Great video. I had the good fortune of seeing (and holding) Duane's darkburst. I was attending college in Syracuse, NY. I loved the ABB. One day, I heard a song on the radio by this new band called the Dixie Dregs. I was knocked out by their original sound, and immediately went out and bought the Freefall album, which I wore out. They were touring to support the album, and I saw they were coming to play at the Firebarn Tavern in Syracuse. This was probably in 1977. I went to the show, and was blown away. I had seen quite a few bands, but never saw a guitarist enjoying themself more onstage than Steve Morse. He was smiling the entire time, and I knew then and there that I had to learn to play guitar (I was a trumpet player, music major in college). Anyway, as you mentioned...Twiggs was the Dregs' road manager at that time. At the end of the show, the band was joined onstage by Twiggs and some other guys from the crew, for an encore. They ripped thru Don't Want You No More/Not My Cross To Bear and the place went nuts! Twiggs was playing a dark burst Les Paul. It was beautiful. When the show ended, I hung around while they tore down the stage, and Twiggs sat down at a table with a beer, darkburst in hand. So I went over and sat down with him. He was a really nice guy, and happy to show off the guitar. He flipped it over, and there were those frets, spelling out DUANE. I was speechless for what seemed like hours. Twiggs went on to tell me about the guitar, and about Duane. I couldn't believe any of it was happening. I asked if I could touch the guitar, and Twiggs proceeded to hand it to me! So there I sat, next to Twiggs, with Duane Allman's dark burst on my lap. I didn't know how to play guitar, so I just strummed the strings with my thumb and handed it back. It was an amazing night, and one of the coolest things ever to happen in my life. I regret that I'm not a little older, because I never got to see Duane (or Berry) play live. But it sure was a thrill for a young college kid to see and "play" Duane's guitar.
I also had the honor of playing the darkburst. 1989, AJ Lyndon's (Twiggs' brother) house in Athens GA. It was about to go back to Galadrielle (Duane's daughter), as she'd just turned 20. There were a lot of guitar players there, and the event was videotaped. What became of that video is anybody's guess. It was cool, but I was nervous as hell holding it. I played one (very) brief lick, handed it back to somebody. Btw, they were using a Marshall Bluesbreaker combo amp.
I was good friends with Skoots (RIP). He told me one of the scariest things he ever had to do was to take care of the Cherryburst, Hot 'Lanta & the Goldtop on his way to NY for the ABB's last run at the Beacon. He was glad to do it for everybody, but said he was scared shitless at the same time for being responsible for getting them around for that. Can't say I blame him!
That 335 duane played was Betts guitar duane played that 335 most notably on the studio version of whipping post if you listen closely you will hear the difference in Duane's tone compared to the rest of the album
Also, Duane is who talked Wilson into recording hey jude. (Sorry. I just realized my comment has nothing to do with your post but it popped in my head while reading it.)
Welcome back G. A lot has happened meantime, glad you are well. A guitarist mate of mine, Mark, was a great fan of Duane and Dicky, he would have loved this. That Fillmore East album was bread and butter to him when at school at Lancing, and a massive influence. He too, was one of those most enviable "naturals" who instinctively knew his way around the fret board. We appreciate the exhaustive research put into this video of Duane's guitars, once again demonstrating a guitarists search for the right gear, the optimum tone, thank you.
Thanks for this video. I was fortunate enough to see the Allman Brothers, and Chuck Berry in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the end of April or beginning of May, in 1970 (or 71). I had left Michigan with snow on the ground, and after 16 hours of driving, a fabulous outdoor concert in the hot sun - a great memory!
@@TheGuitarShow I was lucky enough to hear live bands indoors and outdoors at least once a week from when I was 16 to when I began traveling when i was 26. Nothing can replace being there when the magic of live music happens!!!
I had no idea Duane and Gregg was born left handed! And let me just say as a left handed guitarist, that Duane and Gregg definitely made a smart move in learning right handed.
I was in a band with two guitar players back in the 80's. I am left-handed , but play guitar right-handed. The other guitar player in our band was right-handed, but played guitar left-handed.
My buddy teaches(Owns)at a Music Academy in Corpus(S.Tx).He teaches ALL guitarist's Right handed.VERY hard to teach a Lefty If you're a right handed teacher he says.
I actually played the 1966 Fender Coronado guitar that belonged to Duane Allman when it was Davis Music in Tifton, GA and was owned by Davy Davis at the time. The story was that Duane bought the guitar at Bibb Music on Eisonhower Parkway, then traded it for a red Les Paul junior, perhaps the one with the notch in the back of the neck (not the body).... Then that guy traded it for a boat..... Then years later it ended up in Tifton, GA with Davy. I was later truly amazed with I seen that same guitar in a Guitar magazine and it stated that it was owned by Davy Davis so I knew it was the same guitar. WOW !!!!
Back in 2006 I was at he Hard Rock Café in London. I got to feel and play a little on Duane`s 1954 Stratocaster that they had in the vault. I also got to squeeze on Jimi`s black Flying V. Good memories. Me and my brother were in London to see David Gilmour at the Royal Albert Hall. It was the show where David Bowie appeared on and which later became the DVD Remember That Night.
Lots of guitars passed through the Allman Bros. band. I always identify Duane's signature sound from the SG and Dickie Betts the LP standard. Duane's slide technique influenced every guitarist after him. Everyone wanted to capture that electric slide magic that Duane invented and became the identifying tone of the AB band.
Dude, once again I appreciate your level of research that you put into these videos. I'm sure it can get maddening to do such deep dives on each guitarist, especially from a time that these now amazingly vintage guitars we're only thought of as tools and we're tinkered with and traded off as quickly as bottle caps to friends, for better guitars, or pawn shops to pay off a quick debt.
