History’s most audacious guitar commission: the Blue Guitars

jt1 · #1 11-22-2021, 06:45 AM

I had the opportunity over the weekend to view and play (some of) the Blue Guitars. What fun.

For the uninitiated, 25 years ago guitar collector Scott Chinery undertook what is perhaps history’s most audacious guitar commission: he requested that 22 of the world’s best-known archtop guitar makers build 18-wide (the dimensions of the Gibson Super 400 and the equivalent D’Angelico) archtops finished in a blue Mohawk “Ultra Blue Penetrating Stain #M 520” that Jimmy D’Aquisto used to finish one of the last guitars he built. Chinery intended the project to be an homage both to D-Aquisto and to the artistry of the archtop guitar.

The project culminated in an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute (I attended the event) and a corresponding book.

Chinery died at the age of 40 on October 24, 2000. His widow sold the other 1,000 fascinating instruments in his collection but, for sentimental reasons, retained the Blue Guitars. She has now decided to sell them, but only as a complete set. She also wishes that they be available for public viewing and, on special occasions, for playing.

Rudy’s in NYC is handling the sale. (Word has it that current offer is $2.5 million.) I had the honor of interviewing Rudy (and, soon, Scott’s widow) and gazing upon and picking a few tunes on the guitars.

I figured we fans of the custom guitar might appreciate a few photos.

Bob Womack · #2 11-22-2021, 06:57 AM

Now that's a mighty cool assignment. I'll look forward t reading it.

Bob

Jamolay · #3 11-22-2021, 07:27 AM

That sound pretty fun! Please keep us posted!

I had to look up Scott Chinery. I feel bad for him. Pushed his body way too hard with supplements and paid the ultimate price.

Interesting collector.

Doubleneck · #4 11-22-2021, 09:51 AM

Interesting sorry but I hate the blue!

srick · #5 11-22-2021, 10:34 AM

Wow - what a story! I recommend anyone with a few spare minutes available to do a Google search on Scott Chinery and his guitars.

jt1 · #6 11-22-2021, 11:22 AM

Thanks, all. I'm happy to learn that folks find the story interesting.

One of my great guitar-related regrets is that I never visited Scott to play his guitars. We spoke a couple of times, but I never got around to scheduling a date/time. He was generous with his instruments and would happily allow the not-remotely-famous play his guitars.

justonwo · #7 11-22-2021, 11:54 AM

I had no idea this existed. Thanks for posting it.

DavidE · #8 11-22-2021, 12:36 PM

I knew Scott. My name is listed in the thank yous of both books. I was at the Blue Guitar party. In fact, Kim Walker and Tom Ribbecke signed their guitars' labels with my pen on my back.

I was in Scarsdale in October and stopped into Rudy's with my buddy Matt who went with me to Scott's a couple of times, including the blue guitar party. Matt and Rudy have done a good bit of business and Matt sold Rudy a very early LP Custom that day.

We spoke with Rudy about the Blue Guitar party since he didn't go. (He missed out.). He gave us the auction book. Lo and behold there's a photo I took of the many guitar great sitting on the couch in the collection display room!!! We had a good laugh over that one.

I still kick myself for not ordering a guitar from Kim Walker who I met at Scott's the first time I was there and he wasn't yet known. In hindsight, that was dumb. Oh well!

I have stories about that party and other things if you're interested.

PS: There were more than 1,000 other guitars in Scott's collection.

DavidE · #9 11-22-2021, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamolay

That sound pretty fun! Please keep us posted!

I had to look up Scott Chinery. I feel bad for him. Pushed his body way too hard with supplements and paid the ultimate price.

Interesting collector.

The thought is that it was the steroids he took before cybergenics that might have done him in. But there were lawsuits surrounding cybergenics too.....

jt1 · #10 11-22-2021, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidE

I knew Scott. My name is listed in the thank yous of both books. I was at the Blue Guitar party. In fact, Kim Walker and Tom Ribbecke signed their guitars' labels with my pen on my back.

I was in Scarsdale in October and stopped into Rudy's with my buddy Matt who went with me to Scott's a couple of times, including the blue guitar party. Matt and Rudy have done a good bit of business and Matt sold Rudy a very early LP Custom that day.

We spoke with Rudy about the Blue Guitar party since he didn't go. (He missed out.). He gave us the auction book. Lo and behold there's a photo I took of the many guitar great sitting on the couch in the collection display room!!! We had a good laugh over that one.

I still kick myself for not ordering a guitar from Kim Walker who I met at Scott's the first time I was there and he wasn't yet known. In hindsight, that was dumb. Oh well!

I have stories about that party and other things if you're interested.

PS: There were more than 1,000 other guitars in Scott's collection.

David,

We must have just missed one another! I attended the Smithsonian's opening reception (and got John Monteleone to sign my Blue Guitar book).

Thanks for telling your story and for clarifying that I underestimated the number of guitars in Scott's collection.

I was fortunate to commission a couple of guitars from Kim Walker back then.

Dotneck · #11 11-22-2021, 01:47 PM

Yes, its an interesting collection. I also got to see the Smithsonian exhibit and have a copy of the book. Many stunning guitars in that collection.

Rudy4 · #12 11-22-2021, 02:05 PM

Anyone who wants to hear Rudy Pensa discuss the Blue Guitar Collection sale project can hear him in his own words in the recent Fretboard Journal podcast #340 done by Jason Verlinde.

DavidE · #13 11-22-2021, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jt1

David,

We must have just missed one another! I attended the Smithsonian's opening reception (and got John Monteleone to sign my Blue Guitar book).

Thanks for telling your story and for clarifying that I underestimated the number of guitars in Scott's collection.

I was fortunate to commission a couple of guitars from Kim Walker back then.

I didn't go to the Smithsonian. I attended the Blue Guitar Party at Scotts house.

jt1 · #14 11-22-2021, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidE

I didn't go to the Smithsonian. I attended the Blue Guitar Party at Scotts house.

Now I'm really envious!

Richard Mott · #15 11-22-2021, 04:44 PM

John, I must have missed you on Broome Street! I was there early on Saturday afternoon, just to see the Blue Gang reassembled, though I wasn’t able to play any. I’d been given a copy of the Blue Guitar book by a close friend back in the late ‘90s, and it made a lasting impression on me. “Audacious commission” hits the nail on the head, I might even add “expansive”—given the license offered to the builders, complete freedom around a unifying theme. Pretty enlightened, not least for the day. Nice that you got to play the Walker in the bunch, given your own instruments! Sounds like it was a great day. —Richard