The fledgling Guild firm scored a coup when it signed Johnny Smith to an endorsement deal in 1956. Perched atop the jazz-guitar scene on the time, Smith helped Guild be a part of the fray of artist “signature” devices that had develop into a advertising staple.

Sadly, the hassle sputtered as a result of Smith was not happy with the guitar bearing his title, and he defected to Gibson after his contract expired in 1960. By then, Les Paul’s endorsement was seen as a declining asset and Gibson was eager to broaden its signature line; Smith, Barney Kessel (previously with Kay), Tal Farlow, and (ultimately) Trini Lopez all lent their names.

Guitar makers principally ignored rock-and-roll gamers, although some Gibson adverts within the ’50s briefly featured Invoice Haley’s Comets, and Gretsch constructed particular one-off guitars for Bo Diddley (however by no means a signature mannequin).

Nevertheless, whereas jazz-playing endorsers implied status, the expansion market was in rock and folks gamers, particularly younger ones. In ’62, Duane Eddy was the primary rock-and-roll artist to lend his title to a signature instrument. A little bit of an anomaly, Eddy didn’t sing (and even speak a lot). However what he did was play guitar, making hit information centered on a signature sound dubbed “twangy.”

Eddy’s profession stats are staggering. Between 1958 and ’63, he offered 12 million information together with 15 hit singles and quite a few charting LPs. And he didn’t depend on virtuoso enjoying, however relatively a sonic template he created with producer Lee Hazelwood; Eddy performed licks and melodies on the bass strings, doused with echo and vibrato to sweeten the sound. He was extra versatile than what’s heard on his singles, however solely often received to point out off his Travis choosing or blues licks.

Eddy’s first hit, “Movin’ ’N Groovin’” got here in early ’58. A bass-string churner that includes a beneficiant dose of vibrato dips on its hook line, it rose to a strong (for a debut by an unknown) #72. Then got here “Insurgent Rouser,” a nationwide smash that includes guitar and a honking sax buying and selling verses as the important thing rises chromatically. A sequence of 45s adopted, all that includes deep-toned guitar, roaring sax, and pumping electrical bass. These hits weren’t accidents – all had been tightly organized and produced with out dropping an aggressive, badass high quality.

The early Eddy/Hazelwood collaborations had been among the many first to harness the potential of the electrical guitar to create a singular industrial sound. Recorded initially in Phoenix, then Los Angeles, Eddy’s early information had been launched on the Philadelphia-based Jamie label, a connection that assured Eddy might promote them usually on “American Bandstand” with Dick Clark.

His debut LP, Have Twangy Guitar Will Journey, was pioneering on a number of fronts. One of many first rock albums recorded in stereo, it additionally stands out for the very fact the musicians had been credited on the again cowl (then uncommon on a teen LP) and Eddy was credited as co-writer of many tunes, which was additionally uncommon.

His resumé expanded to appearing as he turned related to Western movies and TV; his signature sound turned a defacto trademark of Western and spy movie soundtracks within the ’60s. Session grasp Tommy Tedesco as soon as stated he had just one query when he met Eddy: “Did anybody ever ask you to play like Tommy Tedesco?”

Mockingly, Eddy rode to prominence enjoying a guitar with another person’s title on it – his signature twang was achieved on a ’57 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 he purchased at a retailer in Phoenix (buying and selling in a goldtop Les Paul) principally as a result of he appreciated the neck higher. The sound of the 6120’s DeArmond pickups was distinguished on Eddy’s information, their sharp assault rounded-off by the miles-deep echo. There have been no mass-market guitar magazines within the ’50s, so youngsters needed to squint on the TV or have a look at album covers to see the devices utilized by their heroes. The covers of Eddy’s Jamie LPs and EPs usually prominently featured the 6120, so anybody impressed by his sound had a good suggestion the place to begin!

Eddy additionally typically used a Danelectro UB-2 six-string bass, and in ’59 was photographed with Dick Clark holding a blond Guild X-175. Quickly sufficient, Guild – not Gretsch – turned the corporate he formally endorsed. In response to Eddy, his administration was trying to accomplice with a guitar maker, and Guild was the primary to step up. On the time, they had been additionally working with jazz guitarist George Barnes, and certain looking out for different endorsers. Some say a gathering occurred on the 1961 NAMM present, as Eddy quickly after went to Guild’s Hoboken manufacturing unit to debate a signature mannequin.

