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322 Part VI: The Part of Tens TEAM LinG
often referred to as “hollowbody,” to distinguish them from models that had a
similar silhouette but were “semi-solidbody” or “semi-hollowbody.” Gibson
made many archtop models. Kenny Burrell — whose blues-inflected jazz was
inspired by Lightnin’ Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, and Muddy Waters — played
the ES-175.
National Steel
In the mid-1920s, John Dopyera (who later created the Dobro company)
and George Beauchamp formed the National Stringed Instrument Co. to produce
their patented invention: an all-metal-body guitar with a mechanicalamplification
system of aluminum cones or resonators. This design met the
need for louder guitars, but these men didn’t anticipate that the guitar’s tonal
qualities would be what attracted early acoustic blues artists to their instrument.
Though the company’s innovation was eclipsed by the development of
the electric guitar in the late ’30s, the National Steel is still a popular acoustic
blues guitar today. Its unique, metallic sound continues to live on through the
efforts of Bob Brozman and other modern blues performers.
Gibson J-200
Gibson released the Jumbo, or J, series of guitars in 1935 to respond to the
“dreadnought” model from rival C.F. Martin & Co. But Martins never caught on
with the blues players the way the big Gibsons did. The J-200 represents the
“Cadillac” of the J line, but it has some illustrious brethren. Reverend Robert
Wilkins, the composer of “Prodigal Son” that the Rolling Stones famously
covered, played a J-45, perhaps Gibson’s most popular Jumbo. Skip James
played an SJ-185 (introduced in 1951, as a smaller and more affordable
choice to the J-200) in the mid-’60s. A big guitar, the J-200 has been the
favorite choice for blues players who could afford it and were looking for
an acoustic with a little meat on its bones. Reverend Gary Davis, Mance
Lipscomb, and Big Bill Broonzy are well-known J-200 players, and Muddy
Waters played a square-shouldered Southern Jumbo.
Fender Telecaster
The electric solidbody Telecaster was introduced in 1950 (under the name
“Broadcaster,” which was soon dropped for legal reasons), and was greeted
with skepticism by musicians and industry insiders alike, who thought it was
ugly. They called this ugly model a canoe paddle and the plank guitar.