1962 Gibson Byrdland

Summary: Many working musicians of the fast-paced and musically adventurous ’50s required a new instrument — one that captured traditional Gibson archtop artistry and craftsmanship but represented a redrawing of the blueprint for the needs of the day. Enter the Byrdland. At the request of Billy Byrd and Hank Garland, the Byrdland was made with a reduced scale length, but featured all the finery of a top-of-the-line Gibson archtop guitar. The Byrdland’s super-thin neck and 23 1/2” scale length might have implied a “student model” instrument, but it was intended purely for speed and playing ease, and its five-ply binding, ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlay, gold-plated hardware, and triple-loop Byrdland trapeze tailpiece all single it out as a top-shelf guitar. Coupled to the traditional independent volume and tone controls and a three-way selector switch, these units gave this Byrdland the ability to produce anything from a smooth mellow purr to a hot, cutting twang.Body: Bound Sp