What emerged was the Duane Eddy DE-500 Rock & Roll Guitar – a ravishing instrument that was, on reflection, maybe too good. Whereas not an modern design, it was stylish. Based mostly on the T-500, it’s a thin-rim variant of the corporate’s top-line X-500 with single-cutaway hole physique, broadly just like the 6120 however differing intimately – the 17″-wide curly-maple physique was wider and thinner on the rim, with a laminated-spruce high and a variety of binding. The fingerboard had split-block pearl inlays and every part was gold-plated, together with enclosed Kolb tuners with fancy perloid buttons. Eddy’s signature appeared on the truss-rod cowl and pickguard.

Although the 6120 was hardly plain, the DE-500 was dressed extra like a high-end jazz guitar than a teen machine. At $700 in blond and $675, in sunburst it was priced like one, too.

For his private guitar, Eddy selected a pure end as a substitute of orange just like the Gretsch. He additionally specified a number of options from the 6120 – the identical DeArmond pickups (however with white topped covers), a Bigsby vibrato, and a grasp Quantity management. Mockingly, the guitar was in some methods relatively just like the single-cut Gretsch Nation Gentleman that Chet Atkins helped design, however with actual sound holes and a totally hole physique.

When Eddy received the primary prototype, the place of Quantity knob and selector change had been reversed from what he most well-liked, so it was despatched again to the manufacturing unit – however not earlier than he used it to pose for footage that ended up on album covers. Different anomalies had been outsized mounting rings underneath the DeArmond pickups (suggesting a last-minute addition), a ’50s-holdover ring across the selector change, and no higher strap button. It first appeared on the quilt of his Jamie LP, Women Women Women, and was subsequently seen on a number of RCA albums issued simply after he switched labels. Later in ’62, Eddy obtained an early manufacturing pattern with characteristic adjustments that turned his major guitar – publicly, no less than. It made a debut on the quilt of his RCA LP Twangin’ Up a Storm.

Eddy’s defection may very well be seen as a slap within the face for Gretsch. Maybe feeling Atkins’ endorsement was sufficient, the Brooklyn firm did not capitalize on Eddy’s use of their guitar. Chet himself had upgraded to the brand new Nation Gentleman as Eddy was making hit after twangy hit with an older 6120. And by the point Eddy’s profession was in full gear, the 6120 was fairly a unique guitar, with Filter’Tron pickups and a closely trestle-braced physique. Exhausting as it might appear to consider now, most gamers took minimal discover of such adjustments – an orange Gretsch was an orange Gretsch.

When the Duane Eddy Mannequin hit shops, Guild was in a position to generate publicity from the endorsement, however not oodles of revenue. The issue was not the guitar, which was an excellent, sensible, and high-quality instrument. However, youngsters excited by Duane Eddy had been unlikely to have $700 to plunk down on a guitar; skilled gamers who might had been probably postpone by the connection to this “child” who made twangy discs.

As with the Gretsch Atkins line, the endorsement shortly expanded to incorporate a second mannequin, initially known as the Duane Eddy Junior, however shortly modified to the DE-400 Duane Eddy Normal. It used the identical 17″ thin-rim chassis and gear, however with plainer trim – much less binding, no gold plating, and easy block inlay. It retained the Bigsby and DeArmonds, and was supposed to be more-affordable at $480 in sunburst/$495 in blond – nonetheless dauntingly costly for younger gamers. The DE-500 Deluxe and 400 Normal had been cataloged solely in pure and sunburst however often cherry-red or different hues floor. By late ’64, a blond DE-500 listed at $750, so most had been ordered solely per buyer order/request.