Interesting that Clapton and Allman ,on Layla album, used silver face fender champ amps both modded by Eric's tech that basically bypassed the tone stacks to maximise gain. Basically more tweed like!
Ramon, thank you so much for the exhaustive research for Duane’s guitars. I loved it. I’d love to learn more about the guitars and gear Toy Caldwell used with The Marshall Tucker Band, he got such a singular, yet incendiary tone, despite that he played with his thumb.
Sylvan Wells was in the Nightcrawlers in Daytona Beach area. The Nightcrawlers had a hit with "Little Black Egg"...Sylvan was in high school with Greg and Duanne in Florida. The Nightcrawlers also opened for the Beach Boys the same night as Duanne and Greg Allman did. Later in life Sylvan became an attorney at law. Nowadays he builds handmade acoustic guitars out of his shop in Ormond Beach and is self taught. He is way cool and a great guy. One of his guitars was owned by Miranda Lambert and is in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Excellent as always. I love your well researched videos and was just looking this morning for a new one. I hope all has been well for you over there on the other side of the pond.
I saw Eddy Shaver playing that 54 fender Stratocaster he got from Dicky just two months before he passed away. His death haunts me to this day. He was a great player, and seemed like a nice person. I spoke with him just a few minutes that night but his playing will stay with me until my last day on earth. RIP Eddy Shaver.
the live album UNSHAVEN / Live at Olde Smiths Bar, is one of my top ever, live albums! The guitar tone and licks he plays is just amazing! One of my favorite players, RIP Eddy
Here again,,,,Read about Tramp On Your Street in like '94. Guitar Player magazine. Should have looked for it but times were tight. Few years later, looking thru the local library's selection (quite good, btw) and its there. Not long before, college radio KFJC did a great set of Shaver tunes and some history. man, a GP had Eddy in the Memorium column. I couldn't believe it. Hopped in my car and checked out Tramp. Staggering !! Bought this, Unshaven and Electric Shaver. Three S types here. Eddy was a huge inspiration when I played more (apt life will kill me).
I heard that he used the gold top for most of the Leyla sessions, but came back to do overdubs, in particular on the Leyla Outro after acquiring the Sunburst LP with the pickups from the gold top
I have a yellow '57 Les Paul TV model I purchased from Pat Travers in about 2004 or 2005. The guitar was given to Pat by a fan. The serial number was gouged off, which leads me to believe it might've been stolen at some point. I heard somewhere that Duane's had gotten stolen, so I sometimes wonder if it's mine. No way to prove, either way. Btw, it's a FANTASTIC sounding guitar.
Im left handed but learned to play right handed (self taught) as we couldnt afford a left handed guitar, guitars were a bit rare when i was a kid where i am and finding left handed models was even rarer and cost a significant premium
Remarkable segment. I loved it. I had the opportunity to play Duane’s Gold Top in Orlando. It was magical to hold and pick just a bit. Duane also had a late 60s Hummingbird whose now-owner brought to an event and I played that too. Strings were very old and it was out of tune but still very cool. Thankfully I have pictures of both events.
Excellent documentary. Do more like this. The history of the guitars of... Eric, Jimi, Jimmy, Ritchie, etc. - Maybe document amps and effects? (Don't forget to cover strings, picks, pickups, and tunings. Ehh. Too much to hope for. Probably lost info.)
I'm in England. My ex-wife was a pharmacy assistant. Apparently it was banned from sale in the UK decades ago . I managed to find a similar bottle but I doubt it ever had drugs in it lol
Got Dad's 57 Les Paul standard. And his 335 Gibson. That was in 64. Now 64. Eric Clapton had George Harrison's. Cherry Les Paul standard. Recently bought a 57 Les Paul custom. Back in 02
Great story, Great Band Thank You for info it was interesting a couple things I had never heard before. Horrible we had to loose Duane so early in his life I can only imagine what it could have been❣️ ABB was the greatest Thank You for All the great songs ❤️
The Gibson ES-335 has probably my favourite tone of all guitars---the cherry red is the same kind played by Ritchie Blackmore in the early days of Deep Purple and also one Alvin Lee made famous. Also, Dickey Betts played in the Second Coming so beautifully on their cover of Cream's "I Feel Free" in 1968
I was in the doorway of Duane's room in the Big House when the photo at 16:05 was taken. They were also doing a photo shoot of the Gold Top... and I got to touch it.
It’s amazing how generous Dwayne was (and Dickie) in terms of gifting guitars, especially when one considers that no one in the ABB (and prior bands) was rolling in mounds of money in those early days.
Ramon, So cool that you used some pictures that my good friend Joe Riggio took of Hot Lanta. Joe has taken the most intimate photo's of that darkburst ever taken. Another great video my friend!
Excellent Documentary. Gerry Groom, to whom Duane's SG was bequeathed, was offering to sell it to me (or anyone else in the town of Sarasota, FL) to cover some medical expenses. This was in the early 1980's and guitar collecting hadn't become the astronomical investment opportunity that was soon to be. So, as much as I would have loved to have purchased that guitar, the 5k that he was asking for it was well out of my league at the time. I'd take a 'do over' on that now however.
@@aminor1950 ….I agree with you 100%. That’s still a lot of cabbage, especially for a guitar. However, that guitar did recently sell for over 700k, so actually would have been a great investment, if you could have parted with it.
Great video. I have to note that Coco Carmel Whitlock (who was married to Delaney) refuted the story of the hocked guitar as false. I understand the story's potential because Delaney told me the same thing in an interview.
