Which guitar was Chuck Berry buried with?

[Wilko]

So there are all these articles about how Chuck Berry was buried with "his beloved cherry red Gibson guitar". The pictures show a bright red ES-355 that looks like a guitar he played a bit from the late 60s 'til he got his darker 1978 ES-355 that he played until he died. I wonder if the guitar in the casket is the 1964 (?) that he toured with for about 12 years. The darker guitar was used longer than any other. Besides a bright red Lucille that showed up for a while, the beat up dark red one was his "#1"

 

[J.D.]

Why bury him with a guitar at all? Any guitar associated with him for any extended time would fetch a nice premium at auction.

 

[Ed Driscoll]

What was the purpose of the metal loop bolted on behind the bridge in the second photo?

 

[brandtkronholm]

What was the purpose of the metal loop bolted on behind the bridge in the second photo?

...and why is the police department holding it like it's evidence?

 

[SpencerD]

What was the purpose of the metal loop bolted on behind the bridge in the second photo?

I would like to know that too. It's a standard 1/2" romex clamp. What possible purpose could it have? Bizarre man. :dude:

 

[Wilko]

The Romex clamp was a puzzle to me when I saw him play it a few years ago. He may have used it as a finger rest.

The police were holding it when it was recovered from a theft. In that pic you can also see where he usually had tape holding the switch in position. The vibrato screw holes are clearly seen as well. It was still on for the Hail Hail Rock and Roll filming.

A recent pic of him and "his beloved Gibson guitar"

A screen grab from "Hail Hail Rock and Roll" (Keef in background)

 

[Tom Wittrock]

Why bury him with a guitar at all?

Maybe he requested it. :ganz

 

[renderit]

I would like to know that too. It's a standard 1/2" romex clamp. What possible purpose could it have? Bizarre man. :dude:

It is holding the top together. It's cracked.

 

[SpencerD]

It is holding the top together. It's cracked.

OR!!!

He could could direct drive 110V household current straight into the freakin' guitar!

bad idea yo' eace2

 

[lonesomesheik]

Is this 355's label a Norlin one?

 

[Blackjack30]

I live in STL and met Chuck a couple times.

Cool Cat, he crashed a gig we did in 1982' my mom used to see him at the Quan Yang Chinese place in Wentzville from time to time.

Pretty sure the guitar in the casket was for the big Public viewing @ the Pageant in the Delmar Loop.

In other words it was for show.

Berrys sons/Family have all his gear.

Chuck was a very private family man except on stage.

 

[Pat Boyack]

It was for show.

 

[lonesomesheik]

& he did not care if it had a Nashville bridge!

 

[becks bolero]

It was for show.

well THAT is a relief....what a waste of a perfectly good guitar, otherwise! seriously, put it in a museum or something

I will have to install one of those pipe fittings on my guitar too now. anything to channel Chuck's playing into my own

I thought it was a bottle opener, initially :hee