Introduced in 1961, the Gibson Barney Kessel was the result of a collaboration between Gibson and its renowned jazz guitarist namesake. Designed to meet the demands of a working jazz musician, the model combined the rich tone of a fully hollowbody archtop with modern appointments tailored for versatility and comfort. With its enlarged peghead and elaborate double Florentine cutaways, the Barney Kessel stands apart from other archtops.
Though Barney Kessel himself never used the model extensively, the guitar has become legendary, mostly because of the eye-catching pointed cutaways. Almost like the SG of jazz guitars, the Barney Kessel pairs a full-depth 17" archtop body with sharply pointed cutaways that allow unique upper-fret access. Like all good Kalamazoo archtops, the double-cutaway design still has a proper neck block and neck heel. At the other end, the larger flared headstock helps ensure this guitar stays balanced on a strap.
This Gibson Barney Kessel rolled out of Kalamazoo in 1967. It features a 1.675" nut width with a slim neck that feels fast and inviting (the depth measures .802" at the 1st fret and .853" at the 9th fret). The Barney Kessel Regular wade made with Double Parallelogram inlays, unlike the Barney Kessel Custom which had Bowties and the music note inlay on the peghead. Typically only the Customs had gold hardware, but this one has gold hardware and a tune-o-matic bridge
This 1967 Barney Kessel shows authentic play wear and beautiful patina from the years—we love the finish checking, worn humbucker covers, and how the cherry sunburst has subtly faded on the top. There are some dings and cosmetic imperfections, most notably some finish chips along the bass edge of the headstock (see photos). There are two repaired cosmetic cracks on the bass side, but that's the only sign of repairs, and most of the parts and components appear to be original, too. One of the mounting screws for the bridge pickup is missing. The original wooden "Barney Kessel" badge for the tailpiece is missing, but the previous owner purchased a replacement plastic badge, which is included. Installing it will require the wooden insert.
This 1967 Barney Kessel is a fantastic Gibson archtop with a lot of range. Roll off the tone on the neck pickup, and you're deep into dark jazz box territory. But consider flipping to the bridge pickup—it bites and growls like only a hollowbody can! The double-cutaway body makes it easy to play anywhere on the fingerboard, which means free, unfettered expression. This 1967 Gibson Barney Kessel includes its original hardshell case, which has one broken latch.