Thanx Ramon... that was great. I'm surprised we didn't do this one a long time ago... Did you ever seen the pix of my wonderful new Les Paul? I hope all is well with you and your crew... cheers - Jonny
The first band was "the Uniques". This band had 3 guitars and drums; A keyboard was added when possible. His second(maybe 3rd) guitar was a Rickenbacker 360 fireglo.
You have good eye spotting that les Paul junior after watching more intently on the love valley performance you can see at the end of whipping post one of the roadies comes up behind duane as duane hands him the junior and picks up the les Paul standard for mountain jam
Hi John normally I use 3 different sources for any facts I include - thats not to say its 100% correct just the general consensus. Let me get back to you on this as I made this video a little while back.
I listened to Done Somebody Wrong and right at the end you can clearly hear Duane tuning his G string back to G from G# so my guess is he played slide on the Les Paul on Done Somebody Wrong. Otherwise he wouldn’t have had to retune if he was playing the SG which would have been kept in open E tuning. And his slide tone on Done Somebody Wrong seems to be the same as it was on Statesboro so I suspect he played the Les Paul on Statesboro.
I may be wrong on this story ,but Duanne was looking for a goldtop certain year and found 1 down in Texas. A painter had 1 and sold/traded it to Duanne . The man who found the guitar for him name is Billy F Gibbons who formed a band called ZZ Top. The guitar was at the big house in Macon worth around half a mil
The situation with the Goldtop shortly before it was traded is complicated - namely, in July ‘70, most notably at the Love Valley festival, but also at the Atlanta Pop Festival earlier in the month, Duane played a Goldtop with pickup covers and the poker chip around the switch tip. It’s therefore possible that he was using two Goldtops, quite possibly the first one he got, discussed in this video, and the second, famous one without the poker chip. Have a look at the Love Valley footage and Atlanta Pop photos. It’s also possible that he put the pickup covers a poker chip back on the famous Goldtop, which would accord with the plain top starting life with Duane with pickup covers (that is, if he put the covers back on the Goldtop by July ‘70 then put them into the plain top.) The question is, where is the earlier Goldtop, whether he still had it and was playing it by July ‘70 or not?
A closer look at the Love Valley reveals Grovers on the Goldtop, as the Layla Goldtop had. Someone with a keen eye and time could try to compare the inlays on the Goldtop in the footage with the inlays on the Layla Goldtop.
I spent a lot of time on this conundrum and its great to read this comment! Thanks for your comment! Lets see if anyone else has any more information on this!
Thanks for the wonderful videos. A while back I spent quite a bit of time trying to compare the inlays on the (let’s call it) Pokerchip Goldtop and the Layla Goldtop. At times I honestly thought it was the same guitar but it’s virtually impossible to be confident as the video quality isn’t good. Then, more importantly, I remembered the wonderful duaneallman.info website that has loads of dated photos. I suspect you used some of the photos on that website. Anyway, it shows use of a/the Pokerchip Goldtop on March 28, followed by more use of the Layla Goldtop until the Atlanta Pop Festival on 3 and 5 July and at the Love Valley Festival. August 15 and 23 looks like Layla Goldtop. Then we get the trade for the Cherryburst on 16 September and thereafter you almost only see the Cherryburst. On 25 November Dickey Betts is playing a Goldtop with a pokerchip. Then on 13 December Duane appears to be playing a Goldtop with a pokerchip. Then, to make things really confusing, on 16 December Duane appears to be playing a Goldtop with a pokerchip AND a Bigsby beard, which resembles the Goldtop seen in Dickey’s hands thereafter, but Dickey seems to be on a Goldtop with a pokerchip and no Bigsby beard during that show too. Then on NYE it’s back to the Cherryburst and I don’t think there are any more photos of Duane playing a Goldtop. I reckon there Duane had two Goldtops in ‘70 - his preferred Layla and a backup Pokerchip. That doesn’t explain why he played the Junior and Pokerchip at Love Valley and not Layla though. It’s a headache.
My last point (until I think of something else!) is that the simplest explanation is usually the best. Here the simplest explanation is that he still had the Compton Goldtop in 1970, only a bit over two years after he got it. That makes his letter from May 1969 about just buying his own Les Paul confusing. Would he have said that if he’d had the Compton Goldtop over a year by then? Maybe he didn’t think of it as his own? Strange. Maybe, as is speculated on Ground Guitar, he had three of them altogether and no longer had the Compton Goldtop by the time he got the Layla guitar. There are few photos (only one) of him using the Compton Goldtop. It’s still a mystery that there is at least one Goldtop that Duane played that is unaccounted for. I guess it suits the story of the Allman Brothers and Big House these days to say that he had one Goldtop and that it is accounted for, along with the Cherryburst and Darkburst. A bit of creative licence perhaps, although the Layla guitar does seem to have been by far his preferred Goldtop.
There are actually a lot of guitarists who are lefty and play right handed including Mark Knopfler and Bowie (myself also). It just makes more sense as if you play right handed your left is the most important hand, doing all the fretting
Left handedness and right handedness is more complex than many people realise. Some people are completely “one-sided”, others are completely ambidextrous- while most people do some things with one side and other things with the opposite side. Therefore it is possible to write left handed but kick a ball right footed and have your natural guitar playing side as right. However, there are a minority of people whose natural side for playing guitar is as a lefty and, if they are forced to learn righty will never achieve their full potential. I can play guitar both left and right handed but I am better at playing left handed. Which ever way a person naturally plays air guitar is usually the best way round for them to learn real guitar.
