Anyone played the guitar of a famous guitarist??

Brucebubs · #1 01-20-2018, 04:17 PM

Just wondering if anyone has played the guitar of a well-known/famous artist?
If so, how was their set up and did anything surprise you?

YamahaGuy · #2 01-20-2018, 04:43 PM

No, but I had a chance to buy the mic Aretha Frankin used last year during the playoffs for her lengthy National Anthem performance. My local GC had a pair, one was "the one" and the other was a back up. Good price on that new Shure mic.

RP · #3 01-20-2018, 04:44 PM

I got to play Wayne Henderson's guitar(s) on several occasions. They were very played-in, as you might expect, but my biggest surprise was that he encouraged myself and others to play them....

Jeff Scott · #4 01-20-2018, 04:45 PM

Not guitar, but a few basses (well, one a doubleneck so there was a 12 string guitar on it). Percy Jones' and Gary Willis' basses at various gigs. A couple instruments (a bass, and the aforementioned doubleneck that were owned by friends) I had played prior to Geddy Lee acquiring them.

I used to own a guitar (1961 Gretsch 6117) that, most likely, Steve Howe has played since I sold it to an old friend.

PiousDevil · #5 01-20-2018, 04:55 PM

I'd rather have a famous guitarist play one of mine. I long for the day that Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage stop by my house and strike up a jam on my D18 and DYMR70SB, while I don't go anywhere near an instrument.

boombox · #6 01-20-2018, 05:04 PM

Not super well-known as a guitarist, but in college, many, many moons ago, we had Dave Cousins and Brian Willoughby of The Strawbs at our folk club. We were short on floorspots so the chairman asked me if I had anything. I replied, "Perhaps, but I don't have my guitar with me." Dave reached over and lent me his trusty Ovation 6-string and I recall I did a Cat Stevens and a Country Joe McDonald song. The guitar played easily, but I do remember too that bowl back was really weird to play sitting down.

inadu ridge · #7 01-20-2018, 05:15 PM

Famous guitarist? No. But I played a J200 owned and used by Hank Locklin (Please Help Me I'm Falling), the country music great.
Wonderful tone, but not a very loud or projective guitar.

Gruhn's in Nashville has it for sale.

Also played a '67 D-18 used extensively by Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show). Really good tone in that old Martin box.

L20A · #8 01-20-2018, 05:25 PM

I have played 2 of John Denver's guitars. One was a Greven White Lady 6 string with Maple back and sides.
The other was one of 3 Yamaha L-53 guitars that John owned.
These guitars were in Aspen for the Aspen in October celebration for John.
These guitars showed the wear of life on the road but played well and sounded great.

The other guitar that I have played was s Martin D-21 that belonged the Johnny Cash.
John gifted the guitar to his brother who later sold it.
This guitar was in need of a neck reset and was quite warn. It didn't sound very good at the time.

Mycroft · #9 01-20-2018, 05:40 PM

I got to play Julian Lange's prewar 000-18 backstage at Wintergrass, while he was talking with my friend about some work that it needed. I've played several of Rick Ruskin's guitars.

I own one that belonged to Don Ross.

Rbutton · #10 01-20-2018, 05:41 PM

I have not but I knew a guy who was camping and walked over to a guy playing. He asked if he had another guitar...and he did. They played for a while and the guy with the guitars gave him his name and phone number. Needless to say years later when he got around to calling Dan Fogelberg the number had been changed.

fitness1 · #11 01-20-2018, 05:47 PM

I was playing Kenny Loggins songs on his new guitar before he did

That was pretty cool!

I also owned one of Pete Huttlinger's Taylors for a little while.

Back in my electric/band days I got to play Cub Coda's Explorer for a few minutes.....

No surprises with either - setup to perfection.

Athens · #12 01-20-2018, 05:52 PM

I got to play one of Zac Browns dreads. A Collings with a bizarre piezo bridge with individual sections under each string. Sounded "ok-ish" but amped on stage was I'm sure more important for his purposes.

Jeff Scott · #13 01-20-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Just wondering if anyone has played the guitar of a well-known/famous artist?
If so, how was their set up and did anything surprise you?

Funny you should ask this. Gary and Percy are longtime influences for my fretless playing, but their setups were miles apart from each other, so much so that it was difficult for me to play either one! Gary had his action so low I could barely make a clean note on it, and Percy's was way too high for me to play for more than a very short time.

opencee · #14 01-20-2018, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RP

I got to play Wayne Henderson's guitar(s) on several occasions. They were very played-in, as you might expect, but my biggest surprise was that he encouraged myself and others to play them....

I declined that same opportunity. I just listened while he talked about baseball.

opencee

.

tbeltrans · #15 01-20-2018, 06:37 PM

I own a 1974 Gibson Johnny Smith that was originally owned by Johnny Smith, and sold to his student, Mike Elliot (a known jazz guitarist who died in 2005). It is one of the more rare double pickup models, ad has all original parts and finish.

Tony