Col Mustard
Ambassador of Perseverance
Couple days ago, an old friend walked into my shop with a pair of guitar cases in his hand.
I've known this man for a long long time. I believe he saved my life back in about 1973 when
I was depressed and downhearted, hung down, brung down, strung out and stoned. Many of
the guys I knew in those days are dead now. Many never made it out of the Seventies. One went to Vietnam, and survived combat, and came home and partied himself to death.
Gene invited me to stay at his apartment, and I grabbed that like a life ring. He's a musician, and
I respected him a lot because he played jazz guitar as well as blues and rock an roll. He was in
Architecture school, and on his way to do great things. I was on my way to hell in a handcart, and
he got me on a siding so I could get my bearings and see an alternative or two.
I was so f*cked up, I don't remember what guitars he had then, but when he came into my shop,
he showed me a couple of them. Here's one:
I believe this is a 1971 Gibson SG Deluxe, in totally pristine shape, brought to my camera by her original owner. I didn't ask Gene if he bought this baby new. But it seems almost like new. Feast yer bleary eyes
on this, me droogies...
He and I worked together in a restaurant in like 1970-1972. We became friends by working well
together. After he saved my worthless life, I found a guy who owned a Fender Jazz Bass, and needed
money. I scraped together some cash and bought the bass, grabbing that like a spar from the wreck of
my life, and I stayed afloat. We played music together in a garage-band group called the Garbanzo Beans Blues Band. *laughs
I sort of remember him playing an Epiphone Jazz guitar in the band, and not this SG.
So when he came to see me, I was all over this guitar, loving everything I saw. I plugged it
in and played it... it sounds absolutely beautiful. It needs a setup, because he put it away
when he got into his Architectural career, and there it stayed. No mods, no damage, no cigarette
burns, the headstock has never been broken, it's as pristine a vintage guitar as I've ever seen.
ABR-1 bridge, screwed right into the wood, no bushings. Gibson brand Bigsby tail (prolly made by Ted McCarty's employees), witch hat knobs, prolly tar back p'ups (I didn't take Gene's guitar apart, he was allowing me to photograph it). The whammy bar works as advertised, and returns to zero.
Look at this volute, and the wood grain of the mahogany, and the Gibson branded Schaller tuners.
I don't know if that's a bone nut, but I wouldn't be surprised. No binding, no nibs, no problem.
I dragged my 2012 SG special '70s tribute out and laid them side by side. Gene was very intrigued by
my "Tribute" guitar, and I was very intrigued by his authentic and extraordinarily lovely vintage Gibson.
Here they are side by side. My '70s tribute is not supposed to be a 'replica" ... its supposed to invoke
some of the mojo of the time period. This sounds like smoke and mirrors to me, but mine is an excellent
instrument in its own right, with a totally unique voice. So it stands on its own, seventies be damned.
I just had a feeling you guys would enjoy seeing this. There aren't many 1971 Gibsons in the world that
are in as good shape as this one. Gene's taking it to Dave Collins of Ann Arbor Guitars to get set up and checked over. I can't wait to see it after that. AND play it. There's so much written and said about guitars
from this time period, much of it negative. After getting a real one in my hands, I can attest that a lot
of the Gibson bashing is similar to Gibson bashing of our own day and age... just blowing smoke.
Are we having fun yet?
I've known this man for a long long time. I believe he saved my life back in about 1973 when
I was depressed and downhearted, hung down, brung down, strung out and stoned. Many of
the guys I knew in those days are dead now. Many never made it out of the Seventies. One went to Vietnam, and survived combat, and came home and partied himself to death.
Gene invited me to stay at his apartment, and I grabbed that like a life ring. He's a musician, and
I respected him a lot because he played jazz guitar as well as blues and rock an roll. He was in
Architecture school, and on his way to do great things. I was on my way to hell in a handcart, and
he got me on a siding so I could get my bearings and see an alternative or two.
I was so f*cked up, I don't remember what guitars he had then, but when he came into my shop,
he showed me a couple of them. Here's one:
I believe this is a 1971 Gibson SG Deluxe, in totally pristine shape, brought to my camera by her original owner. I didn't ask Gene if he bought this baby new. But it seems almost like new. Feast yer bleary eyes
on this, me droogies...
He and I worked together in a restaurant in like 1970-1972. We became friends by working well
together. After he saved my worthless life, I found a guy who owned a Fender Jazz Bass, and needed
money. I scraped together some cash and bought the bass, grabbing that like a spar from the wreck of
my life, and I stayed afloat. We played music together in a garage-band group called the Garbanzo Beans Blues Band. *laughs
I sort of remember him playing an Epiphone Jazz guitar in the band, and not this SG.
So when he came to see me, I was all over this guitar, loving everything I saw. I plugged it
in and played it... it sounds absolutely beautiful. It needs a setup, because he put it away
when he got into his Architectural career, and there it stayed. No mods, no damage, no cigarette
burns, the headstock has never been broken, it's as pristine a vintage guitar as I've ever seen.
ABR-1 bridge, screwed right into the wood, no bushings. Gibson brand Bigsby tail (prolly made by Ted McCarty's employees), witch hat knobs, prolly tar back p'ups (I didn't take Gene's guitar apart, he was allowing me to photograph it). The whammy bar works as advertised, and returns to zero.
Look at this volute, and the wood grain of the mahogany, and the Gibson branded Schaller tuners.
I don't know if that's a bone nut, but I wouldn't be surprised. No binding, no nibs, no problem.
I dragged my 2012 SG special '70s tribute out and laid them side by side. Gene was very intrigued by
my "Tribute" guitar, and I was very intrigued by his authentic and extraordinarily lovely vintage Gibson.
Here they are side by side. My '70s tribute is not supposed to be a 'replica" ... its supposed to invoke
some of the mojo of the time period. This sounds like smoke and mirrors to me, but mine is an excellent
instrument in its own right, with a totally unique voice. So it stands on its own, seventies be damned.
I just had a feeling you guys would enjoy seeing this. There aren't many 1971 Gibsons in the world that
are in as good shape as this one. Gene's taking it to Dave Collins of Ann Arbor Guitars to get set up and checked over. I can't wait to see it after that. AND play it. There's so much written and said about guitars
from this time period, much of it negative. After getting a real one in my hands, I can attest that a lot
of the Gibson bashing is similar to Gibson bashing of our own day and age... just blowing smoke.
Are we having fun yet?
Last edited:
There were some later regrets, especially wrt the refin experiments. 