This would be me all time favorite gear vid... I wonder (🤔) how many goldtops were stripped and converted... ...especially curious about post SG era ('67 thru '70-ish?) Cheers again
I saw Duane with Derek and the Dominoes around 12/6/70. He was playing a cherryburst Les Paul through a Fender Twin with JBLs (probably JBL, but could have been Altecs, I suppose).
a couple things... Rick Hall did not buy Duane's contract Phil Walden bought Duane's contract from Rick. Duane wanted to do sessions for Rick Hall and camped out on his front lawn to prove his point. Duane came up with the idea of Wilson Picket recording Hey Jude while the studio guys went to lunch (this was alabama you just bring in a long hair and a black guy with you to eat lunch) this recording got Duane's career going. Hall played the recording for Jerry Wexler who in turn contacted Phil Walden and the rest is history. Duane's first electric the Junior with the tnuneomatic bridge is owned by Japanese collector Kunio Kushida who is a Duane Allman fan. There are videos of him playing it on youtube.
The Less Paul Jr story doesn't surprise me one bit. Back then there weren't guitar center type stores in every town. Not nearly as many people were buying top of the line guitars either.
Wow, I never knew that Gregg and Duane were born left handed -- I was born left-handed and play right-handed as well. I guess I don't have any excuses then lol
I don't understand why one would be described as playing right handed when all the "complicated work" is done with the left hand. If your left hand is doing the hard stuff, why would anyone call it playing right handed? I write with my left hand, and play chords and lead with my left hand, yet I would be described as playing right-handed. Never understood that.
Hey I had a BMX in the 80's with real ape hangers, nobody did this I ever met!! Only 6 year old through elementary. I didn't fit into leather so it was a black jean n blue jean vest jacket. 18in apes!!
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video. I had the good fortune of seeing (and holding) Duane's darkburst. I was attending college in Syracuse, NY. I loved the ABB. One day, I heard a song on the radio by this new band called the Dixie Dregs. I was knocked out by their original sound, and immediately went out and bought the Freefall album, which I wore out. They were touring to support the album, and I saw they were coming to play at the Firebarn Tavern in Syracuse. This was probably in 1977. I went to the show, and was blown away. I had seen quite a few bands, but never saw a guitarist enjoying themself more onstage than Steve Morse. He was smiling the entire time, and I knew then and there that I had to learn to play guitar (I was a trumpet player, music major in college).
Anyway, as you mentioned...Twiggs was the Dregs' road manager at that time. At the end of the show, the band was joined onstage by Twiggs and some other guys from the crew, for an encore. They ripped thru Don't Want You No More/Not My Cross To Bear and the place went nuts! Twiggs was playing a dark burst Les Paul. It was beautiful. When the show ended, I hung around while they tore down the stage, and Twiggs sat down at a table with a beer, darkburst in hand. So I went over and sat down with him. He was a really nice guy, and happy to show off the guitar. He flipped it over, and there were those frets, spelling out DUANE. I was speechless for what seemed like hours. Twiggs went on to tell me about the guitar, and about Duane. I couldn't believe any of it was happening. I asked if I could touch the guitar, and Twiggs proceeded to hand it to me! So there I sat, next to Twiggs, with Duane Allman's dark burst on my lap. I didn't know how to play guitar, so I just strummed the strings with my thumb and handed it back.
It was an amazing night, and one of the coolest things ever to happen in my life. I regret that I'm not a little older, because I never got to see Duane (or Berry) play live. But it sure was a thrill for a young college kid to see and "play" Duane's guitar.
An amazing first hand account of this legendry guitar - Thank you so much Maggie
That’s just the coolest fuc)ing story.
@@davidking2835 Right place, right time. Wonderful memory:)
I also had the honor of playing the darkburst. 1989, AJ Lyndon's (Twiggs' brother) house in Athens GA. It was about to go back to Galadrielle (Duane's daughter), as she'd just turned 20. There were a lot of guitar players there, and the event was videotaped. What became of that video is anybody's guess. It was cool, but I was nervous as hell holding it. I played one (very) brief lick, handed it back to somebody. Btw, they were using a Marshall Bluesbreaker combo amp.
Beautiful. Fate is very generous at times.
I was good friends with Skoots (RIP). He told me one of the scariest things he ever had to do was to take care of the Cherryburst, Hot 'Lanta & the Goldtop on his way to NY for the ABB's last run at the Beacon. He was glad to do it for everybody, but said he was scared shitless at the same time for being responsible for getting them around for that.
Can't say I blame him!
That 335 duane played was Betts guitar duane played that 335 most notably on the studio version of whipping post if you listen closely you will hear the difference in Duane's tone compared to the rest of the album
Also, Duane is who talked Wilson into recording hey jude. (Sorry. I just realized my comment has nothing to do with your post but it popped in my head while reading it.)
Cool! Didn’t know that.
Funny, the R7 which I’ve been looking today are six grand! 😢 I am 24 and love the Allman Brothers music
Welcome back G. A lot has happened meantime, glad you are well. A guitarist mate of mine, Mark, was a great fan of Duane and Dicky, he would have loved this. That Fillmore East album was bread and butter to him when at school at Lancing, and a massive influence. He too, was one of those most enviable "naturals" who instinctively knew his way around the fret board.
We appreciate the exhaustive research put into this video of Duane's guitars, once again demonstrating a guitarists search for the right gear, the optimum tone, thank you.
Many thanks indeed and let me know if you have any links of Mark playing - would love to hear him! thanks, G.
Thanks for this video. I was fortunate enough to see the Allman Brothers, and Chuck Berry in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the end of April or beginning of May, in 1970 (or 71). I had left Michigan with snow on the ground, and after 16 hours of driving, a fabulous outdoor concert in the hot sun - a great memory!
