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Average Price: $7,956

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$500

$1201+

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Standard

High-end

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Description

Gibson Barney Kessel (regular model)

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/gibson-and-barney-kessel-1

Product specs

Brand Gibson
Model Barney Kessel Custom
Finish Sunburst
Year 1961 - 1974
Made In United States
Categories Hollow Body Guitars
Artist Barney Kessel
Body Material Maple
Body Shape Double Cutaway
Body Type Hollow Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type Stop-Bar
Color Family Orange, Red
Finish Pattern Sunburst
Finish Style Gloss
Fretboard Material Rosewood
Model Family Gibson Barney Kessel
Model Sub-Family Gibson Barney Kessel Custom
Neck Construction Set-Neck
Neck Material Mahogany
Number of Frets 20
Number of Strings 6-String
Pickup Configuration HH
Right / Left Handed Right Handed
Scale Length 24.75"
Series Gibson Artist Collection
Wood Top Style Plain

FAQs

What is the neck profile of the Gibson Barney Kessel guitar?

The Gibson Barney Kessel features a neck borrowed from the flagship Super 400, known for its comfortable playability and the long 25.5” scale length, providing a smooth playing experience ideal for jazz and other complex styles.

What kind of pickups are in the Gibson Barney Kessel guitar?

The Gibson Barney Kessel is equipped with dual humbucking pickups (HH configuration), delivering a warm, rich tone suitable for jazz and versatile enough for various music genres.

Is the Gibson Barney Kessel suitable for jazz music?

Yes, the Gibson Barney Kessel is designed with jazz musicians in mind, offering a hollow body for resonant tones and humbucking pickups that provide the warmth and clarity needed for jazz performances.

What materials are used in the construction of the Gibson Barney Kessel guitar?

The Gibson Barney Kessel features a maple body and a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard, combining durability with a rich tonal quality favored by many guitarists.

How does the Gibson Barney Kessel handle feedback due to its hollow body design?

The hollow body design of the Gibson Barney Kessel can be more prone to feedback at high volumes, but its construction and humbucking pickups help manage and reduce unwanted feedback, making it suitable for controlled live performances.

frettedamericana

frettedamericana

1966 Gibson Barney Kessel April Lawton 01098 SOLD!

Video thumbnail for 1966 Gibson Barney Kessel April Lawton 01098 SOLD! by frettedamericana

1966 Gibson Barney Kessel April Lawton 01098 SOLD!

frettedamericana

frettedamericana

Video thumbnail for Guitar of the Day: 1962 Gibson Barney Kessell Standard | Norman's Rare Guitars by Normans Rare Guitars

Guitar of the Day: 1962 Gibson Barney Kessell Standard | Norman's Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for Guitar of the Day: 1964 Gibson Barney Kessel | Norman's Rare Guitars by Normans Rare Guitars

Guitar of the Day: 1964 Gibson Barney Kessel | Norman's Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Sunburst | Guitar of the Day by Normans Rare Guitars

1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Sunburst | Guitar of the Day

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for Gibson Barney Kessel from 1968 presented by Vintage Guitar Oldenburg and Tobias Hoffmann by Vintage Guitar Oldenburg

Gibson Barney Kessel from 1968 presented by Vintage Guitar Oldenburg and Tobias Hoffmann

Vintage Guitar Oldenburg

Vintage Guitar Oldenburg

Video thumbnail for 1965 Gibson Barney Kessel played by Hudson Davis by Carter Vintage Guitars

1965 Gibson Barney Kessel played by Hudson Davis

Carter Vintage Guitars

Carter Vintage Guitars

Video thumbnail for 1944 Martin 0-18 and 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel | Nathan & Jessie at Norman's Rare Guitars by Normans Rare Guitars

1944 Martin 0-18 and 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel | Nathan & Jessie at Norman's Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for 1969 Gibson Barney Kessel Archtop, Emily Roberts by God's Own Guitars

1969 Gibson Barney Kessel Archtop, Emily Roberts

God's Own Guitars

God's Own Guitars

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Gibson Barney Kessel.

Setup and maintenance

  • A professional repairman fixed poorly spliced pickup wiring and reversed magnets to resolve out-of-phase issues on a 1963 model.

    Source
  • The guitar required re-gluing of the bracing to ensure structural integrity, especially important for older instruments.

    Source

User experience

  • Post-fretwork, the guitar transitioned from a buzz-fest to one of the best-playing instruments, demonstrating the impact of expert craftsmanship.

    Source

Build quality

  • A 1963 Gibson Barney Kessel still retains its original frets, which were leveled and crowned to restore excellent playability.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Kessel's main guitar was an ES-350 with a Charlie Christian pickup, providing a distinctive sound hard to replicate.

    Source
  • For jazz tones similar to Kessel's, Polytone and Henriksen amps are recommended, with Polytone being noted for achieving a similar sound.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Kessel mentioned his unique pickups were made with magnets no longer available, contributing to his signature tone.

