 |
Ask ZacAuthor: Zac Childs
Zac Childs is a music insider and historian. He is the host of the acclaimed Truetone Lounge interview series and contributed to Vintage Guitar Magazine for 15 years via his Ask Zac column, and numerous featured articles, product reviews, and cover stories. On his ASK ZAC channel, Zac takes a look at players and gear and also answers guitar-related questions in ways that were never possible via print. Language: en-us Genres: Music, Music Commentary, Music History Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
A Look At A 1949 Bigsby Guitar - Rarer Than Rare!
Episode 267
Tuesday, 31 March, 2026
Before the Telecaster… before the Les Paul & the Strat… there was Bigsby.In this video, we take a deep dive into a 1949 Bigsby electric guitar, one of the earliest solid-body electrics ever made, and a true cornerstone in the evolution of the modern guitar. Built by Paul Bigsby, these instruments weren’t mass-produced, they were individually handcrafted works of art.Bigsby guitars are incredibly rare, as he built around 27 guitars from the mid-1940s through the late 1950s. Each one was custom-made, often for top-tier players, making them some of the most elusive and historically significant electric guitars in existence.Most famously associated with Merle Travis, Bigsby’s designs introduced features that would later define the electric guitar as we know it, including a solid body, a six-on-a-side headstock, and a sleek, functional aesthetic that clearly influenced Leo Fender and the birth of the Fender Telecaster.This particular instrument has its own incredible story. Created on August 7, 1949, this guitar was built by Paul specifically to be photographed for one of his early catalogs. Because of that, collectors have long referred to it as “the catalog guitar.”Even more special, the owner generously allowed me to take the instrument to my studio for a couple of hours so I could film this episode. Getting hands-on time with a guitar like this is a rare opportunity, and I’m excited to share it with you.www.truetone.comTo Support the Channel:Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZachttps://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.comTip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZacVenmo @AskZacSupport the show
