Gibson Barney kessel

**nickyboy** · 12-24-2014, 08:31 PM

Hiya folks...I've seen pics of the double cut Gibson Barney kessel but never played one. Is there any love for this somewhat oddball model? I'm assuming it's a laminated double Florentine cutaway affair. But similar to an l5 scale length.

**docbop** · 12-24-2014, 08:41 PM

The made a Trini Lopez model same body but different neck and it seems to gather more interest than the BK version. BK seemed to only ever play his ES 350 with a CC PUP. There is a video of him displaying contents of his guitar trunk and a BK model Gibson is there, and maybe some photo, but don't see him playing it. Barney had quite a falling out with Gibson and even taped over their name on his ES350 when I saw him play once.

**old tube** · 12-24-2014, 09:55 PM

This my 1961 (first year). Always loved the quirky looks. Got this one a few months ago. It plays beautifully, very low action if desired. Well balanced guitar, sits very well on the knee. Loud acoustically, with quite a bright character to the natural tone when compared to the laminate top Gibsons I have.

Specs are: Spruce top (looks to be pressed rather than carved), 25 1/2" scale, mahogany neck, rosewood board, large headstock. 17" wide body, 2 7/8" deep (1/2" narrower that a 175) which makes it very comfortable to play. The double cut does afford a little better access to the upper frets before you need to pull the thumb round, probably two frets better than a single cut e.g. ES175. Tailpiece has been changed for a 175 on mine, which I prefer the look of.

Gibson Barney kessel-dsc_0776-1-jpg

**mr quick** · 12-24-2014, 09:57 PM

I hate the look, but some prolific players seem to use it, such as Wayne Brasel

**jads57** · 12-24-2014, 10:34 PM

I believe there were 2 BK Models Std. and Custom. I think they both were laminate spruce(Custom) maple(Std.) different inlays both 25 &1/2" scale like the ES-350,Tal Farlow guitars. I believe the Trini Lopez Custom was 24 &3/4" scale. The necks are on the slimmer profile side, but even then I like them a lot!

**Danny W.** · 12-24-2014, 10:43 PM

I owned this '63 Barney Kessel Custom for many years:

It was quite a nice guitar, with a superb neck and fine sound. It had a solid pressed spruce top with laminate maple back & rims. I've owned several other BKC's and this was by far the nicest I have ever played. It is pictured in Gruhn & Carter's "Electric Guitars."

I sold it when I downsized my collection, but I've always been somewhat sorry that I did. Of the laminated archtops I've owned I liked it the best.

Danny W.

**jads57** · 12-25-2014, 03:07 AM

You're "The Man" Danny W!

**sgcim** · 12-25-2014, 03:16 AM

I had a bk custom for many years when i was a kid, but eventually the top got warped, and the luthier who wound up with it wound up razing the entire top, and selling it for a lot more than it was worth.
It was a very versatile guitar, because of the two humbuckers, and I did a million gigs with it until it became unplayable.

**Phil in London** · 12-25-2014, 06:40 AM

it does look like a viking axe... very much in need of getting used to... but interesting to read of good sound quals...

**nickyboy** · 12-25-2014, 08:34 AM

oh dear! I wish I hadn't asked now!

I want one!!!!!

**GNAPPI** · 12-25-2014, 10:00 AM

I don't know why the thick bodied double cuts Gibson came out with were not more popular. The Kessel, Lopez and the ES-150 are all very lively acoustically, so much so that my ES-150 is my sort of standard that I judge any other by.

I also never understood why Gibson didn't adopt the master volume of the 150 either, well at least Gretsch did.

**Woody Sound** · 12-25-2014, 12:01 PM

All about this model:

The Gibson Barney Kessel Pages

**yebdox** · 12-25-2014, 01:01 PM

I've always wanted the big Trini for the cool factor, but the incredibly slim neck and narrow nut keeps me away. If it had a '59 sized chunky neck (like my 57 gold top RI) I would be hard pressed to say no to one, what with the Firebird headstock, and all. Just too cool. I remember thinking how cool Dino Valenti looked playing one with Quicksilver in the late 60's/ early 70's - handsome gypsy character with a big gold earring. The image stuck in my mind, for some reason.