Pleasure and thanks for sharing the memories 🙏
@@TheGuitarShow I was lucky enough to hear live bands indoors and outdoors at least once a week from when I was 16 to when I began traveling when i was 26. Nothing can replace being there when the magic of live music happens!!!
I had no idea Duane and Gregg was born left handed! And let me just say as a left handed guitarist, that Duane and Gregg definitely made a smart move in learning right handed.
Yes its amazing they were both Left Handers!
@@TheGuitarShow Oddly enough - Steve Morse is left-handed as well (and plays right-handed).
I was in a band with two guitar players back in the 80's. I am left-handed , but play guitar right-handed. The other guitar player in our band was right-handed, but played guitar left-handed.
@@mmmatthewww that’s far out
My buddy teaches(Owns)at a Music Academy in Corpus(S.Tx).He teaches ALL guitarist's Right handed.VERY hard to teach a Lefty If you're a right handed teacher he says.
Goose! 👏👏👏👏. Amazing. Wonderful. Found it this morning. So great!!! So happy you took the time to do this!
Pleasure Maurice 🙏
I actually played the 1966 Fender Coronado guitar that belonged to Duane Allman when it was Davis Music in Tifton, GA and was owned by Davy Davis at the time. The story was that Duane bought the guitar at Bibb Music on Eisonhower Parkway, then traded it for a red Les Paul junior, perhaps the one with the notch in the back of the neck (not the body).... Then that guy traded it for a boat..... Then years later it ended up in Tifton, GA with Davy. I was later truly amazed with I seen that same guitar in a Guitar magazine and it stated that it was owned by Davy Davis so I knew it was the same guitar. WOW !!!!
Back in 2006 I was at he Hard Rock Café in London. I got to feel and play a little on Duane`s 1954 Stratocaster that they had in the vault. I also got to squeeze on Jimi`s black Flying V. Good memories.
Me and my brother were in London to see David Gilmour at the Royal Albert Hall. It was the show where David Bowie appeared on and which later became the DVD Remember That Night.
Thanks for the memories
Lots of guitars passed through the Allman Bros. band. I always identify Duane's signature sound from the SG and Dickie Betts the LP standard. Duane's slide technique influenced every guitarist after him. Everyone wanted to capture that electric slide magic that Duane invented and became the identifying tone of the AB band.
Wasn't it swapped for the Filmore East records thought? Duane played the tobacco burst and dickey played the SG
Dude, once again I appreciate your level of research that you put into these videos. I'm sure it can get maddening to do such deep dives on each guitarist, especially from a time that these now amazingly vintage guitars we're only thought of as tools and we're tinkered with and traded off as quickly as bottle caps to friends, for better guitars, or pawn shops to pay off a quick debt.
Thanks Robin much appreciated
Gerry Groom (my uncle) owned on of Duanes guitars...I have met both Duane and Greg during jam sessions with my uncle in Alabama in the early 70's.
Interesting that Clapton and Allman ,on Layla album, used silver face fender champ amps both modded by Eric's tech that basically bypassed the tone stacks to maximise gain. Basically more tweed like!
Ramon, thank you so much for the exhaustive research for Duane’s guitars. I loved it.
I’d love to learn more about the guitars and gear Toy Caldwell used with The Marshall Tucker Band, he got such a singular, yet incendiary tone, despite that he played with his thumb.
Thanks John and thanks for the idea for a future video... Let me look into it. 🙏
I never knew the history of eddy shavers strat.. very cool. Love eddy's playing.
Thanks for watching Chris!
I understand the roots of Duane's guitar. Thank you upload.
My Pleasure
Duane Allman is definitely in my top 10
# 1
I hope Dickey Betts is in there............ or your top-10 needs a ~goin ova agin~!~
Great work as always Another great and shares a zodiac sign with Peter Green . Duane was just born to play and lead
You really went down the rabbit hole on this one, super great info, many, many thanks.
Thanks Sid!
Sylvan Wells was in the Nightcrawlers in Daytona Beach area. The Nightcrawlers had a hit with "Little Black Egg"...Sylvan was in high school with Greg and Duanne in Florida. The Nightcrawlers also opened for the Beach Boys the same night as Duanne and Greg Allman did. Later in life Sylvan became an attorney at law. Nowadays he builds handmade acoustic guitars out of his shop in Ormond Beach and is self taught. He is way cool and a great guy. One of his guitars was owned by Miranda Lambert and is in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Thanks James
Excellent as always. I love your well researched videos and was just looking this morning for a new one. I hope all has been well for you over there on the other side of the pond.
Thanks, yes I took a short break but its great to be back again!
I saw Eddy Shaver playing that 54 fender Stratocaster he got from Dicky just two months before he passed away. His death haunts me to this day. He was a great player, and seemed like a nice person. I spoke with him just a few minutes that night but his playing will stay with me until my last day on earth. RIP Eddy Shaver.
I loved Eddy's playing. Tramp On Your Street or Live Unshaven should be heard by anyone who plays A Stratocaster.
the live album UNSHAVEN / Live at Olde Smiths Bar, is one of my top ever, live albums! The guitar tone and licks he plays is just amazing! One of my favorite players, RIP Eddy
Here again,,,,Read about Tramp On Your Street in like '94. Guitar Player magazine. Should have looked for it but times were tight. Few years later, looking thru the local library's selection (quite good, btw) and its there. Not long before, college radio KFJC did a great set of Shaver tunes and some history.
man, a GP had Eddy in the Memorium column. I couldn't believe it. Hopped in my car and checked out Tramp. Staggering !!
