Episode 47: 1989 Les Paul Standard vs. 2015 Les Paul Special

On this episode of The Local Pickup, we’re looking at TWO (you read correctly) Gibson Les Pauls. Despite the difference in appearance, these guitars are both official Les Pauls. But there are more differences between these Standard and Special versions than just the body shape. The Les Paul is one of the most iconic guitars…

Episode 45: Fender P-Bass, Ampeg B-15, & Keeley Pedals

In this episode of The Local Pickup, we continue our conversation with Ashley Peeples, local Rock Hill musician and gear wizard. This time, Ashley is using a vintage rig, with an all-original ’72 Fender P-Bass and a ’65 Ampeg B-15, some of the same gear that legendary Motown bassist James Jamerson used to record the…

Episode 44: G&L SB-2 Bass, Genzler Magellan 800 Amp, & Keeley Pedals

In this episode of The Local Pickup, we’re looking at a 1959 Silvertone Stratotone. This guitar plays well for its age with a slick-looking design. Observant viewers might notice a resemblance to the 50’s Harmony models. In its early days, Harmony mass produced guitars for Sears and more making tons of guitars under different brand…

Episode 43: 1961 Panoramic by Crucianelli

In this episode of The Local Pickup, we’re looking at this beautiful 1961 Panoramic electric guitar. This Italian guitar is the second of its kind for us to have our hands on! It has some great overdrive and checked finish that gives it character. We recommend picking your TLP picks and strum for the ride…

Episode 42: 1959 Silvertone Stratotone

In this episode of The Local Pickup, we’re looking at a 1959 Silvertone Stratotone. This slick-looking guitar plays great for its age, and eagle-eyed viewers might immediately notice a resemblance to Harmony models of the ’50s. In the early days of the mass-produced electric guitar, Harmony was pumping out guitars for stores like Sears, making…

Episode 41: 1964 Fender Mustang

It doesn’t get much more Fender than this. This week on The Local Pickup, we’re looking at a 1964 Fender Mustang manufactured in August 1964, which was the first month these guitars were made! Watch more about this guitar, how expensive antique Fenders can get, and where we side in the VCR/Betamax debate! Buy the…

Episode 40: 1930s Slingerland Songster

In this episode of The Local Pickup, we’re talking about a guitar with rich history, the 1930s Slingerland Songster. This archtop looks and feels fantastic and is amazing to play after we put some work into it. Slingerland is best known for their drums, and originally created due to a feud between Slingerland and another…

Episode 39: 1970s Penco ES-335

On this episode, we’re focusing on a Penco ES-335 made in 1970s Japan. The history follows that when Gibson and other American companies started making guitars overseas, those manufactures made extremely similar guitars under their own brand names. This would be the ‘lawsuit era’ of guitars. What was left is a instrument in the spitting…

Episode 38: 1985 Rickenbacker 360

In this episode, we’re looking at one of coolest guitars we’ve ever had on the show: a 1985 Rickenbacker 360. There have been a few Rickenbackers displayed many times in this show before, but this one stands out with a distinct, unique look. Made in 1985 when the early emo scene was first adopting the…

Episode 37: 1976 Gibson Hummingbirds

On this episode, we’re looking at a pair of gorgeous 1976 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitars. This guitar was first manufactured in 1960 and one of the most iconic acoustics out there! Guitarists such as Keith Richards, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, and countless other musicians have utilized these easy-to-play instruments through the years. Follow us on…

Episode 36: 1964 PANoramic

In this episode, we’re looking at a 1964 Crucianelli PANoramic. This semi-hollow guitar was only in production for a couple years, so these things are super rare! We’re excited to have our hands on one of these unique Italian guitars. Check out this 1964 PANoramic Semi-Hollow in the Guitarchive. Follow us on social media:FacebookInstagram

Episode 35: Santa Cruz 1929 O

On this episode, we’re back talking to our friends at Santa Cruz Guitar Company about another guitar. This little piece is the Santa Cruz 1929 O, an acoustic made similar to the parlor guitars of the 1920s and 1930s. You may remember from our Steel Strings series, we are big fans of these types of…

Episode 34: Duesenberg Starplayer TV Custom

On this episode, we’re happy to get our hands on this 2012 Duesenberg Starplayer TV Custom. From its tone knobs to its tuning pegs, this piece has been designed meticulously with a vibe taken straight from the Art Deco. This Starplayer has a great, versatile found with 3 Duesenberg D-Tron Humbuckers, reminiscent of vintage Filtertron-esque…