**vinlander** · 12-25-2014, 02:41 PM

While I don't really like the Gibson BK shape, man I love the bowtie inlays on the one showed by Danny.
To me they are the nicest inlays Gibson ever came up with like on the prototype Tal Farlow was playing.
I wish Gibson would use them again...

**floatingpickup** · 12-25-2014, 03:48 PM

A month or so ago, I was in Gator Music in Naples, FL and there was a Barney Kessel hanging on the wall. I played it and it was pretty nice. I believe it was a late sixties one, with witch-hat knobs and a pretty slim neck. It looked all original to me and the guy who runs he shop said it was a local guitar, so he knows the history. I think he wanted around $3,500 for it. I am pretty sure it was the standard version. No connection, but I wanted to let people know in case someone is looking for one.
Keith

**Danny W.** · 12-25-2014, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by jads57

You're "The Man" Danny W!

I do what I can

Originally Posted by yebdox

I've always wanted the big Trini for the cool factor, but the incredibly slim neck and narrow nut keeps me away. If it had a '59 sized chunky neck (like my 57 gold top RI) I would be hard pressed to say no to one, what with the Firebird headstock, and all. Just too cool. I remember thinking how cool Dino Valenti looked playing one with Quicksilver in the late 60's/ early 70's - handsome gypsy character with a big gold earring. The image stuck in my mind, for some reason.

My Kessel had a 1 & 11/16" nut and a nicely-rounded neck, but the ones after '64 and all the Lopez Deluxes had pencil necks.

Originally Posted by vinlander

While I don't really like the Gibson BK shape, man I love the bowtie inlays on the one showed by Danny.
To me they are the nicest inlays Gibson ever came up with like on the prototype Tal Farlow was playing.
I wish Gibson would use them again...

Those inlays were more common on banjos.

Danny W.

**Woody Sound** · 12-26-2014, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

I also never understood why Gibson didn't adopt the master volume of the 150 either, well at least Gretsch did.

+1 on that. I hate having to futz with two sets of controls when both pickups are on.

**HeyNow** · 12-29-2014, 01:42 PM

Cool, under-rated guitars. Have had my '66 for almost a year. Nice compliment to my Victor Baker carved spruce top, carved maple sides archtop. Mine wants to rock more than bop. Probably more because of the later 60s pickups. I see more indie rock guys using them than jazzers.

"Skinny" nut but fat depth neck. Very, very comfortable. I have guitars with mostly 1 11/16" nuts and/or fatter necks (59 LP, Nocaster, etc) and the BK is one of my favorite necks.

I wrote some notes about it here when I first got it:

1966 Gibson Barney Kessel Value?

A '66 sold on eBay a few weeks ago for $2,700. All original with a couple of scrapes and small chips. Great price for an old [laminate] wood Gibson archtop, imo.

Once I work up the willpower to change the pickups (dental floss and heartache!), am curious to see how one of my PAFs in the neck position sound. Classic ES-175 tone?

Good representation of the BK sound, 24:00

**HeyNow** · 12-29-2014, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

I don't know why the thick bodied double cuts Gibson came out with were not more popular. The Kessel, Lopez and the ES-150 are all very lively acoustically, so much so that my ES-150 is my sort of standard that I judge any other by.

I also never understood why Gibson didn't adopt the master volume of the 150 either, well at least Gretsch did.

I guess it depends on your definition of 'popular'. The Barney Kessel was made for a decade. Gibson was quick to kill unpopular guitars.

You could say the Burst Les Pauls were not popular. ~3 year run. But they were popular in the sense that people became obsessed with them 10 years later (and of course even more in decades beyond).

Kind of the opposite for the BK.