Bought this, Unshaven and Electric Shaver. Three S types here. Eddy was a huge inspiration when I played more (apt life will kill me).
@@RetiredinKorea8587 Yep..."We've been doing this for awhile...". Great !!
Totally enjoyed this segment. Great history and stories. Im in Allman's country , right outside Macon,GA.
Thanks - and hopefully one day I will visit your beautiful state myself.
Always great joy bro welcome back lovely DC junior 😉👍
Thank you 😁
The Junior had an ABR1 and tailpiece added, I think you would notice that.
I heard that he used the gold top for most of the Leyla sessions, but came back to do overdubs, in particular on the Leyla Outro after acquiring the Sunburst LP with the pickups from the gold top
Thanks for this!
Man,I love this article!! These photos are awesome too!!
Superb history lesson again Ramon , great stuff 👌 Stay safe my friend 👍
Thanks Shaun
I have a yellow '57 Les Paul TV model I purchased from Pat Travers in about 2004 or 2005. The guitar was given to Pat by a fan. The serial number was gouged off, which leads me to believe it might've been stolen at some point. I heard somewhere that Duane's had gotten stolen, so I sometimes wonder if it's mine. No way to prove, either way. Btw, it's a FANTASTIC sounding guitar.
Very cool story.
Very well could be, more likely than not I'd say !
Fantastic video Ramon!! It was hearing Duane playing on Stormy monday live at fillmore east when i was a kid that inspired me to learn guitar!
Thanks Hugh.... Me too was so inspiring both him and Dickey
@@TheGuitarShow Yes Dickey Betts lead playing was so fluid and full of melody! Peace!
Im left handed but learned to play right handed (self taught) as we couldnt afford a left handed guitar, guitars were a bit rare when i was a kid where i am and finding left handed models was even rarer and cost a significant premium
Love the channel
thankyou
Awesome series! Would be great to see the history of Alvin Lee’s guitars and amps too!
Remarkable segment. I loved it. I had the opportunity to play Duane’s Gold Top in Orlando. It was magical to hold and pick just a bit. Duane also had a late 60s Hummingbird whose now-owner brought to an event and I played that too. Strings were very old and it was out of tune but still very cool. Thankfully I have pictures of both events.
I saw & have pictures of a 1954 Strat that was supposed to be Duane's guitar. I used to hang in the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta.
Yes there is no photographic evidence of Duane using it but it is said to have been one of his.
Excellent documentary. Do more like this. The history of the guitars of... Eric, Jimi, Jimmy, Ritchie, etc. - Maybe document amps and effects? (Don't forget to cover strings, picks, pickups, and tunings. Ehh. Too much to hope for. Probably lost info.)
Thanks for the suggestions Gary - I will definately do some of those guys amps - all coming soon I promise!
Absolutely brilliant
Thanks!
4:42- That's Core-eh-see-din cold tablets, Ramon. They probably didn't have them in the U.K. Glad to see you back. Don't stay away so long.
I'm in England. My ex-wife was a pharmacy assistant. Apparently it was banned from sale in the UK decades ago . I managed to find a similar bottle but I doubt it ever had drugs in it lol
Thanks! I am the worst at pronouncing words properley lol- great to hear from you Ill be active these next few months on the channel a lot!
@@TheGuitarShow I've heard it pronounced core-eh-sigh-din. Could be whatever region or country you're in (or from!).
@@rosannap.5972 Many thanks Rosanna🙏
@@TheGuitarShow I had the advantage of seeing numerous Coricidin commercials on television back in the day.
Skydog!!!! The man the myth the legend
🙏
Enjoyed every second of this video. Thank you!
Thanks Dave 🙏
Got Dad's 57 Les Paul standard. And his 335 Gibson. That was in 64. Now 64. Eric Clapton had George Harrison's. Cherry Les Paul standard. Recently bought a 57 Les Paul custom. Back in 02
Great story, Great Band Thank You for info it was interesting a couple things I had never heard before. Horrible we had to loose Duane so early in his life I can only imagine what it could have been❣️ ABB was the greatest Thank You for All the great songs ❤️
I love love love the ABB! Really enjoyed this video
Thanks for watching Lucas!
Been looking forward to this one!
Thanks Jerry!
The Gibson ES-335 has probably my favourite tone of all guitars---the cherry red is the same kind played by Ritchie Blackmore in the early days of Deep Purple and also one Alvin Lee made famous. Also, Dickey Betts played in the Second Coming so beautifully on their cover of Cream's "I Feel Free" in 1968
I was in the doorway of Duane's room in the Big House when the photo at 16:05 was taken. They were also doing a photo shoot of the Gold Top... and I got to touch it.
Amazing this is so cool! wow!!
The dog ate my homework, sorry headstock,... I hope this great tale wags forever;)
Lol so true!
@@TheGuitarShow 8 8
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Really good research work.. As usual.. We can see where Dereck Truck took his influence from..
Thanks Bertrand
@@TheGuitarShow Welcome :)
It’s amazing how generous Dwayne was (and Dickie) in terms of gifting guitars, especially when one considers that no one in the ABB (and prior bands) was rolling in mounds of money in those early days.
Duane and Dickey!
First welcome back hope everything is great with you and your family. Second you have to do a guitar history of Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood and Mick Taylor
Many thanks indeed, yes all 3 will be eventually covered - I promise!
Ramon, So cool that you used some pictures that my good friend Joe Riggio took of Hot Lanta. Joe has taken the most intimate photo's of that darkburst ever taken. Another great video my friend!
