Guitars etc...

Scotty said he never used any guitar but his own on a session.....still does not today.  He may on occasion take someone else's guitar and strum a little and has at times been pictured doing it, but on shows and sessions, he only uses his own guitar.  He has them tweaked to the point that they fit him perfectly, so that he can concentrate on what he's playing and not what he's playing on.  He usually took his guitar with him when he traveled....usually by car,  but when by plane, they would still let you carry them on.   He did not ship his stuff ahead with any of the others.
 June 3, 2003


Article

O.K. Houck Piano Co.  One of Rock 'n Roll's first Music Stores
The Gibson Guitars of Scotty Moore by Jan-Erik Kjeseth


These are most of the guitars and amps that Scotty has used throughout his professional career, some from his personal collection he plays at home and most of the instruments owned by Elvis, Bill and D.J. when they performed together
* (click on each link to learn more about that instrument):

Guitars Ser. # Dates owned
  52 Fender Telecaster*** 1952  - 1953
   52 Gibson ES-295 A-12290 1953 - 7/7/55
  54 Gibson L5 CESN A-18195 7/7/55 - 4/57
56 Gibson Super 400 CESN A-24672  1/57 - 1963
63 Gibson Super 400 CES 62713 10/63 – 12/85 (used by Elvis in the 68 special)
   83 Gibson Super 400 CESN 80253002 3/87 - 2004
Chet Atkins' Gibson prototype 83338562 1989 - 7/2010
Gibson Chet Atkins 92258001 1998 - 8/3/2013
38 Epiphone Spartan 12784
94 Yamaha AEX 1500 4519016 1994 - 2007 (approximate)
81 '59 Gibson ES335 Reissue 82321029 1993-12/94
97 Fender Custom Shop Esquire 24048 1997 - 3/2013
Signature ES295 SM001 7/99 - 8/17
Gibson Tal Farlow 20492008 2002-2013 (approximate)
76 Gibson L5 CES 00203813 1995 - 2016
02 Gibson L5 CES 22662006 2003 - 2016
03 Gibson L5 CT 21343001 12/5/2003 - 8/3/2013
 
Elvis' Martin 000-18 8~10/54 - 1/55 (approximate)
Elvis' Martin D-18 80221 1/55 - 6/55 (approximate)
Elvis' Martin D-28 6/55 - 11/56 (approximate)
Elvis' Martin D-18 (backup) 1/56 - 5/56 (approximate)
Elvis' Gibson 56 J200   A-22937 10/56 - 8/77
Elvis' Gibson 60 J200   A-32944 3/60 - 8/77
The complete performance guitars of Elvis section
  The Movie Guitars of Elvis Presley
Bill's Kay Concert Bass  ? - 1954 (approximate)
Bill's Kay Maestro M-1 Bass 1954 - 1962
Bill's Fender Precision Bass 13182 1957 - 1965 (approximate)

Drums
D.J.'s Gretsch set 1954 (9/55) - 

Amplifier
52 Fender Deluxe** 0958 1952 - 5/24/1955
Ray Butts EchoSonic 5/24/55 - 6/2008
Gibson GA77RVT 710534 2/25/65 - 3/95
Gibson 400 ? - 1972
Magnatone "The  Victory" 00963 1972 - 3/95
Fender Dual Professional 0013 1995 - 9/2001
Peavey Classic 30 09712586 current
Yamaha T100C 10477 current
Gibson Super GoldTone G15-132-301 current
Magnatone Troubadour current
 
Bill's Fender Bassman 1956 - 1965 (approximate)
Bill's Gibson GA-90 3/57 - 4/57


Technique

Elvis Lives! on New iVideosongs Titles online tutorial teaching several Elvis songs from Scotty and DJ
(click here) to read Wolf Marshall's analysis of Scotty's playing style and to learn the solo from "That's Alright, Mama"
(click here) to learn Mystery Train from Tablature

Misc.
The Melita Synchro-Sonic Bridge
Scotty Moore Modeled Country Gent
String Dampers
Alnico V Pickups
Amplifying Bill's Bass
Tribute to Ray Butts
Repairs to a 74 Gibson Dove Custom
The Black Family Fiddles
Scotty in the new Strat® Masters DVD
Bill's bass, daughter and Paul McCartney
Elvis Tribute Martin D-28
The Woodstock Strap
  The Shure 55S ("Elvis Mic")
  Van Stoneman's 1967 Fender Wildwood II
Hank Garland's 1955 #3 Byrdland
  The 1.5 Millionth Martin (da Vinci Unplugged)
  The Buddy Holly J-45 Replicas
  One Great Collection
  Albert Lee's '56 J-200 used by Elvis in the Paramount pictures
Martin D-18 Studio Prop
Anita Wood's 1959 Gibson LG-2
The Moss Collection
The Guitars of Jimmie Rodgers
Restoring Elvis' 1975 D28
 

Tiny Timbrell's (pre-War) Gibson L5 Premier

  Bob Bain's 1953 Telecaster (The Peter Gunn guitar)
  Bob Bain's 1928 Gibson L5
My First Guitar by Julia Crowe
Made in Sweden (a 1968 Hagstrom Viking II restoration)
 

Case Candy: Picks, Strings and Straps

Sid's Framus Bass and Ampeg Amp
Paul McCartney's Red Winged Epiphone
  The Hofner and P Bass
Son of The Gunn™ - The Bob Bain Signature Telecaster
Remembering Buddy Holly: Interview with Larry Welborn
The RCA LC-1A Loudspeaker
Signa-Craft Autograms (monogram letters)

 

*The guitars and drums that Elvis, Bill and D.J. used when performing with Scotty are included here because we've been asked about them on occasion and their histories don't appear to be recorded in detail elsewhere.  For info on the complete performance guitars of Elvis Presley click here.

**There has been some confusion regarding Scotty's first amp.  I  initially reported and listed Scotty's first amp as a TV front Fender Deluxe based on the fact he reportedly bought a Deluxe in 1952 and according to the Fender Amp Guide which suggests that design was made at that time.  He actually remembers it only to be a small Fender and then looking at pictures of a wide panel champ identified it as that.  Documents now reveal that he traded in a Fender Deluxe with a serial number suggesting it to be a wide panel design, which resembles the Champ, but the Amp guide reports those as made in 53. Given that I'll assume the guide is not definitive and at present believe it to be a 52 Wide Panel Deluxe.  I wish to apologize for the misinformation.
James V. Roy    November 18, 2003

*** Due to an old photo of Scotty and his friend James Lewis from around 1953 showing Scotty on a porch with his Fender it had been mistakenly identified as an Esquire and the error has propagated over the years as such.  Recently alternate photos surfaced which revealed the guitar to actually have been a Telecaster, complete with the neck pickup.
James V. Roy  February 21, 2015

 

 
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