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Electric Hawaiian guitar
Alternate name:Electric lap-steel guitar
Alternate name:Electric slide guitar
Maker: Gibson, Inc.
Date: 1956-1959 ca.
Place Made:Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A.
Model: BR-6B
SignedStenciled in black paint on head: Gibson
DescriptionThe Gibson BR-6B is a special ivory-cream and black version of the BR-6, one of the most popular Gibson electric steel guitar models, made from 1946 to 1960. The special BR-6B can be found in the Gibson shipping ledgers between 1956 and 1959, and only 77 of them shipped, a small number for Gibson. The normal BR-6 shipped with a natural maple sunburst finish, so this guitar would be quite distinctive for the guitarists who managed to get one. The NMM’s BR-6B still plays and its famous P-90 pickups yield a powerful, gutsy sound suited to any music style, from Hawaiian to country, from blues to rock.
Stringing: six steel strings
Pickups: one P-90 pickup, clear plastic plastic volume and tone knobs backed in gold and white paint, with numbers one through 10
Body, neck, and head: ivory-lacquered mahogany bound on top edges with black plastic
Fretboard: black plastic with positon markers in gold paint
Nut: nickel-plated metal
Bridge: nickel-plated metal
Tuners: six-on-a-side Kluson worm-gear machine tuners with nickel-plated steel plate, steel rollers, and white plastic heads
Pickguard: combined pickguard, handrest, and pickup cover, clear plastic painted on underside in black
Finish: ivory lacquer
Stringing: six steel strings
Pickups: one P-90 pickup, clear plastic plastic volume and tone knobs backed in gold and white paint, with numbers one through 10
Body, neck, and head: ivory-lacquered mahogany bound on top edges with black plastic
Fretboard: black plastic with positon markers in gold paint
Nut: nickel-plated metal
Bridge: nickel-plated metal
Tuners: six-on-a-side Kluson worm-gear machine tuners with nickel-plated steel plate, steel rollers, and white plastic heads
Pickguard: combined pickguard, handrest, and pickup cover, clear plastic painted on underside in black
Finish: ivory lacquer
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 815 mm
Back length: 355 mm
Upper bout width: 158 mm
Waist width: 128 mm
Lower bout width: 204 mm
Side height (including edging): 41 mm
Head length: 170 mm
Head width, top: 82 mm
Head width, bottom: 70 mm
Neck length (nut to body): 288 mm
Neck width, nut: 56 mm
Neck width, body joint: 65 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): approximately 559 mm (22" scale"
Back length: 355 mm
Upper bout width: 158 mm
Waist width: 128 mm
Lower bout width: 204 mm
Side height (including edging): 41 mm
Head length: 170 mm
Head width, top: 82 mm
Head width, bottom: 70 mm
Neck length (nut to body): 288 mm
Neck width, nut: 56 mm
Neck width, body joint: 65 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): approximately 559 mm (22" scale"
Credit Line: Gift of Eric C. Shoaf, 2018
Not on view
Object number: 15066