King also modded Lucille by blocking up the F-holes on the guitar. But in short – the Varitone sounds very different in each position, and can be used to produce a whole range of different tones. The first notable feature of King’s ES-355 is the Varitone switch. Typically on ES-355s, there is a 3 way toggle switch, which switches between the neck pickup, both pickups and the bridge pickup. The Varitone is a 6 way switch that filters out specific frequencies in each position. King, it’s worth noting the specific features of King’s ES-355, and the modifications that King made to his guitar. Lucille was modelled on the body of an ES-355.
King decided to name his guitar Lucille, to remind him ‘never to do a thing like that again’. He later learned that the fire had been started by 2 men who were brawling over a waitress in the club called Lucille. He ran back into the collapsing building – risking his life in the process – and managed to retrieve the guitar from the flames. King escaped to safety, only to realise that he had left his beloved guitar inside. It earned this name in 1949, following an incident at one of King’s gigs where the club that he was playing in set on fire. King famously played a black Gibson ES-355 that he called Lucille. King:ĭespite his career spanning more than 60 years, the gear that B.B. To help you get closer to those beautiful tones, here I have outlined the details of the gear that King used during his career. So without further ado, here is everything you need to sound like B.B. It is beautiful and pure, and unlike that of almost any other blues guitarist before or since. King’s tone is key to evoking this emotion. His playing evokes deep feeling and captures the spirit of the blues. B.B. His focus was on pouring emotion into every note. King was not one for fast licks or flashy playing.
To me, his style and the way he approached the guitar illustrated the vast possibilities that the instrument offers.ī.B. King’s playing truly captured my imagination that night. It was one of the best live performances that I have ever seen. B.B. When I first started playing the guitar as a teenager, I had the amazing fortune to see B.B. He is the ultimate blues musician and a player to whom every modern blues guitarist owes a considerable debt. King is the undisputed master of the blues. King at one point or another in their career. I think there are very few blues guitarists out there who haven’t wanted to sound like B.B. Guitars Pickups Amps Pedals Strings Closing Thoughts
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Learn how to recreate his warm and mellow blues tones to suit your budget and set-up