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Kenny Burrell's L-5

BillyB

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
449
I know Kenny Burrell has used a few archtops over the years and that he had a CC equipped L-5 around the time he did the 'Midnight Blue' album in '63 but i've never seen pics of it


Then I saw this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAmxuHt5nw&feature=fvw


At first I thought it was a custom built L-5 - post '60 florentine cut, but with a finger tailpiece, selector switch on upper bout and L-5 neck with squared fingerboard end.


Then I looked again - is it a 16" body?? It looks smaller than a regular L-5 - and it looks short scale??
 
B

bigsby'd

Guest
Interesting. Cutaway doesn't look "right" for a Gibson. Nice Van Epps damper on there too. I've been trying to find one for ages. A lot of guys from that era had guitars that were sort of cobbled together. (The Black Guitar for one). I wonder if this one was a bit of a Frankenstein. Guitar aside, I love how much "bluesiness" Burrell injects into his jazz. I think that especially made some of the Jimmy Smith tracks so greasy.
 
B

bigsby'd

Guest
Ok. I stand corrected on the cutaway. I think it was just the angle of the photo. I just found this online. Same guitar, no doubt. Different neck PU (I think). Looks 17" in this one, and the cutaway looks right for a 17" florentine.
G-barrel.jpg
 

Brown Recluse

Active member
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Messages
1,108
The L-5CES normally has the selector switch on the lower bout, not the upper bout as in the picture of Kenny's guitar. Also, the fingerboard looks like it has been replaced or modified as it doesn't have the pointed end. I think the cutaway still looks kind of strange, even in the second picture. That might just be the angle too. My guess is that is a converted acoustic L-5.
 

Siegler

New member
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
956
Ok. I stand corrected on the cutaway. I think it was just the angle of the photo. I just found this online. Same guitar, no doubt. Different neck PU (I think). Looks 17" in this one, and the cutaway looks right for a 17" florentine.
G-barrel.jpg

Those pickups look too close together for a 25.5" scale - also, there are 22 frets - an over-deep Byrdland?
 
B

bigsby'd

Guest
Pickguard is wonky too. Selector and fingerboard point were mentioned by the OP. I have seen Super 400s and L5s with selectors on the bass side, but not located where this one is (as well as ES175s with selectors on the treble side). The CC equipped Byrdlands (ala Hank and Billy) didn't have the fingerboard point either. I dunno...
 

Litcrit

New member
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
5,990
Burrell is best known for his Super 400 and his deep warm sound. I love his playing, always mellows me right out. Who says the guitar pictured is the one he's actually playing? That album from '63 is one I need to get...
 

Cogswell

The Duke of Dumbassery
Joined
Mar 19, 2002
Messages
15,717
Kenny is my favorite player of late. Right now I'm learning a bunch of stuff off that very album, Midnight Blue, as well as a couple songs from 'Round Midnight. Just the right blend of gutsy blues & jazz sophistication, IMO.
 

BillyB

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
449
Burrell is best known for his Super 400 and his deep warm sound. I love his playing, always mellows me right out. Who says the guitar pictured is the one he's actually playing? That album from '63 is one I need to get...

There are photos from the midnight blue sessions where he's playing a CC equipped L-5, however, to my memory the shots didn't show the whole guitar - or it was from a funny angle. I'll see if I can find them sometime...
 
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