Episode 33: 1969 Gretsch 6120

This week on the Local Pickup, Jason and Chris talk about this legendary Gretsch 6120 Nashville Chet Atkins and its wonderful history. This guitar represents a long lasting legacy and collaboration between Chet Atkins and Gretsch. Chris also gives his hard-hitting theory about this Gretsch as the ‘Boba Fett’ of guitars! Check out this guitar…

Episode 32: 1930s Stella Concert

On this episode of The Local Pickup, we are taking a look at this 1930s Stella Concert. The Stella has some deep roots in blues and modern music. Their guitars were more affordable in comparison to a Martin or Gibson guitar. Often, Stella was the first instrument artists would purchase who hadn’t made it big…

Episode 31: 1860 Heidegger

In this episode of the Local Pickup, we look at this beautiful guitar made in 1860 in Passau, Germany. The label of this early Romantic guitar says it was made by renowned luthier Georg Heidegger, but our research shows Heidegger died in 1859 so it is not possible that he made this guitar. We propose…

Episode 30: 1929 Gibson L-3

On The Local Pickup today, we will be looking this 1929 Gibson L-3, a higher-end parlor guitar by the brand at the time. Its cousin, the Gibson L-1, was often called the Robert Johnson because the blues musician has only three known pictures, one with him and an L-1. This L-3 in particular would have…

Episode 28: 1959 Danelectro DC-1 Shorthorn

Is it an accident that the Danelectro DC-1 Shorthorn has one of the most iconic tones in rock music history? The sheer number of Jimmy Page tunes recorded on one provides evidence enough of its uniqueness in tone, not to mention the DC-1’s of Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Steve Earle, Amy Winehouse, and so many…

Episode 27: 1930 Martin 2-17 “The #25”

In 1930, a man purchased this guitar in a small town in rural Virginia as a present to his son. Unfortunately, his son never saw it as he and his mother drowned the same day when their boat tipped over in the fast and wide river. For over 50 years the guitar was put away…

Episode 26: We Recorded A Song

We’re doing things a little different this episode of the Local Pickup. We have all these great guitars coming and going through the shop frequently, so we wanted to immortalize a few in an original song. We used an Airline Map and an Eastwood Newport Bass specifically. Our studio and engineering skills have significantly improved…

Episode 25: 1962 Gibson LG-2 Acoustic

Today we’re looking at a 1962 Gibson LG-2 Acoustic Guitar. We’re not sure what the “LG” stands for but that doesn’t stop us from theorizing. There were many versions of the LG line, but the LG-2 was one of the best, with a X-braced body and sitka spruce top. Gibson recently rebooted the LG line…

Episode 23: Santa Cruz O.M. Acoustic Guitar

In this episode, we’re finally taking a look at Jason’s custom OM Acoustic Guitar from Santa Cruz Guitar Company. We’ve been excited to share this for months and are incredibly thankful for the kind folks at Santa Cruz for making this dream a reality. This guitar has a 100-year-old Sitka spruce top, paua shell neck…

Episode 22: 1969 Gibson EB-2D Bass

This 1969 Gibson EB-2D Bass is the thunky ’60s bass we’ve always wanted. With only 2,000 ever made, this is a rare but beautiful bass with a unique pickup configuration and some truly wacky wiring inside. We talk about frying eggs, someone called “Tubby,” and whether or not we should hire a bassist on this…

Episode 21: D’Angelico Brighton Deluxe

This episode we’re looking at the D’Angelico Brighton Deluxe. This beautifully-crafted guitar is by a brand that had been dead for decades until recently. We go into the guitar’s history in the episode, but we cannot stress enough how much thought went into the details and appointments on this guitar. We love it and hope…

Episode 20: Santa Cruz Guitar Company

Last summer we took a trip across the country to Santa Cruz, California to meet Richard Hoover and the rest of the Santa Cruz Guitar Company team. While there, we toured the facilities and spent some quality time with Richard. He educated us on luthiery, the differences between a nice guitar and a world-class one,…

Episode 19: Rickenbacker 4003 Bass

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The Rickenbacker bass is a thing of legend, and this Midnight Blue 4003 is gorgeous. Learn a bit about the history of this versatile bass guitar with Jason and Chris. We recently sold this bass to a viewer! If you want to buy the guitars you see on…

Episode 18: 1975 Guild Acoustic Guitar

This week the guys take a look at a 1975 Guild D-55. This is one of the warmest-sounding acoustic guitars you can find. The D-55 was created in a time when sound quality was being explored in new way, so this thing is sonic perfection. This beauty was loaned to us by our friend Ashley…

Episode 17: Fender Musicmaster Bass

In episode 17, the guys take a look at this one-of-a-kind modded bass. The Fender Musicmaster is a beloved short-scale bass that has a dedicated following. They’re growing more and more rare since they haven’t been in production for decades, so we were very lucky to get our hands on this one. This bass was…

