Gibson B.B. King Lucille

Presently, I have a 2000 Epiphone B.B. King "Lucille" (not to be confused with the Gibson one). I have had it about a month now, and it is all holding up very well. It is basically a supped up version of the Gibson ES-355. It's got loads of sweet features: stereo and mono inputs, separate bass and treble volume controls, a 3-way selector and a varitone knob. It has 2 giant humbucker pick-ups. Also all its hardware, (Pick-ups etc.) are gold, which is very attractive. A lot of other guitarists i know thought that it would be semi-solid, BUT IT ISN'T, so be warned!! Also it came with a lined hard case.

It really suits my style of playing (brit-rock, rhythm 'n' blues). The only way to get its true sound is to play it through a valve amp. The only effect i use with it is a tremelo box as it doesn't com e with one. The last guitar i had was a Fender Strat, which has really noisy pick-ups, the one's on this are a lot quieter. The thing i like most about this guitar is the amount of bass you can get out of it. Also, there are 100's of different combinations of sounds you can get from it.

This guitar is very nice to play, and I think the action is comparable to my old strat. When i went to look at it in the showroom there was a scratch on the back, but I received money off the price for this flaw. The one thing that I am disapointed about is that eventually the gold hardware will rub off, however, this will happen with any guitar that has it.

In the month I have had it i have only gigged it once and it took almost anything i threw at it (literally!!). The one thing that slightly irritated me was that it did not stay in tune for as long some guitars i have had.

I have not dealt with Epiphone yet, and hopefully won't have to. However it does have a 3 year warrantee.

I have been playing the electric guitar for 3 years now, and this is definatly, the best one i have ever played. If it were lost or stolen i would definatly go out and replace it with another one. I think that my favorite feature is the stereo input, because it features on so few guitars. The only thing i wish it had is the name 'Gibson' on the headstock!!!

This is a 1999 Ebony Lucille. Gold hardware, TP-6 Tuner (yank out the fine tuners...they really catch). Double Humbuckers with tone and volume for each, varitone (6 way switch) and 3 way toggle (allowing 18 different sounds in theory, although the bleed on the varitone 6 is extreme). Mono and Stereo jacks allowing each pickup to go to an individual amp. Beautiful pearl inlay. This is basically the ES-355 (not 335) without the Bigsby Trem or the F-holes...I think it was called the ES-355 Custom before 1984. The neck is a 12" radius (no compound) with nice high frets... It's a gibson so a quality case was, of course, included!

I love the blues and this guitar makes me feel like a blues man. I've seen so many photos of Blues Boy King playing this axe that it puts me in the mood. The range of this guitar is really suited to blues...it is very warm...even with the toggle on lead (bridge pickup), it still imparts a warm sound.

The factory setup was great, but I like a little more fall away starting at around the 19th or 20th fret. My relief was too extreme, but a quarter turn straightened the neck considerably. My action is a little lower than I like, making bends near the nut a little (speaking of which , I wish they'd use bone for the nut <sigh>). The finish is immaculate with only one little defect near the head (the burfing went a little deep.

This guitar is built to last...everything says quality... everything... although bound frets are a pain to replace <grin>. I wouldn't use it without a backup...but then again, neither does B.B. King...besides, I need a 12 string acoustic for my gigs as well as an electric with a good tremolo...I like the floyds...so I need to gig with at least 3 axes... Could it make it alone...sure, why not!

The warranty is 1 year from date of purchase...this seems to fly in the face of the Gibson Gold Warranty, but I don't know how to get that one <sigh>

I just bought the axe, but my overall impression is of a solid guitar and I must agree with Mr. King, it is Les Paul's big brother... I actually could have gotten a bunch of used Les Pauls for the price... (used I could have gotten one for $650 US and had enough for a Godin which I've been lusting...but this was worth it...it has everything I want...including an attitude!

