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Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 10:55 pm
by guitarchuck
Here's a link to a really nice Chet Atkins photo collection, 65 photos, many of which I hadn't seen before:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?&Avis=DN&Dato=20100121&Kategori=TUNEIN&Lopenr=1210803&Ref=PH

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 11:19 pm
by RandeDager
Thanks Chuck! I really like these even though some are sad.

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 11:24 pm
by guitarchuck
Norm,
Here's some interesting info: The caption of this photo dates it as 8/18/56. It gives us a little more info on that mysterious dark colored sealed top 6120! Apparently there was at least 3 of the sealed top guitars! Notice in this photo, the sides are dark too. You can see it at the neck joint. The 6120 book shows a light colored side sealed top 6120 on pge 90 and the back cover. The dark eyes guitar on page 91 has dark colored sides too. Of course we have the famous sealed top guitar that we now have a reissue of called the CGP too.
Image

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 11:29 pm
by Richard Hudson
Notice the regular bigsby swing away flat arm. Must have been very early in the guitar's life. Very nice photo collection.

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2011 5:21 am
by guitarchuck
Richard,
You brought up something that''s very interesting. I looked up the "Dark Eyes" video on YouTube. I think it's the very same guitar as in this photo. All the features are the same including the swing away Bigsby arm. I looked at the photo on page 91 of the 6120 book at the guitar that Ray Butts added the bass pickup poles in the fretboard. I'm guessing this to be the same guitar with the electronics converted, but I'm not sure about that. It too has a swing away Bigsby. Chet must have never played this guitar much, no photos of it with the stationary Chet Atkins Bigsby arm.
Another interesting note, The sealed dark top, light sided 6120 on page 90 and the back cover of the 6120 book has a Chet Atkins curved/wire type Bigsby arm, but it' haas a swing away bracket! It was probably one of the first guitars to have the swing away bracket installed wtih the Chet Atkins Bigsby arm!

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2011 9:31 am
by thenorm
the mid-fifties was probably the most creative guitar oriented period in the country...
Tape echo...Hammond starts to license their patented spring pan so amps could have built in reverb. Paul Bigsby and Leo Fender validify solid body guitars, Humbucking pickups and FilterTrons get created. PB finalized his Bigsby vibrato design and Ampex makes a stacked tape head.

Gibson makes the Les Paul and signs Les up as an endorser which inspires Jimmie Webster to convince Gretsch to talk Chet into designing a guitar line that had a tremendous impact on Gretsch and the guitar world.

Busy period in guitaring and recording in general...

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 12:03 pm
by guitarchuck
I just ran across this early photo of Chet with his orange sealed top 6120 before the neck was changed and it was converted to stereo:
Image

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 11:01 am
by Stephy
Those were the days. Love these photo collection.

Re: Chet Atkins Photo collection

PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 11:51 am
by thenorm
before the neck was changed and it was converted to stereo..."

Splitting hair (as I do)...

It was never a 'stereo' guitar in the strictest sense of the word. The split pickup (a better term) was put in so Chet could have a creative edge back in the day. Commercial stereo recording for home enjoyment just wasn't a practical or profitable thing at that time. I know I keep harping on this but we 'keepers of the flame' so to speak should never let this clever idea get glossed over by the 'stereo' broad brush.



The CGP has two output jacks so you can use two amps or record two different tracks with effects on either track. This is what Chet did in the studio sometimes. He only used the split pickup mode in the studio where he could control the EQ on the board. __Paul Yandell