1957 gretsch white falcon full#

This was in direct contrast to Fender, Gibson’s main American competitor, who were producing cheaper instruments with bolt-on necks. Designed in conjunction with legendary jazz guitarist Les Paul (hence the name) these instruments specifically sought to bring the prestige and craftsmanship of Gibson’s finest acoustics and hollow-bodies to the high-performance solid electric guitars market. Gibson’s first-ever solid-bodied guitars, the Les Paul range, were first introduced in 1952.

Before we get too deep into Old Black’s extensive modifications, however, let’s take a look at Gibson’s prestigious goldtop guitars. Further aftermarket upgrades circa 1968 included its chrome-plated metal pickup covers and chrome pickguard. He traded Messina his old Gretsch 6120 for “Old Black”, which quickly became Young’s number one electric guitar.Īt the time, Old Black sported its signature paint job, perhaps even complete with peeling paint! Peeking out from underneath the black was the original gold with which the guitar left Gibson’s factory. Neil Young first came into contact with Old Black when it still belonged to Jim Messina, then Buffalo Springfield’s acting bassist and engineer for their album. Built in 1953 with a gold finish, it was clumsily repainted black sometime before Young acquired the guitar in 1968. Neil Young’s most iconic electric guitar is this roaring beast from Gibson.

1957 gretsch white falcon full#

See the full Neil Young guitars and gear list below. Each has seen extensive use throughout his iconic career. Also well known are his pair of Martin D-45 and D-28 dreadnought acoustic guitars. Neil Young is known for his iconic electric guitar “Old Black” which is a 1953 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop that’s been repainted black and heavily modified. What Kind of Guitar Does Neil Young Play? Eventually, Neil’s tumultuous relationship with his bandmates soured, his solo career took off, and Young’s passionate, vivid music became an indelible fixture of 20th-century life. Once the band broke up in 1968, Neil Young took on a solo career before returning to Buffalo Springfield bandmate Stephen Stills to form Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, who went on to perform at the famous Woodstock festival in 1969. Their early work, fuelled by Young’s melodic take-no-prisoners guitar playing, epitomized this approach. Photo by Phil Kingīuffalo Springfield enjoyed massive commercial and critical success, almost single-handedly inventing folk-rock and country-rock. However, upon moving to Los Angeles in 1966, Young joined upstart rock group Buffalo Springfield, who was heavily influenced by the psychedelia popular in California at the time and classic American country music.

His early career consisted largely of troubadour-style folk music firmly rooted in the tradition of Bob Dylan. Neil’s early rock and roll roots are reflected in his guitar playing, which alternates between a raucous rock and sweet, delicately picked acoustic work. It’s a testament to Neil Young’s incredible vocal and songwriting ability that his prodigious guitar playing often goes unnoticed in comparison.