My guitar is a "Standard" which I believe isn't made any more. I bought it secondhand in 1989. According to the headstock serial number, it was built in the first year of production 1981. According to advertisements from the time, it should have a rosewood neck but mine is quite clearly ebony. The Standard differs from the "Custom" by having dot inlays, no varitone, less multiple binding, and no gold hardware. It is cherry in colour. The pickups are PAFs and the tuners are "crank" tuners where little levers pop out of the tuners to act as cranks when restringing. Very nifty. It came in a durable, hardshell case with red plush lining. The build quality is very high. At the time I bought it, I had just bought a Les Paul Standard which was woeful in comparison: very cheap and nasty while this guitar is quality throughout. It has all the features I could reasonably want on a guitar to extract excellent guitar tones.

I play mainly blues and sixties to seventies rock. This guitar is ideal for these styles. It is however such a rich and powerful guitar that it is very important to match it with the right amp and speakers. In my opinion, it needs at least 50 watts and a couple of 12 inch speakers. Except on the lead pickup, it sounds muddy and indistinct through a Pro Junior or a Peavey Classic 30. It sounded very close to BB King "Live and Well" through a Peavey Classic 50 2x12. This guitar can do anything a Les Paul Standard can do with more class, more range and more subtlety with greater upper fret access and comfort. Because of the size of neck and frets, it is (surprise, surprise) an ideal blues guitar for BB and Freddie King or early and Cream era Clapton. Its sound is however very refined and so I use a Les Paul Special for more raucous playing where I want a cruder style of breakup. I don't miss the Varitone at all.

This guitar is in immaculate condition. I had it checked over a few years ago by a tech and it required no more than routine maintenance. It has never let me down.

This guitar would stand exactly what it was designed for - blues gigging. In my opinion it's as durable as any high class instrument.

Never dealt with Gibson.

I've been playing for fifteen years and own a reissue strat, tele and the Les Paul Special. They are all easier to play in that their unique sounds are much more accessible. It isn't difficult to get a fantastic sound out of this guitar, it's just much easier to get a saturated sound out of it. It needs restraint and reasonable technique to get the best out of it. I struggle. In summary, I love this guitar and would never sell it. I foolishly sold my Peavey Classic 50 and hadn't really been able to play this guitar enjoyably since until I bought a Fender Prosonic: a very classy amp for a very classy guitar. My only regret is that I didn't take it with me when I met BB King backstage in 1989 and get it signed. Frankly, it was a little overwhelming for a little, white, middle class fella from remote New Zealand to meet someone whose records I'd spent my adolescence trying to track down. There was also the problem of our accents. He misheard "o" for "r" and so I treasure a postcard inscribed to "Geroff" (Geoff).

1993 Gibson Lucille in Cherry, semi-hollowbody with no sound holes
Body:Laminated maple, Maple center block Neck/Profile
Fingerboard/Inlay Ebony/Pearl block Scale/Nut Width 24 3/4"/1 11/16"
Binding Multi-ply top and headstock , single-ply fingerboard and back Bridge/Tailpiece Tune-o-matic/TP-6
Hardware Gold Pickups 490R Alnico magnet humbucker 490T Alnico magnet humbucker
Controls Two volume, two tone, three-way switch, six-position Varitone, stereo/mono jacks Finish Cherry
Lots of featurs for a guitar!

The six position Varitone gives you a wide range of "voices," from big and full to almost acoustic and bell-like. Multiply this with the standard 3 position switch and you have, like 18 potential settings, each of which can be toned-around for some god-awful amount of variation. So much fun to play with it hurts.
This guitar is a hint clearer that my Les Paul Studio, note for note.
The neck is pretty chunky and the frets are huge. Super easy to play. Not as fast as my Studio, but not noticably different.
The sound is rich, very rich. Put on a BB King tune, and you can find his sound, even if you can't play like him.
You can dirty it up pretty well, and jazz it up too. Not a shredders guitar, because of the neck and hefty weight of the body, but an incredible blast to play. Very hard to put down. The notes intonate all over the board -- you don't have to be technically "perfect"; it's a very forgiving guitar. This is a great guitar if you're a big bender and slider -- you can really finesse the sounds and make it cry and sing. I don't know that any guitar deserves a perfect 10 for sound, but it sounds fantastic.

A work of darned art! Got it used, but in perfect condition. Not a scratch. Built like a brick house, heavy and sturdy. This guitar really has no flaws in the build. Tremendously nice job on the fretts and neck. The cherry is very pretty with hints of the wood underneath. The binding is very well done. If there is something wrong with it, I can't find it.