Many thanks indeed Billy
I live for these details especially about my guitar hero🎸
Excellent episode! Very well done!!
Thanks Daniel
Excellent Documentary. Gerry Groom, to whom Duane's SG was bequeathed, was offering to sell it to me (or anyone else in the town of Sarasota, FL) to cover some medical expenses. This was in the early 1980's and guitar collecting hadn't become the astronomical investment opportunity that was soon to be. So, as much as I would have loved to have purchased that guitar, the 5k that he was asking for it was well out of my league at the time. I'd take a 'do over' on that now however.
Many thanks indeed
Gerry Groom (my uncle) owned one of Duanes guitars...I have met both Duane and Greg during jam sessions with my uncle in Alabama in the early 70's.
@@aminor1950 ….I agree with you 100%. That’s still a lot of cabbage, especially for a guitar. However, that guitar did recently sell for over 700k, so actually would have been a great investment, if you could have parted with it.
Great video. I have to note that Coco Carmel Whitlock (who was married to Delaney) refuted the story of the hocked guitar as false. I understand the story's potential because Delaney told me the same thing in an interview.
Thanks Mitchell
Thank you for this terrific, informative presentation !
Pleasure Mike
Thanx Ramon... that was great.
I'm surprised we didn't do this one a long time ago... Did you ever seen the pix of my wonderful new Les Paul?
I hope all is well with you and your crew... cheers - Jonny
Thanks Jonny I know I had planned to do this one for a while now! Great Ill check the emails today for your guitar. Best R
@@TheGuitarShow Thanx mang... Let me know jonnybeck47@gmail.com and I'll tell you the rest of the story
All hats off to brother Skydog.
What a great vid. You worked hard.
The first band was "the Uniques". This band had 3 guitars and drums; A keyboard was added when possible. His second(maybe 3rd) guitar was a Rickenbacker 360 fireglo.
I have never heard anyone say “paf” pickup before, always “P.A.F.”.
You have good eye spotting that les Paul junior after watching more intently on the love valley performance you can see at the end of whipping post one of the roadies comes up behind duane as duane hands him the junior and picks up the les Paul standard for mountain jam
Thanks Gregory
What a fantastic video have a wonderful day 😊
Many thanks indeed.
Great story Maggie!! Love it!!
Glad you liked it!!
I`ve seen a photograph in Rolling Stone of Dicky Betts,complete with Nudies suit playing a 335.
Lots of great info, thanks! May I ask how you were able to verify that Duane used the SG on Fillmore East Statesboro?
Hi John normally I use 3 different sources for any facts I include - thats not to say its 100% correct just the general consensus. Let me get back to you on this as I made this video a little while back.
The Guitar Show thanks!
For what it’s worth, there are photos attributed to the Fillmore East run and subsequent show that depict Duane playing slide on the Cherryburst.
I listened to Done Somebody Wrong and right at the end you can clearly hear Duane tuning his G string back to G from G# so my guess is he played slide on the Les Paul on Done Somebody Wrong. Otherwise he wouldn’t have had to retune if he was playing the SG which would have been kept in open E tuning. And his slide tone on Done Somebody Wrong seems to be the same as it was on Statesboro so I suspect he played the Les Paul on Statesboro.
really great research and a fine presentation
Thanks Jay
I may be wrong on this story ,but Duanne was looking for a goldtop certain year and found 1 down in Texas. A painter had 1 and sold/traded it to Duanne . The man who found the guitar for him name is Billy F Gibbons who formed a band called ZZ Top. The guitar was at the big house in Macon worth around half a mil
This was great! Thanks for sharing this information..
I have a Tele w a Strat neck Works great for me being a rosewood neck so it tempers a bit of the inherent brightness
I agree they always sound great
Both guitars were used but the same pickups were used on that song. The Goldtop got traded while that was being recorded
Thanks Ramon.
Pleasure, thanks!
The situation with the Goldtop shortly before it was traded is complicated - namely, in July ‘70, most notably at the Love Valley festival, but also at the Atlanta Pop Festival earlier in the month, Duane played a Goldtop with pickup covers and the poker chip around the switch tip. It’s therefore possible that he was using two Goldtops, quite possibly the first one he got, discussed in this video, and the second, famous one without the poker chip. Have a look at the Love Valley footage and Atlanta Pop photos.
It’s also possible that he put the pickup covers a poker chip back on the famous Goldtop, which would accord with the plain top starting life with Duane with pickup covers (that is, if he put the covers back on the Goldtop by July ‘70 then put them into the plain top.)
The question is, where is the earlier Goldtop, whether he still had it and was playing it by July ‘70 or not?
A closer look at the Love Valley reveals Grovers on the Goldtop, as the Layla Goldtop had. Someone with a keen eye and time could try to compare the inlays on the Goldtop in the footage with the inlays on the Layla Goldtop.
I spent a lot of time on this conundrum and its great to read this comment! Thanks for your comment! Lets see if anyone else has any more information on this!
Thanks for the wonderful videos. A while back I spent quite a bit of time trying to compare the inlays on the (let’s call it) Pokerchip Goldtop and the Layla Goldtop. At times I honestly thought it was the same guitar but it’s virtually impossible to be confident as the video quality isn’t good.
