Billy Gibbons | ZZ Top | Blues Guitar Lesson

musicman — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:33:54 +0000

Guitar Legend, Billy F. Gibbons, also known as the Reverend Willie G., was born December 16, 1949. Billy is best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist for ZZ Top, “that little ole band from Texas”. Billy has also written many of the band’s classic songs. Gibbons early signature sound came from a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar he refers to as Pearly Gates, which he acquired when he was 18. He found the guitar stashed underneath a bed at a ranch house in Texas. Billy has been known to play his guitar using a quarter or a peso as a pick, this helps to deliver lots of upper harmonics. Gibbons first band, The Moving Sidewalks opened for The Jimi Hendrix Experience on a few gigs during Hendrix’s first American tour.
Billy’s favorite guitars include…

1959 sunburst Gibson Les Paul – Nicknamed Pearly Gates.
Gretsch Custom – Built for Bo Diddley later donated to Gibbons.
Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird – A replica modeled after the Bo Diddley custom guitar.
Custom Jupiter Thunderbird Bigsby – A custom built Jupiter with a Bigsby vibrato.
Custom Reversed Jupiter Thunderbird – A custom made model of the Jupiter with a reversed body.

Billy has played just about every brand of amplifier over the years. In the early ZZ Top years he delivered his distinctive tone thru stacks of Jake Stack Rio Grande amplifiers. For live performances, Gibbons tunes his stage guitars to E standard tuning. For slide work Billy often uses Open A or Open E tuning. His favorite solo is Bobby “Blue” Bland’s recording of “Stormy Monday” blues.

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Billy Gibbons | ZZ Top | Blues Guitar Lesson