Darned thing could stand a nuclear detonation. Problem is, it's almost too nice to take out of home. It's just that nice. I've seen others that I thought were built poorly, but this one should be framed. If I gigged, I think you could gig without a backup, but then that would be poor planning, wouldn't it?

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Just love this guitar! Bought it right after I bought my Studio, and their like big brother and little brother (Lucille is obviously the big brother). It's a big guitar, heavy, but worth the heft. If it were stolen, I'd probably need therapy. I could replace my Studio, but the Lucille is unique. I haven't seen another quite like it. I know I could not replace it for what I got this one for.
The favorite feature is probably the Varitone. Takes the guitar to a whole new level of cool.
I know these list for less than the 335. I honestly don't know why. I think this guitar is much cooler and has more sounds. However, I can't afford a new one; If you can, look into it. It's a whole lot of guitar for the money.

The most important thing is an advanced electronics ton control to modify your tone.

All i am going to say is: this guitar has tonal qualities not found in an electric guitar you can buy. This is the best electric guitar you can buy. The only comparisons are archtops (super 400, etc.)

They did an awesome job on the finish, it looks great.

This guitar will last forever (if the owner isn't a crackhead)

Gibson is always friendly

I have been playing for a long time. This guitar stands out from any other in tone. If it were stolen or lost, i would buy 2 more.

Price Paid: Italian # 1.700.000 (approx. 900 us dollars) used Purchased from: private ad
My Lucille (1993) is cherry red with ebony fingerboard and gold hardware, with single or multiple binding ... everywhere!. The almost perfect transparent finish lets see the slightly flamed maple of the top and neck (3-piece, plus 2 "ears" for the headstock). No f-holes, to reduce squealing at high volumes. Varitone switch to allow 6 radically different "voices". 2 output jacks, for mono or stereo use. 2 alnico humbuckers, each with volume and tone controls. 3-way pickup selector. TP6 fine-tuning tailpiece. Wanderful hard case (made in Canada).

Obviously perfect for the Blues, Lucille can play Rock as well and, thanks to the Varitone, could also funk. It's no good for Metal and in general for ultra-hi-gain-modern-digital distortions, but if you want this sounds you won't surely buy Lucille! The distortion is very "clean": you can always hear the single notes, even in minor or dim. chords (with a "human" gain level, obviously). The clean and crunch sounds are very responsive to the control knobs (and to your hand!). Even without the Varitone (I don't use it at all) you can have thousand of nuances only mixing the two p.u. with the volume pots.

I play rock-blues, I'm not a shredder. The action is not the lowest possible, but lets me to play very hard (when I need it) whithout buzzes all over the fretboard (I use 0.10 - 0.46 gauges). The tuning stability is very good: I must tweak on the TP6 only sometimes (and I bend very much the strings!). The finish is very good and rich - even too much: I don't like gold so much, and I know it will surely wear off on the bridge, on the bridge P.U. and on the tuning pegs. But I must admit it's like a Cadillac.

At this moment it looks as it was brand new, apart for the gold consumption (moderate, indeed). No structural, mechanical or electrical problems.

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As you could understand, I'm very happy of my Lucille. Its variety of sounds, its reliability and, last but not least, its wanderful and elegant look make it a very desirable guitar - a classic. The only real limit is the weight: a bit too heavy, even it's quite well balanced. You've got to use large straps. It's a bit strange not to see the f-holes on the top. Perhaps Gibson could at least PAINT them!

PRETTY MUCH LIKE A GIBSON 335, BUT WITH NO "F" HOLES. EBONY FRETBOARD, FRONT AND BACK BINDING, 2 HUMBUCKERS, 6 POSITION VARATONE SWITCH AND A TP6 ADJUSTABLE TAIL PIECE.

