The two guitars that I most associate with Elvis are the Gibson Dove Ebony (mainly because of Aloha From Hawaii and Elvis On Tour) and the 1956 Gibson J200 (because it was used by Elvis for such a long time). I also like the Hagstrom Viking II and black J200. The Gretsch Country Gentleman was used by lots of famous singers such as Roy Orbison and George Harrison. It's a pity that Elvis didn't use it more often. I'm not too keen on the plain acoustic guitars he used in late 1976 and 1977. They suggested a lack of effort in his appearance especially as he was wearing the same Sundial jumpsuit most of the time as well. Overall, my favourite guitar used by Elvis is probably the Gibson Dove Ebony because of its nice shape, the silver signature of Elvis Presley on it, the kendo karate sticker and being black, it stood out from the mostly white jumpsuits.
What's everyone else's favourite guitar Elvis ever used?
POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
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charro1971
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POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Last edited by charro1971 on Sat Mar 15, 2014 6:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"A song from my recent TV show, which was pretty bad, but you know... you can't win 'em all!" - Elvis Presley (August 25 1969 DS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
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Ty@TheFilmFrontier
Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Great topic. My favorite is the "1963 Gibson Super 400 (electric guitar used in 1968 sit-down shows)." I just love the sound of how he played it. The joy and ferocity of the early years came roaring back.
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charro1971
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Ty@TheFilmFrontier wrote:Great topic. My favorite is the "1963 Gibson Super 400 (electric guitar used in 1968 sit-down shows)." I just love the sound of how he played it. The joy and ferocity of the early years came roaring back.
Cool. Yes, that is a great guitar. Its sound is a key part of the sit-down shows.
Keep the votes coming...
"A song from my recent TV show, which was pretty bad, but you know... you can't win 'em all!" - Elvis Presley (August 25 1969 DS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
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Johnny2523
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Mine will always be the gibson dove. It's pretty classic for being in On tour and Aloha from hawaii. Just love it.
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elvis-fan
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The '69 Dove is definitely one of my favorites. I wasn't aware Elvis used this on stage past 1973... do you happen to have any photos of him with it in 1975... I'd love to see it!
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InheritTheWind
Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The red Hagstrøm guitar from the '68 special.
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charro1971
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
He went back to using the Dove for the last few concerts of the July 1975 tour because he famously threw his black J200 guitar into the audience in anger after a string broke on it while he was strumming to the solo in See See Rider.elvis-fan wrote:The '69 Dove is definitely one of my favorites. I wasn't aware Elvis used this on stage past 1973... do you happen to have any photos of him with it in 1975... I'd love to see it!
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"A song from my recent TV show, which was pretty bad, but you know... you can't win 'em all!" - Elvis Presley (August 25 1969 DS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
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elvisjock
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
I like the last two Martins. He started with a Martin and ended with a Martin.
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SUN-RCA
Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Great Topic charro1971
My all time favorite is The 1956 Gibson J-200
My all time favorite is The 1956 Gibson J-200
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TJ
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The original J200, but before the scratch plate modification.
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rjm
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
That's the one.Ty@TheFilmFrontier wrote:Great topic. My favorite is the "1963 Gibson Super 400 (electric guitar used in 1968 sit-down shows)." I just love the sound of how he played it. The joy and ferocity of the early years came roaring back.
I like to imagine holding it. Just for a moment.
rjm
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luckyjackson1
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
I think the Gibson Super 400 sounds fantastic but I stick to the Martin D-28 because it was used in his first big and essential year.
Great fresh topic!
Great fresh topic!
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Marko
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The '56 J-200 for me. It's such a beauty and sounds fantastic. The shots of Elvis on stage with the guitar in August '69 are priceless. On some tracks from August '69 you can hear the guitar clearly (like when he starts Mystery Train) and it sounds so cool. Second choise would be the '55 Martin D-28. The D-28 is probably the best dreadnought guitar of all time and favored by many great musicians.
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JohanD
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
It doesn't get any cooler then this.
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Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The Grestch Country Gentleman by a country mile....
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Mr Whopitt
Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The one from Tupelo Hardware, that's iconic , without it the others may never have followed.
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r&b
Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
The 1963 Gibson Super 400 used in sit-down shows because he actually really played it for once!
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skatterbrane
Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
I have always loved the J-200 I owned one for awhile.
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charro1971
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Although I've stated that the Gibson Dove ebony is my favourite of Elvis' guitars, I've just realised that I don't think I've ever heard Elvis play it. He mostly played it only during the solo for See See Rider or That's All Right and he was playing it too far away from the microphone for it to be heard. It was more for show really. He sometimes strummed a few chords of his 1956 J200 before singing I Got A Woman in 1969 or 1970 so I guess I might be able to hear a strum or two of the Gibson Dove on one of the August/September 1971 Vegas audience recordings. From 1972-1973 I think Elvis just launched into I Got A Woman.
"A song from my recent TV show, which was pretty bad, but you know... you can't win 'em all!" - Elvis Presley (August 25 1969 DS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
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charro1971
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Yes that's a nice guitar.Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man wrote:The Grestch Country Gentleman by a country mile....
It had a very distinct, slightly smooth sound. I think it suited songs like Are You Lonesome Tonight, Fool Such As I and Runaway really well but I always thought it was not "dirty enough sounding" for the guitar on Baby What You Want Me To Do. When Elvis played the Hagstrom Viking II or Gibson Super 400 in 1968 it suited the song much better.
"A song from my recent TV show, which was pretty bad, but you know... you can't win 'em all!" - Elvis Presley (August 25 1969 DS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
"My favourite guitar player on lead guitar, say hello to James Burton. Young man on rhythm guitar; he's fair to mediocre, John Wilkinson." (February 19 1970 MS)
"My mouth feels like Bob Dylan slept in it." (February 21 1971 MS)
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is B.B. King" (August 16 1971 MS)
"Ed Sullivan looked at me and said "mmm, son of a b**ch." Nah, he's a nice... old chap." (January 27 1973 DS)
"I'm allowed on stage for 55 minutes to 1 hour. That's what they say. I say about 35 minutes!" (March 22 1975 MS)
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lpa
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Why did you sell it?skatterbrane wrote:I have always loved the J-200 I owned one for awhile.
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mysterytrainrideson
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
But it was Scottys Guitar....r&b wrote:The 1963 Gibson Super 400 used in sit-down shows because he actually really played it for once!
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EPA4368
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Re: POLL: What is your favourite guitar that Elvis used?
Excellent point!mysterytrainrideson wrote:But it was Scottys Guitar….r&b wrote:The 1963 Gibson Super 400 used in sit-down shows because he actually really played it for once!
..
Might need a poll recount.