Gibson Little Lucille
Gibson Little Lucille, Ebony Color
2 x P -90 single coils
The Gibson Little Lucille is an electric guitar model, which was built in 1999-2005 by the U.S. musical instrument manufacturer Gibson. The Little Lucille is in type a semi -solid electric guitar with two large cavities in the body that serve as a resonance chamber. The model carries on or in the ceiling two electromagnetic pickups and two sound holes in F form. The Little Lucille is a sister model of the electric guitar model Gibson Blueshawk and differs from it by the shape of the suspension of the guitar strings. The name of the guitar model is the larger model Gibson Lucille borrowed, the signature guitar of the blues guitarist BB King.
Construction
The body of the Gibson Little Lucille consists of a base made of poplar wood with hollow milled chambers and a flat ceiling made of maple wood with double F- hole. The ceiling is provided with an enclosure from a strip of plastic that is color coordinated with the cream- colored pickup. The set-in into the cabinet, also cream-colored framed mahogany neck supports a rosewood fingerboard with diamond-shaped "diamond " inlays.
Unlike its sister model, Blueshawk the lower ends of the strings are not performed at the Little Lucille through the body and attached to the back of the instrument, but they are hung on a tailpiece type TP6 on the instrument's top. This is equipped with fine tuners that allow guitarists rapid retuning the guitar while playing. This equipment was acquired by the Gibson Lucille model. As the web Gibson Tune-O -Matic Bridge serves.
Both pickups the Little Lucille are specially developed Einzelspuler (English: Single Coil ) developed by Gibson 1948 type P -90, referred to herein as Blues P -90, with an additional solenoid that is not the tone conversion but the suppression of disturbing background noise by interference is in the magnetic field ( " dummy coil ").
The Little Lucille features as the models Lucille and Gibson Blueshawk on a special tone control: Through a potentiometer with additional snap function ( " push-pull potentiometer" ), a sound circuit are activated, which enables the thinning of certain frequency spectra of the sound. These sound circuit is controlled by another control wheel with six switching phases ( Varitone tone circuit ).
Models
The "Little Lucille " was intended as a limited edition model that was built in 2000 just in Nashville and only in the finish Ebony ( black). After the " Gibson Custom Shop " was opened in Memphis, the demanded model was built there between 2002-2005 and in the paint Ebony ( black), Blues Burst ( a variant of the sunburst finish in blue tones ) and Wine Red ( Wine Red ) offered.
The visible parts of the "Little Lucille " are gold-plated, the tuners come from the manufacturer Grover. Unlike the Gibson Blueshawk, the standard with a carrying case ( gig bag ) was delivered, the Little Lucille received a Gibson guitar case as standard accessories.
Naming
The Gibson Little Lucille was developed as the Blueshawk especially for blues, country music and rock ' n ' roll. In the official catalog of the Gibson Gibson Little Lucille was advertised by BB King, whose comments and suggestions have been implemented in the model construction, which is why he has been acting as a namesake.
The Little Lucille is only by name, less technical construction, the smaller sister of BB King's special edition of the Gibson ES -335, Lucille. The main differences are body shape and size, and the f-holes; the most obvious similarities are the Tune-O -Matic bridge with TP6 tailpiece and fine tuners as well as the six- Varitone tone circuit.
The model name comes from Little Lucille BB King Guitar Gibson ES -335 here, which was baptized by him for pedagogical reasons " Lucille ": as a reminder, never rush to risk his life again. Because BB King played at the beginning of his career, often in places that filled by the open fire gasoline steel drums were heated. In a speech two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. In this fight the Heiztonne had been knocked down, and then the local began to burn. After BB King had fled into the open, he noticed that he had forgotten his guitar on stage. Using of life and limb, he saved them from the burning building. Since then he gives his guitar nicknamed " Lucille ", what is to prevent him from lethal stupidity.
Critics
The Little Lucille produced between 1999 and 2006 was praised by the critics:
"B. B. King [ ... ] was the sound of this guitar (meaning the Gibson Blueshawk ), shall draw the clear Fender elements in the Gibson sound, so excited that the step to cooperate with Gibson was done quickly, the this Little Lucille as a result had! The adjusted only in a few properties at BB King's ideas Blueshawk is indeed a very versatile guitar, but outstanding is their blues sound that is unmatched by most of today's guitars. Rough, biting sounds, the best come when the amplifier itself easily anzerrt, are the domain of the Little Lucille and Mr. King knew perfectly well! "
Collectible
Due to the limited production time exist worldwide so few copies of "Little Lucille " that the instrument has developed in recent years become a sought rarity, which is now traded in the U.S. to $ 2,000. In France in early September 2012 by its namesake BB King signed copy to 2600 -. Euros, in May 2013 in Germany got a mint unsigned copy to 1555 - auctioned €. .