THE SOUND SUITES ME STYLE QUIT WELL- I LIKE TO PLAY BLUES! WORKS WELL FOR ROCK ALSO. DOES NOT SEEM TO SOUND AS MUDDY AS A LES PAUL, A LOT MORE TONAL VARIATIONS COMPARED TO MOST GUITARS. CAN'T DO A FUNK RYTHEM AS WELL AS ON MY STRAT, BUT IT COMES PRETTY CLOSE. I PLAY THE GUITAR THROUGH A CRATE CHORUS AMP. JUST THE STANDARD EFFECTS: CHORUS, REVERB AND DISTORTION. PICKUPS ARE HOT!

A PURCHASED THIS GUITAR WITH COINS GLUED ALL OVER THE FACE OF IT- THAT'S WHY THE PRICE WAS SO CHEAP. SUPPOSEDLY WAS GIVEN TO WILLIE KING FROM B.B., BUT NO PAPERWORK OR PICTURES. I POPPED THE COINS OFF WITH A HOT IRON AND THUS THE FINISH LOOKS TERRIBLE ON THE FRONT. THE PAINT IS WORN FROM THE NECK FROM HEAVY USE. THE ORIGINAL FACTORY FINISH WAS PROBABLY FINE, BUT THIS GUITAR HAS BEEN A FRONT LINE SOLDIER. ACTION IS MEDIUM TO LOW. RATING IS BASED UPON ACTION AND FIT.

MUST BE PRETTY GOOD TO STILL BE IN ONE PIECE. THIS GUITAR'S BEEN PLAYED-A LOT! PLAYS AND SOUNDS GREAT THOUGH. A LITTLE BUZZING AROUND THE FIRST AND SECOND FRET BUT I CAN'T HERE IT THROUGH THE AMP. THE SIX POSITION VARATONE SWITCH IS NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY REPAIR. JUST HAVE NOT HAD THE TIME TO DO IT YET.

I CALLED GIBSON TO SEE WHAT INFO I COULD GET IF I GAVE THEM THE SERIAL NUMBER. THEY SAID IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST (VERY EARLY) LUCILLE'S MADE, BUT DID NOT HAVE A RECORD OF WHO THEY GAVE OR SOLD IT TO. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED A LONG TIME AGO I' SURE.

I'M A DEVOUT FENDER FIEND, BUT MISSED THAT MEATY SOUND SOMETIMES, THE PRICE WAS RIGHT SO I BOUGHT IT. BESIDES, IT' GOT A STORY BEHIND IT ALSO. THATS WHAT I LOVE THE MOST. IF IT WAS LOST OR STOLEN I WOULD NOT REPLACE THIS GUITAR. I'M A AMATUER AND CAN NOT JUSTIFY $2500 TO $3000 FOR A GUITAR. IF I COULD ONLY HAVE ONE GUITAR I'D KEEP MY STRAT, ALTHOUGH I AM IMPRESSED WITH THIS GUITAR'S VERSATILITY

My Gibson B.B. King Lucille (1997) is glossy black with gold hardware, six position Varitone switch, three position pickup selector, stereo and mono 1/4 inch jacks, and 490R/490T Alnico magnet humbucker pickups. The bride uses a Tune-o-matic tail piece with TP-6 microtuners. The case was not includedin the 1,200 price tap ($140 extra) was is a work also very nicely appointed.

This guitar has so many tonal characteristics it is tough to begin describing this aspect. I generally use both neck and bridge pickups together with the Varitone switch somewhere in the middle of the six possible positions. This produces tones between a humbucker and single coil pickups. Add just a touch of distortion and blues/rockabilly grooves seem to flow from the guitar. Adding a heavy amount of distortion clouds the note-to-note distinction a too much. To my ears this guitar sounds best through an open back 212 combo amp.

Action was a bit too low when I purchased the guitar. Since, I raised the action a little and put on 12-56 guage nickle wound strings and dropped the tuning to 1/2 step from standard. The finish is striking. The nicest thing about the guitar is the high class fret work. Beautifully installed frets with smooth edges.

I am still trying to nail down the perfect combination of amps and settings to use with Lucille but my overall rating is very high (9).
This guitar is so nice I a bit timid bringing it to weekly gigs for fear that it might get stolen or scratched. However, it has made appearances at San Diego's Del Mar Fair several times and it sounded great being played at loud volumes through a Carvin 212 Bel Air.
If you can stand to plunk down this much money for a guitar do it.