Gibson Nick Lucas Special (1934)

When Gibson approached crooning troubador Nick Lucas about having him play one of their guitars in the mid 1920's, the musician had some very specific requests. He was happy with the Galliano he was playing at the time, but, being a both a showman and a solo acoustic performer, knew improvements to his sound and appearance were definitely possible. Said Mr. Lucas in reference to his signature model: "The distinction about my guitar was this: The neckboard was a little wider because they used to make them and still make them today - a little bit too narrow. You can't get a true tone out of some of your chords if the strings are so close together. I don't have an exceptionally big hand, but I wanted more room between the E and B strings especially, so when I played a G or C chord all the notes would come out distinct. I wouldn't get any interference from flesh on the fingers. I also said I wanted a little wider body than usual, and I wanted it black and unshiny so the spotlight wouldn't make it glare all around the people in the audience. so they came up with this Nick Lucas model, which was a beauty. I still have the original one, still play it. It's a gem. It's been fixed about 40 times. I wouldn't part with it."

Nearly 100 years later, it's amazing to think how sophisticated and forward thinking musicians were saying the same sorts of things they're saying today. And we concur, in a heartfelt manner, about the staying power of the Gibson Nick Lucas Special ~ particularly this amazing 1934 model, which is the cleanest example of the rarest Nick Lucas variant we have seen. The Nick Lucas model went through several evolutions during the 1930's, and was produced in 12-fret, 13-fret, and 14-fret iterations, with bodies made of either Mahogany, Maple, or, in the rarest cases, Rosewood. A 14-fret, Rosewood-bodied version of the guitar would only have been produced for about one year, from 1933 to 1934; and there is likely not another example as well-preserved as this one.

The guitar's structure is completely original, and exhibits only minor repairs. Two dryness-related top cracks were repaired by luthier, Mark Tossman. Our shop had to do little more than dress frets, change strings, and wipe it down to prepare it for photography! The setup remains excellent, with room for adjustability depending on the player's preferences; and no further work is required at this time. The instrument is accompanied by its equally clean (shockingly so) original hardshell case.

We're happy to have spent a little time with this guitar, at the behest of its consigning owner. Its cleanliness and presentation factor will stop any vintage guitar aficionado in his tracks, but its sound has proven spellbinding even for players who don't normally obsess over the mystique of older instruments. The voice is unbelievably warm and rich, with round, fat notes available at every position on the fingerboard. Yet this guitar lacks nothing in the way of clarity, balance, power, and projection. This is an instrument one can play with aggression or delicacy; and neither approach sacrifices its beautiful tone at all. A tremendous guitar ~ one without equal in the world of 1930's small-bodied Gibsons.

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