Then, more importantly, I remembered the wonderful duaneallman.info website that has loads of dated photos. I suspect you used some of the photos on that website. Anyway, it shows use of a/the Pokerchip Goldtop on March 28, followed by more use of the Layla Goldtop until the Atlanta Pop Festival on 3 and 5 July and at the Love Valley Festival. August 15 and 23 looks like Layla Goldtop. Then we get the trade for the Cherryburst on 16 September and thereafter you almost only see the Cherryburst. On 25 November Dickey Betts is playing a Goldtop with a pokerchip. Then on 13 December Duane appears to be playing a Goldtop with a pokerchip. Then, to make things really confusing, on 16 December Duane appears to be playing a Goldtop with a pokerchip AND a Bigsby beard, which resembles the Goldtop seen in Dickey’s hands thereafter, but Dickey seems to be on a Goldtop with a pokerchip and no Bigsby beard during that show too. Then on NYE it’s back to the Cherryburst and I don’t think there are any more photos of Duane playing a Goldtop.
I reckon there Duane had two Goldtops in ‘70 - his preferred Layla and a backup Pokerchip.
That doesn’t explain why he played the Junior and Pokerchip at Love Valley and not Layla though.
It’s a headache.
My last point (until I think of something else!) is that the simplest explanation is usually the best. Here the simplest explanation is that he still had the Compton Goldtop in 1970, only a bit over two years after he got it. That makes his letter from May 1969 about just buying his own Les Paul confusing. Would he have said that if he’d had the Compton Goldtop over a year by then? Maybe he didn’t think of it as his own? Strange. Maybe, as is speculated on Ground Guitar, he had three of them altogether and no longer had the Compton Goldtop by the time he got the Layla guitar. There are few photos (only one) of him using the Compton Goldtop.
It’s still a mystery that there is at least one Goldtop that Duane played that is unaccounted for. I guess it suits the story of the Allman Brothers and Big House these days to say that he had one Goldtop and that it is accounted for, along with the Cherryburst and Darkburst. A bit of creative licence perhaps, although the Layla guitar does seem to have been by far his preferred Goldtop.
I shouted out loud just by seeing the title
Ha! So cool, thanks! 🙏
taught himself to play right handed wow.
There are actually a lot of guitarists who are lefty and play right handed including Mark Knopfler and Bowie (myself also). It just makes more sense as if you play right handed your left is the most important hand, doing all the fretting
Left handedness and right handedness is more complex than many people realise. Some people are completely “one-sided”, others are completely ambidextrous- while most people do some things with one side and other things with the opposite side. Therefore it is possible to write left handed but kick a ball right footed and have your natural guitar playing side as right. However, there are a minority of people whose natural side for playing guitar is as a lefty and, if they are forced to learn righty will never achieve their full potential. I can play guitar both left and right handed but I am better at playing left handed. Which ever way a person naturally plays air guitar is usually the best way round for them to learn real guitar.
@@craigthomson3621 duane was amazing and greg
Peter steel of type o negative was left handed but played bass right handed.
I’m left handed but play guitar right handed
This would be me all time favorite gear vid...
I wonder (🤔) how many goldtops were stripped and converted...
...especially curious about post SG era ('67 thru '70-ish?)
Cheers again
Brilliant Guitarist.
Let's mention the great Jesse Ed Davis who played slide guitar on that Taj Mahal album. Jesse was a major catalyst who inspired Duane to play slide.
I luv my Duane Allman tribute gold top Les Paul.😎👍
I saw Duane with Derek and the Dominoes around 12/6/70. He was playing a cherryburst Les Paul through a Fender Twin with JBLs (probably JBL, but could have been Altecs, I suppose).
great work man loved the video are you working on history of Tony iommis guitars
I promise to get to Rorys guitars!
EXCELLENT! THANK YOU!
My pleasure
Amazing video thanks so much.
Amazing level of research.
excellent video. thank u
Pleasure, thanks
Derek and the dominos Duane played the rythum part to Layla . Playing some slide parts as well at least that's what i was thinking
a couple things... Rick Hall did not buy Duane's contract Phil Walden bought Duane's contract from Rick. Duane wanted to do sessions for Rick Hall and camped out on his front lawn to prove his point. Duane came up with the idea of Wilson Picket recording Hey Jude while the studio guys went to lunch (this was alabama you just bring in a long hair and a black guy with you to eat lunch) this recording got Duane's career going. Hall played the recording for Jerry Wexler who in turn contacted Phil Walden and the rest is history. Duane's first electric the Junior with the tnuneomatic bridge is owned by Japanese collector Kunio Kushida who is a Duane Allman fan. There are videos of him playing it on youtube.
Thanks for all the info brother😉😇
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Do Ritchie Blackmore next
Great idea!
The Less Paul Jr story doesn't surprise me one bit. Back then there weren't guitar center type stores in every town. Not nearly as many people were buying top of the line guitars either.
Awesome story my friend. Have a good day.
Thanks bro
Wow, I never knew that Gregg and Duane were born left handed -- I was born left-handed and play right-handed as well. I guess I don't have any excuses then lol
I know!
I don't understand why one would be described as playing right handed when all the "complicated work" is done with the left hand. If your left hand is doing the hard stuff, why would anyone call it playing right handed? I write with my left hand, and play chords and lead with my left hand, yet I would be described as playing right-handed. Never understood that.
this is great, thanks. Pronunciation of Macon is "makin'" Georgia. Cheers.
Thanks Wick 🙏
No, it is MaCUN, with the short "u" sound, like in "dumb."
Hey I had a BMX in the 80's with real ape hangers, nobody did this I ever met!! Only 6 year old through elementary. I didn't fit into leather so it was a black jean n blue jean vest jacket. 18in apes!!
What a AWESOME Guitarist. Can you do Brian May please or Billy Gibbings from ZzTop and can you do Mark Knopfler please
Of course!
Fender amp knobs on 68 custom like Muddy
thats right - the red tele!
Most awesome, thank you :)
Pleasure Brian 🙏
Great video 😊