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My Guitar Collecting History

In 1968, at the age of 16, I bought my first collectible guitar, a brand new 1968 Gold Top Les Paul. Seeing Eric Clapton with CREAM at their Atlanta concert October 27th, 1969, was a memorable experience. While playing a Firebird I (original reverse style) during the show, Eric broke a string, and a guitar tech came out and handed him an original sunburst Les Paul, made in the late 1950's. I had seen pictures of this model guitar on the album covers of my blues heroes, such as Mike Bloomfield. I still remember plainly Eric walking back up to the microphone, holding the Les Paul up to his chest, and saying, "Round of applause for the Les Paul!" The drummer, Ginger Baker, spoke through his own mic, "F--- the Les Paul and let's get on with Firebird." Eric didn't have the chance to play his Les Paul that performance because by then his guitar tech was handing him back the re-strung Firebird.

In December of 1969, my garage band and I ventured down to the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium to witness for our first time BB King in concert. This was before the white audiences had discovered him. The six of us were the only white faces I remember in an audience of perhaps 2000 people. The 'call and response' of the audience with BB's vocals and guitar licks is something I had never before experienced, and it left a lasting impression. BB King was playing an original sunburst dot in-lay ES-335, like is pictured on his 1964 album, LIVE AT THE REGAL... one of my all-time favorites.

The summer of 1970, just out of high school, we spent our weekends in downtown Atlanta, being weekend hippies. Free music was provided every weekend at Piedmont Park and these shows usually concluded with the Allman Brothers performing. By then, I had bought my first 1950's vintage guitar, a 1957 Gibson Gold Top Les Paul (serial number 7-3952, where could it be now?), like what Dickie Betts played, and I formed my own 'Blues Band'. But seeing Duane Allman performing with his '59 Sunburst L.P. whetted my appetite for one of those... Reminding me of Clapton's and Bloomfield's, etc.

Later that same year in 1970, I acquired a 1958 Gibson Flying 'V' from a very talented Atlanta guitarist, Glenn Phillips. He was my guitar teacher also, showing me Freddie King licks, and teaching me the Pentatonic scales and all the modes.

By 1971, I had traded my '58 'Flying V' (by then refinished) and the '57 Gold Top off for a genuine 1959 Sunburst Les Paul. I've been wheeling and dealing vintage guitars and playing the Blues ever since... selling to many individuals and professional musicians from Billy Gibbons, Pete Townsend, Dave Gilmore (through Alan Rogan), to Slash.

With our 4 KINGTUT Blues Band cd's now out, and a collection of nice guitars, the rest is yet to come.