Gibson Electric-Acoustic Guitar
Gibson Electric-Acoustic Guitar
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- Description
- This electric-acoustic guitar, serial #EH4685, was made by Gibson, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan around 1937. Introduced in 1936, this was the first Spanish-style electric guitar to achieve commercial significance, thanks in part to Charlie Christian, an inventive jazz soloist who gained prominence with the Benny Goodman Sextet. Christian took what had been considered a novelty and brought it to the forefront as a lead instrument. Gibson's first electric Spanish guitar, the ES-150's design featured a one-piece steel bar surrounded by the pickup coil and two magnets below the strings, rather than the earlier horseshoe configuration with magnets directly surrounding the strings. This new pickup was nicknamed the "Christian" in honor of the great guitarist with whom it is associated.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- guitar
- date made
- 1937
- maker
- Gibson Co.
- place made
- United States: Michigan, Kalamazoo
- Measurements
- overall: 40 1/2 in x 16 in x 4 1/4 in; 102.87 cm x 40.64 cm x 10.795 cm
- ID Number
- 1997.0085.01
- catalog number
- 1997.0085.01
- accession number
- 1997.0085
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Musical Instruments
- Guitars
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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