Bo Diddley's 1957 Gretsch Jet Firebird

1957 Gretsch 6131 Jet Firebird. Red Top with Black Back and Sides. This Lot includes the original hard shell case stenciled EM (see below) and the following ephemera that has accompanied the instrument through it documented history: several vintage publicity photographs of Bo Diddley two of which are with the Gretsch, a vintage Press Release about Bo, a 1958 Press Release for a "Rhythm & Blues Calvalcade" featuring Bo Diddley, Etta James, Little Willie John and others, and a vintage flyer for a Rock & Roll Show with Bill Haley, Clyde McPhatter, the Drifters and Bo Diddley. A separate Press Release about Bo Diddley includes his actual signature. Also included are Bo Diddley's first three LP records - "Go Bo Diddley", "Bo Diddley", and "Bo Diddley's a Twister" all off which feature iconic images of Bo with what is strongly believed to be this Gretsch.

The Lot also includes Chuck Berry's Aviator Hat signed by Berry and Bo Diddley. This Hat was kept with the Gretsch Guitar. (See below.)

This wonderful and iconic guitar with single cutaway weighs just 7.60 lbs. and has a 13 1/4 inch wide and just under 2 inch deep chambered mahogany body with three-ply binding and a pressed arched top with the Firebird red finish. The back and sides of the body and the back of the neck are finished in black. One-piece mahogany neck with a nice fat nut width of just under 1 9/16 inches, a wonderful medium-to-thick profile and a scale length of 24 1/2 inches. Single-bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 22 original? thin frets and inlaid pearl 'hump-top' block'position markers. Single-bound, walnut veneer faced headstock with inlaid pearl Gretsch "T-roof" logo. Individual open-back Grover StaTite tuners with oval metal buttons. Two single-coil DeArmond pickups with original tortoiseshell spacers and plated metal surrounds with outputs of 9.31k and 8.81k. Original silver lucite pickguard with Gretsch "T-roof" logo engraved from the underside in black (small piece of original tape on the underside with the serial number written in pencil). Four controls (two volume and one tone on lower treble bout, one master volume on upper treble bout) plus one three-way pickup selector switch on upper bass bout. "Arrow-through-G" knobs with cross-hatch pattern on sides. Original Melita six-saddle bridge on ebony base and plated cut-out "G-hole flat" tailpiece secured to the edge of the body by three screws. The potentiometers are stamped "134 619" (CTS, April 1956). The control cavity cover is etched with the serial number "22765." Original white Gretsch label inside control cavity with Gretsch "T-roof" logo and with model number "6131" stamped in blue (also written in blue ink) and serial number "22765" stamped in red.

There is a very small amount of belt buckle rash on the back of the body (nothing through the finish) and just one very small and insignificant surface chip on the top just by the bridge pickup volume control. The black finish on the back of the neck is quite worn behind the first five frets as is to be expected. The original? frets show slight playing wear. Otherwise this sixty-four year old Firebird is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition. Housed in it's original Gretsch two-tone gray, five-latch, shaped hardshell case with burgundy plush lining (9.00).

The underside of the case has the stenciled initials "EM". (Bo Diddley was born "Ellas Otha Bates" and was also known as "Ellas McDaniel.")

Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 - June 2, 2008), known as Bo Diddley, was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Clash. His use of African rhythms and a signature beat, a simple five-accent hambone rhythm, is a cornerstone of hip hop, rock, and pop music. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2017. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Diddley is also recognized for his technical innovations, including his distinctive rectangular guitar, with its unique booming, resonant, shimmering tones.

Provenance:
Stan Jay (1943-2014) of Mandolin Brothers, Staten Island, NY, purchased this guitar together with 3 or 4 other Gretsch's from Bo Diddley somewhere between 1970 and 1972.
In 2004/2005 a New Jersey collector purchased this guitar from Stan Jay (Mandolin Brothers) at the Philadelphia Guitar Show (without all the paperwork and the photographs that were originally in the case)
Around 2011/2013 a private US collector purchased all the paperwork and photographs that had been with the guitar in 1970/1972 from Stan Jay of Mandolin Brothers.
Around 2011/2013 the same private US collector purchased the guitar from the New Jersey collector who had owned it for over forty years.
A little later the same US collector purchased from Schubertiade Music & Arts of Newton, MA, Chuck Berry's Aviator Hat that he signed and presented to Bo Diddley who also signed and dated the hat (1963).

Chuck Berry's Aviator Hat, signed by Berry and Didley

A remarkable relic, being one of Chuck Berry's trademark aviator hats, heavily worn and sweat-stained, boldly signed on the top with his autograph signature and a smiley face, and on the rear panel by Bo Diddley, who adds the year 1963. The two legendary R&B musicians were friends and Chess Records labelmates at the time. One year following the signing of this hat, they released the studio album "Two Great Guitars: Bo Diddley/Chuck Berry," now considered to be one of rock music's earliest "super session" albums, consisting of two lengthy and spontaneous instrumental jams plus a couple of recently recorded instrumentals by the two guitarslingers.

"Two Great Guitars" is a studio album by Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, released in August 1964 by Checker Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records. It is considered one of the earliest "super session" albums of rock music. It was the first studio album issued by Berry after his release from prison around September 1963. The two men were friends, and both recorded for Chess. The album consists of two lengthy spontaneous instrumental jams plus a couple of recently recorded instrumentals by the two guitarists; additional instrumental recordings, three by Diddley and one by Berry, are included in the compact disc reissue. The album cover shows a Gibson ES-350T owned by Berry and a guitar created by Diddley."

Condition: More detailed condition reports and additional photographs are available by request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is in very fine condition. Please message us through the online bidding platform or email Guernsey's at auctions@guernseys.com to request a more thorough condition report.