G****dammmmm! These old *****'s still have it. I saw them several times, I was born and still live in Texas, and am the same age as they are. They still kick butt! Glen
Billy is not only great, i have met him several times, talked about old mutual friends, he is very gracious, and talks to you. I told him i was embarrassed to play guitar in front of him because i stole all my licks from his first album. His reply "you coulda done worse!" classic, and classy dude. He's one of the best and definitely original. they are responsible for the "Texas sound". Hope you live to be a 100 Billy.
I'm trying to remember the period in time when Frank Beard wimped out and gave in to the trend to scale down your drum-kit instead of keeping his Texas sixed and souped up. When was that again? Somebody out there help me with this.
@LesPaulCustom79 Correct on the Fuzzy Dean Z's........Gibby had a split headstock on the Explorer, but this was on a rare few models...in 1958(well before Dean Zelinsky's time). Still, cool tunes and Billy has SUPERB tone regardless of what axe is slung around his neck. Doesn't hurt that he has one of the best rythym sections know to man alongside him, either.
+easyfly 2 guitars on this video for Billy.First is a 58' Explorer Futura and the second is this....www.usedgibsonguitars.co.uk/images/P/gibson_moderne.jpg
@zzrich First guitar was open tuned for slide only, and the second guitar looks like normal tuning, because he is doing runs over the top of the slide.
When they bring out the matching fuzzy guitars that twirl on their belt buckles, then count your lucky stars cuz yur gettin the full Texas experience!!! Along with the Brahma bull onstage circa late 70s
@cubsfands29 Yes it is hard, but I've been playing slide for a few years now, the first slide song I actually learned to play was Tush by ZZ Top, just got paid is my favorite slide song though.
I suspect that we'll know when ZZ Top are actually retiring when Frank Beard finally appears with a Full beard. The only question is, will Billy and Dusty shave for that. I'm totally going to play Just Got Paid on my Gibson Firebird tonight. I need the slide practice.
Regarding the guitar questions, I believe Billy's guitar tech custom builds copies of rare one-off Gibsons that you just don't find on the market much, if at all. The Dean-looking headstock on the Explorer and the Moderne in its entirety are both are nonstandard guitars that Gibson did actually build at one point, but those aren't actual Gibsons that Billy uses.
ancientm Knowing the Reverend Willie's knowledge and passion regarding vintage guitars, combined with his penchant for showing off his collection....I'd say these aren't custom jobs, but the real deal. He probably owns more weird Gibson prototypes than anyone else on the planet...besides maybe Conan O'Brien or G.E. Smith...
@bbok1208 I don't think I have ever seen a Gibson Futura until this video. Billy plays some weird ass "Gee-tars", look at the Gretsch "Billy-Bo" for example.
Dean B. Zelinsky has the patent on the Dean "Split V" design headstock. If Gibson made one on their Explorer, they infringed on a USA guitar design patent. I know Billy has played USA Dean Guitars in the past. Those fuzzy white spinning "Gee-tars" on the video of Sharp Dressed Man are Deans.
No matter how cool you think you are.. You will never be 'Billy Gibbons playing just got paid on a 58 Gibson Explorer Futura and switching to a 58 Gibson Moderne mid song' cool...
Futura and Moderne, at first look seems strange guitars and one of those you never think to be into, but then i started to dig on both, and then when i saw that Gibbons use them was like "yes, now i really know this guitars likes me", and now im digging the Gretsch Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird too.
Unfortunately, it's never been PROVEN that it's an actual 1958 Moderne....it's not even a "reissue." The general consensus is that it's a knock off copy.
@@martinluthierking I don’t know , but the story gos that Billy’s tour bus drivers dad had the guitar , the drivers dad before he was driving a bus was working & living in Kalamazoo working for the Gibson factory , who know what they could have “ Frankenstein “ together at Gibson with the body’s they had laying around. So I wouldn’t say with confidence without George Gruhn , or Chicago music exchange looking at the guitar , it should have PAF’s and a few other 58 parts to verify the authenticity?
It's called reaping what you've sown. The end result of politicians buying their support by giving the citizens something for nothing. Eventually the "something" runs out. Blame the political leaders of Greece.
Dean - not a Gibson. Hell, Gibson was just pissed that even Ibanez made a better version of the Explorer (Destroyer) and LP at the time than they did. All the pretentious Gibson sackriders are gonna disagree in 3...2...1...
sidmalicious But I agree with ya in terms of the quality. In the 70s and 80s Gibson's quality became straight-up god awful...and it's STILL bad today. i could NEVER justify paying over 3-grand for a shitty guitar that needed a complete setup before playing!
