Keb' Mo'

Keb' can be seen playing his now-lost Epiphone Bluesmaster in the instructional DVD The Blues Guitar of Keb' Mo' for Homespun Tapes.

Discussing the development of his signature Gibson acoustic guitar, Keb' says, "It's based on a model made by Epiphone called a Bluesmaster. I played the Bluesmaster for years, I loved it. I wrote on it. It had the best tone. I paid $800 for it. It wasn’t an expensive guitar; it's just a nice guitar, and it got stolen. And I was heartbroken. I kept trying to find a Bluesmaster and Gibson said, "Why don't we just make you one?” And that became my signature model with a few adjustments to it." (https://reverb.com/news/reverb-interview-bluesman-keb-mo)

Keb' Mo' uses a 1954 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar, primarily backstage and for recording sessions. According to an interview with Artisan Guitars, he appreciates the guitar's reliability and durability, stating, "I love this guitar. A good Strat like this one is reliable; I've banged it up, and there's not a dent. It sounds great in the studio with some balancing, but as you know, single coils are a pain on stage."

"I’ve got a Yamaha Red Label, an Orange Label, but I’m not into vintage; not the ones you just sit and look at. I like variety, I don’t want $50,000 tied up in one guitar. I want to play them." In an interview for Reverb published in April 2016 https://www.instagram.com/p/B_gYkY8ByvY/

During a wide-ranging interview with Reverb.com, Keb' mentions his resonator guitars: "The Reso Rocket is great, it's a single cone and it has the cutaway, which I like for playing slide. Normally I don't like the cutaway because I can hear the tone missing out of the piece that they cut away. It works really great with open tunings. I can slide way up on the neck to get that octave. That's a new model. Boy, they nailed it, man. I use that when I'm playing solo or small ensemble."

"My electric guitars are an 11-year-old Suhr Strat, a custom Paul Reed Smith, and a 3-pickup Epiphone Riviera. I switched out the Riviera’s P-90s for P-100s, because the P-90s are noisy."

In his interview with Reverb.com, Keb' mentions his Highway 61 resonator: "When I play with a band, I use the Republic resonator. It's nasty and it cuts through the band."

He also mentions it in an interview with Premier Guitar: "I used two resonators: a National Reso Rocket and a small-body Republic travel resonator that has a real nice, tight sound." (https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25789-taj-mahal-and-keb-mo-team-up?page=2)

At 0:05 and throughout this video interview with Keb Mo about the Keb Mo Blues Master Guitar, he can be seen using the aforementioned model.

"I had brought out a very stripped down thing, a trio. I had one electric guitar with me and it kept buzzing. I got just tired of it and went to the store. I knew I wanted a semi-hollow body; I wanted it to have a single coil and a humbucker, but four knobs: separate tone and volume for each pickup.

I looked up on the wall and I saw that Gretsch, pulled it down. Did the trick perfectly. Now I have two of them [laughs]. It's a Gretsch Electromatic G5620T with a center block, a Bigsby and the TV Jones pickups."

"I’ve got a Yamaha Red Label, an Orange Label, but I’m not into vintage; not the ones you just sit and look at. I like variety, I don’t want $50,000 tied up in one guitar. I want to play them." In an interview for Reverb published in April 2016 https://www.instagram.com/p/B_gYkY8ByvY/

At 1:03, there is a great shot of Keb' Mo' playing a Hamer Monaco III.