    Source

Critic Reviews

1968 Gibson Barney Kessel Hollowbody Signature Guitar - Premier Guitar

premierguitar.com

The 1968 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom is a vintage gem, lauded for its exceptional condition and striking aesthetics. With its gleaming cherry sunburst finish and mostly original components, it stands out in a market where many are mere parts donors. While its design and hardware upgrades over the Regular model add allure, its rarity and intact original parts justify its high price. However, the guitar's history as a frequent donor for parts might deter some collectors. Overall, this review paints the Barney Kessel Custom as a desirable piece for serious vintage guitar enthusiasts.

positive

Rarely Played by the Artist Himself, the Gibson Barney Kessel Regular Was More Famously Spotted in the Hands of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and T-Bone Walker | GuitarPlayer

guitarplayer.com

4.5 out of 5

Based on 0 Reviews and 4 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Josh Homme uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Josh Homme

Guitarist

Kyuss

...
Verified via YouTube

Josh Homme can be seen using this guitar in this video.

See how Tony Iommi uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Tony Iommi

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo of Tony with some of his guitars you can see a Gibson Barney Kessel on the far left. Youc an tell tis a standard model and not a custom ebcause it has nickel ahrdware, split block inlays and no music note inlay on the ehadstock .

See how Jason Newsted uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Jason Newsted

Bassist

Metallica

...
Verified via YouTube

At 0:16 in the YouTube video titled "Jason Newsted Is Selling Some Incredible Gear From His Career | Official Jason Newsted Reverb Shop," the headstock of a Gibson Barney Kessel guitar is clearly visible in Jason Newsted's guitar collection, as documented by Reverb.

See how Jeff Tweedy uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Jeff Tweedy

Singer, Guitarist

Wilco

...
Verified via Photo

"I have it. I have a Gibson Barney Kessel guitar. It has two cutaways that look like devil horns, but it's this huge hollow-body from the Sixties. My wife bought it for me for Christmas. It's cool."

  • Tweedy in an interview with iconicguitar.com
See how Ryan Adams uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Ryan Adams

Singer, Guitarist

Whiskeytown

...
Verified via Photo

In a 2005 photo, Ryan Adams is seen playing a Gibson Barney Kessel guitar during his time with The Cardinals.

See how Steve Stevens uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Steve Stevens

Guitarist

Michael Jackson (band)

...
Verified via Guitarplayer

He said he used an old 1961 Gibson Barney Kessel on “Ghosts in My Guitar" from Billy Idol's "Kings & Queens of the Underground".

See how Dean Fertita uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Dean Fertita

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Queens of the Stone Age

...
Verified via YouTube

Throughout the video you can see Dean Fertita using this guitar such as 3:35

See how Alain Johannes uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Alain Johannes

Singer, Guitarist

Queens of the Stone Age

...
Verified via YouTube

In this video at 3:40, we can see Alain playing on Gibson Barney Kessel guitar

See how Jim James uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Jim James

Singer, Guitarist

My Morning Jacket

...
Verified via Premierguitar

James used this guitar for recording most of "The Waterfall". It is unknown whether he used it live, because he usually uses the Ventura Barney Kessel model live. The guitar was also listed among the gear used in 2021 Premier Guitar interview.

I wrote a lot of The Waterfall on a Gibson Barney Kessel I found that I really love. Last night I was playing another favorite: my mom’s guitar when she was a kid, just an old, no-name kid’s guitar from the ’50s.

See how Trevor Rabin uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Trevor Rabin

Guitarist

Yes

...
Verified via Guitarplayer

Steve said Trevor used an old 1961 Gibson Barney Kessel on “Ghosts in My Guitar" from Billy Idol's "Kings & Queens of the Underground".

See how T-Bone Walker uses Gibson Barney Kessel

T-Bone Walker

Guitarist

T-Bone Walker Quintet

...
Verified via Photo

T-Bone Walker is shown playing a Gibson Barney Kessel semi-hollowbody electric guitar in a user-uploaded photo from Photobucket titled "TBoneWalker68.jpg."

See how Tom Petersson uses Gibson Barney Kessel

Tom Petersson

Bassist

Cheap Trick

...
Verified via Vintage Guitar® magazine

And yes, Petersson also collects standard six-string guitars, which he uses to write and record. Classic American guitars in his set include a 1934 Martin 000-18, a 1960 double-cutaway Gibson Les Paul Junior in TV yellow, a black ’63 Fender Telecaster, an orange ’67 Gretsch 6120, a Gibson Barney Kessel Standard from ’62, a prototype Gibson Super 400 from ’91, a ’59 Rickenbacker 360 Capri, a ’67 Rickenbacker 360/12, and an original black ’57 Gibson J-160E (as played by John Lennon and George Harrison) that he prefers for recording, “Because of the lack of low-end, it fits in the tracks better.” Another favorite acoustic is a 1950s Artur Lang hand-made in Germany.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Gibson Barney Kessel, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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1
Fender Telecaster
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1
Fender Telecaster Bass
Fender Telecaster Bass Electric Basses
1
Gretsch 6120
Gretsch 6120 Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars
1
Squier Stratocaster
Squier Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitars
1
Martin 000-18
Martin 000-18 Steel-string Acoustic Guitars
1

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