The Gibson Keb Mo Bluesmaster honours the multi-Grammy winning Blues man
The Gibson Keb Mo Bluesmaster is the signature guitar of the player once described as “a living link to the seminal Delta blues that travelled up the Mississippi River and across the expanse of America.” This is quite an assertion, but Keb Mo is quite a player. With a musical style that veers from Delta influences, through gospel and more recently, to African-American folk soul, Keb is a man that has traversed the blues landscape.
It stands to reason that his signature guitar should be something a bit special, and indeed it is…
Adirondack red spruce top
The Gibson Keb Mo Bluesmaster ‘s design harks back to the classic small-bodied, flat-top Gibson acoustics used by the legendary early blues players. One of the guitars most distinctive features is its top. Whilst, nowadays, Sitka and Engleman Spruce is the most popular choice, in America, the home of the early flat-top acoustic, Adirondack red spruce was the more popular choice. The particular strain is native to the North Americas, and is the strongest and stiffest variety of spruce.
Over time, Sitka, and Engleman spruce became the popular choices, perhaps for reasons of cosmetics (Adirondack displays far les figuring) or perhaps because of the softer woods were easier to work with. However, many still attest that Adirondack is the tonally superior variety.
The Keb Mo Bluesmaster top is constructed from two pieces of Adirondack red spruce, with solid mahogany back and sides. The body shape is based on the Gibson ‘L’ series small body guitars. Scalloped X-braces made of spruce, strengthen the guitar, and maximise resonance. This results in a rich and complex tone that belies its small size.
The neck also ties in with the guitar’s vintage Gibson influences. A mahogany design, it joins the body at the 12th fret, lending it a Parlour-style appearance. This shaped to a custom sculpted ‘V’ profile. An East-Indian rosewood fret board completes things nicely, with mother-of-pearl dot inlays.
Here are the Gibson Keb Mo Bluesmaster ‘s key features:
- Based on vintage flat-top acoustics – Small body shape modelled on Gibson ‘L’ series acoustics
- Adirondack red spruce top – rare, strong and incredibly stiff strain of spruce, again, harks back to classic Gibson flat-top acoustic guitars.
- Solid mahogany back and sides – provides rich, warm low end with excellent projection
- Mahogany neck – Shaped with custom ‘V’ profile, and joined to the body at the 12th fret.
- Rosewood fingerboard – with mother-of-pearl dot inlays
- LR Baggs Element Pickup – natural, dynamic pickup with broad frequency response
- Rosewood ‘Belly Down’ bridge
- Two finishes – Antique natural or Vintage Sunburst
- Gibson Hardshell Case
The Gibson Keb Mo Bluesmaster is due to arrive very soon at Dawsons. Call our Stores or customer service team (01925 582420) to pre-order.
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