Throughout the 1940's and '50s, Paul Bigsby was one of the true innovators spear heading the electric guitar craze. Although more well known for his Bigsby vibrato designs, used by countless Gretsch, Gibson and other such guitar makers instruments over the years, the Bigsby Electric Guitar Company produced small runs of electric solid body guitars that would go on to have huge influence on models like the Les Paul and the Telecaster in the years to come.
This 2002 Bigsby BY-50 is a particularly rare find, produced by Gretsch for a range of reissue instruments that never materialised. With under 100 being made along with prototypes before production was halted, these guitars are extremely hard to come by. This Bigbsy BY-50 design is a recreation of a guitar build by Paul Bigsby for Merle Travis in 1948. This guitar features a 3 piece Maple body with a beautifully figured Birdseye Maple top, along with a set Maple neck and Rosewood board with playing card suit pearloid inlays. The body is fitted with a set of vintage voiced overwound single coils, designed to replicate the unique sound of the original Bigsby dog ear pickups. The rosewood pick guard, tailpiece and lower bout decoration continue the unique nature of the original Paul Bigsby design, along with the signature Florentine cutaway and rounded shoulder.
This guitar has been given a full service and appraisal by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop, and includes a 3 year warranty.
