on recordings, until eventually requesting a recreation of Diddley’s original instrument from Gretsch, so he could have a touring version, so as not to risk damage to Diddley’s guitar. Ever since, the Gretsch G6199 body shape has been affectionately renamed the “Billy-Bo,” in honor of its original owners.
Part: 9252003995
Weight: 7lbs 1oz
Top Wood: Solid Rodeo Bench Reclaimed Wood
Back Wood: Solid Rodeo Bench Reclaimed Wood
Headstock Logos: Gretsch Logo
Neck Material: Flame Maple
Neck Shape: "C"
Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 12"
Number of Frets: 22 Vintage Frets
Position Mark: Thumbnail Position Inlays
Side Positions: Cream Side Dots
Finish: Relic Lacquer
Colors: Natural
Machine Heads: Gotoh Tuning Machines
Neck Pickup: TV Jones Super'Tron Neck
Bridge Pickup: TV Jones Super'Tron Bridge
Bridge: Synchro Sonica
Tailpiece: Gretsch Belt Buckle Tail-Piece
Controls: Master Volume; Tone Switch with Treble Bleed; Pickup Selector Switch
Hardware: Nickel/Chrome