Episode 14: ’57 Gretsch Rancher

In this episode, Jason and Chris (a couple fake cowboys) take a look at a 1957 Gretsch Rancher. This guitar is in great shape and sounds fantastic! Learn a little about the history of Gretsch, why this guitar looks the way it does, and how not to pronounce Gene Vincent’s “Be-Bop-A-Lula” on episode 14 of…

Episode 12: Summer NAMM 2019

In 2019, Jason and Chris went to Nashville to see and play some of the “crazy” and “insane” guitars on display at the Summer NAMM Show! From big name manufacturers to boutique luthiers, we saw guitars of just about every shape, size, and price point. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to help support the show! Follow The…

Episode 11: The Gibson SG & a 1960s Kay Copy

It seems like no other guitar is as synonymous with rock ‘n’ roll as the Gibson SG. But how does a Kay knock-off stack up? In episode 11, we investigate two guitars that look very similar but are actually worlds apart. Delve into the history of the SG with us! Subscribe to our YouTube channel to help…

Episode 10: 1952 Gretsch Synchromatic

In episode 10 of TLP, Jason and Chris talk about a classic, all-American acoustic guitar. The Gretsch. The founder of Gretsch was a German immigrant who came to New York and started making some of the world’s coolest guitars. This guitar looks and sounds really great. It shows its age, but wears it well. We’re…

Episode 9: 1960s Dutch Egmond Bass

In this episode of The Local Pickup we look at a vintage Egmond bass guitar from the 1960s. Egmond was a huge player in the ’60s guitar world. This “thumpy”-sounding beauty has perfect checking on the finish (if you’re into that sort of thing). Except for the nut, this bass is entirely original, from head…

Episode 8: 1928 Tricone at Heyday Music in Asheville, NC

In episode 8 of The Local Pickup, we get into the second half of our conversation with Charles Gately, co-owner of Heyday Music in Asheville, NC. This metal Tricone resonator is (almost) unique, being one of two ever made! It was modded to have a 5-string neck, but it’s still a beautiful piece of history….

Episode 7: Ural 650 Soviet Era Rare Guitar

When they were first produced in the late 1970s in the USSR, only 25,000 of these rare Ural 650s were built. The fact that this one made its way to our studio is pretty mind-blowing! In ’70s and ’80s Soviet Russia, electric guitars represented Western pop culture and rebellion much like blue jeans. Subscribe to…

Episode 6: Gretsch 6117 at Heyday Music in Asheville NC

The Local Pickup hits the road with the first out-of-studio episode! Today, Jason is talking to Charles, co-owner of Heyday Music. They’re looking at a 1965 Gretsch 6117 Double Anniversary electric guitar. This beauty is all-original. Despite some slight wear-and-tear, it still plays like a dream! This episode was filmed at Heyday Musical Instruments &…

Episode 5: The Kay Vanguard – Genius or Fluke

In this episode of The Local Pickup, Jason and Chris talk about a Kay Vanguard from the ’60s, one of the most successful guitars of that era. This simple, inexpensive guitar was available everywhere, including Sears, which was part of why they sold so well! Kay didn’t make fancy guitars, but they did make inexpensive…

Episode 4: 1960s Japanese Guitars

In Episode 4 of TLP, Jason and Chris talk about a few different guitars made in 1960s Japan and what makes them each so special and uniquely Japanese. During the ’60s, many American and Italian guitar companies outsourced manufacturing to Japan, which had a very distinct style that’s easy to pick out today. In this…

Episode 3: Pronouncing and Storytelling on the Rickenbacker

In Episode 3 of The Local Pickup, Jason and Chris discuss the history of the Rickenbacker and do their best to pronounce it as they were told. These iconic guitars look and sound amazing, enduring as a symbol of quality to this day. This beautiful Rickenbacker 330 with Fireglo finish was made in 1991 and…

Episode 2: Jason and Chris Get Personal with the Les Paul

In Episode 2 of The Local Pickup, Jason and Chris discuss the Les Paul, its history, and their personal experiences with this monster of a guitar. This 1989 Les Paul was one of Jason’s first electric guitars that he’s had for nearly 30 years. Gibson pioneered the Les Paul’s signature humbucker pickups, which are now…

Episode 1: Fender Telecaster, The Guitar that Started the Rock n Roll Revolution

The Local Pickup is our show about guitars and gear and the people who make, play, buy, sell, and love them. In Episode 1 of The Local Pickup, Jason and Chris discuss the history of the Fender Telecaster and how it launched the Rock ‘n’ Roll Revolution! This iconic guitar has stood the test of time, being…