After Duane signed with Guild, his DE-500 changed the 6120 for dwell use and promo footage (although not within the studio) and his profession was displaying indicators of slowing, a results of altering developments. Instrumental LPs like his had been nonetheless common at events, however Eddy singles weren’t making the charts. Finest-of’s and a Twist with Duane Eddy LP had been issued, however the reverb-drenched surf sound was quickly the extra common instrumental fashion. Eddy’s largest RCA hit was the (roughly) vocal single “Dance with the Guitar Man,” that includes the Rebelettes – a.ok.a. the Blossoms, Phil Spector’s favourite studio singers. Switching to a serious label hadn’t helped; at Jamie, he was the star, at RCA simply one other teen artist. Shifting on to Colpix, then Reprise, did no higher. By 1965’s Duane Does Dylan, his picture appeared old style and including fashionable fuzz and the like sullied his signature tone. His carer slowed, he nonetheless remained lively in a low-key means within the ’70s and unexpectedly scored a serious worldwide hit in ’86, when he collaborated with Artwork of Noise in remaking his ’60s model of Mancini’s “Peter Gunn” theme.

In the meantime, Guild’s Duane Eddy guitars had been supplied by way of the ’60s. The pickups had been modified in late ’63 to Guild’s new humbuckers, dropping the Eddy sound. In frequent with the road, small element adjustments adopted – pickguard and headstock shapes probably the most notable. By the October ’68 value listing, Eddy’s title disappeared as they turned merely the DE line; the signature truss cowl was gone however the “signed” pickguard rode into the late ’60s. Precise manufacturing figures previous to ’65 are usually not out there, however unofficial estimates counsel solely 50 or so DE-500s with Dearmonds had been made in 1962/’63. From ’65 by way of ’69, detailed information point out roughly 200 DE-400 and a paltry 40 DE-500s had been shipped. One different oddity is early-’60s fashions often flip up within the authentic 17″ deep-bodied instances; Guild produced so few they apparently didn’t trouble to order a fitted case!

As is likely to be anticipated from its rarity, the DE-500 appeared with few gamers on the time. Eddy remained extra common abroad, particularly in England, the place the Shadows’ success – with a sound closely impressed by his – maintained a excessive profile. Eddy’s 1960 U.Okay. tour was greeted as a serious occasion and led to him being named New Musical Specific’ #1 Musical Persona of the 12 months, forward of Elvis! Guild’s U.Okay. distributors Boosey & Hawkes and Besson actively promoted the Eddy connection and went one step farther by additionally signing Bert Weedon, the U.Okay. guitar maven for a signature Guild mannequin unknown within the U.S.

John St. John, of the U.Okay. instrumental band Sounds Integrated, was one different distinguished ’60s DE-500 consumer. Whereas the instrumental band (with a full sax part) was not a high chart act, they toured broadly and had been revered by different musicians, together with the Beatles, who used them as a gap act. On the time, St. John’s DE-500 was principally famous for being exceptionally costly; he was featured in a Beat Instrumental characteristic titled “Value is No Object,” speaking about his £332 guitar. “It’s no easy ‘twanger’ – the tone vary is unbelievable… it’s price 300 quid to know that I’ve the perfect,” he stated.

In a “unusual” coincidence, a full-page Besson/Guild advert appeared reverse this piece! Nonetheless, even few U.Okay. professionals had been able to shell out that sum. Later, in folk-rock glad L.A., Steve Stills performed a blond DE-400 within the early Buffalo Springfield days, and bluegrass band the Dillards used a sunburst DE-500 to briefly go electrical in ’66.

Regardless of this spotty file, the  DE-500 now stands as one in all Guild’s best-regarded creations and is among the many firm’s most-collectible fashions. A natural-finish/DeArmond-equipped DE-500 Deluxe like Duane’s tops that listing. Many early DEs discovered houses abroad, the place the attraction of ’60s instrumental rock has proved extra enduring. In ’83, Guild supplied a really restricted DE-500 twentieth Anniversary reissue, utilizing some NOS components.

Eddy continues to be lively previous his eightieth birthday – he just lately toured England, the place he’s nonetheless a legend. Making up considerably for the missed alternative in ’61, the trendy Gretsch has supplied a number of Eddy tribute fashions, proving that even in any case these years, for some, the twang’s the thang!

This text initially appeared in VG’s July 2019 problem. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

Learn the 1995 Vintager Guitar interview.