Gibson Byrdland Crimson Series 2013

Personal story. I first fell in love with Gibson Byrdlands in the '60s when my guitar teacher, Mike Warren, gave me lessons on the one he owned. (Mike, by the way, was a superb guitarist who later moved to California and had an illustrious career playing and conducting for top shelf recording artists.) Mike was also instrumental in introducing me to the studio scene. When I visited him in the early '70s, having studied with Pat Martino, I was intent on pursuing a jazz guitarist's life. Right up until the moment I hung out with Mike at a recording session. I absolutely fell in love with that world and my goal from that moment on was to learn whatever I needed to move through the studio ranks.

Back to Mike's Byrdland. I really loved that guitar. While it took a minute to get accustomed to its unique scale length, I found the instrument both totally inspiring and wonderfully playable. Byrdlands allow me to reach beyond my normal jazz vocabulary and capture a more soulful part of myself. The shorter scale length lets me use heavier gauge strings, and allows more expression because of its reduced string tension. The tone is fat and sweet but with the added flexibility to even dial in your rock personality. Personally, I think everyone should have one.

This stunning Byrdland "Crimson" doesn't refer to its beautiful finish. Rather, it refers to the way it was crafted in 2013 by the master luthiers at the Gibson Custom Shop. Gibson introduced their Custom Crimsons as a one of a kind, small batch series of guitars. Nicknamed "Crimson" after the red tape that was affixed to these very special guitars as they passed through each handcrafting stage, these instruments represented the most rare and unique, and masterfully built pieces offered by Custom. Simply put, Gibson's way of stating to the world: See how good we are?

Aside from a few minor finish scuffs, this guitar looks like it just left the factory floor. The action is low and smooth and the tone is everything you'd expect from a Byrdland. The neck profile is a comfy C shape, not too big, not too small, just perfect in my opinion. And the cherry on the top? The cherry red finish, something you rarely see on a Byrdland.

You deserve to fall in love with a great Byrdland, too. I have it right here ready to find a new home.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.