mrsmartypants
Well-Known Member
Here's something I don't think I've seen anyone do....re-create Marty's two guitars from BTTF.
It's really not too hard as they are both real guitars.
The first seems to be better known within the BTTF world:
The Erlewine Chiquita Traveling Guitar
Erlewine is still in business and still makes these guitars. Match the finish and knob and your in business! (Erlewine Guitars)
The second (and far more desirable, at least for me) guitar seems to be less known about:
The Gibson ES-345TD that MJF plays at the rhythmic ceremonial ritual (note this photo is of a 1967 ES-345TD):
What's interesting to note is that apparently the guitar used was made in 1963. Obviously not available in 1955. The Tune-o-Matic bridge it originally came with was partially removed and a Bigsby Tremolo was retrofitted onto the guitar.
Check out this screen shot and you can see the posts from the Tune-o-Matic tailpiece were left in the guitar after the Bigsby was installed (they are the two giant screw heads just behind the bridge...kind of sitting there in the middle of the guitar and looking out of place):
Now comes the cool part. Gibson re-issued the ES-345TD a few years back and it is nearly identical to the one MJF used in the movie!
The only differences I've been able to spot so far are 1: the pearl inlay at the 12th fret is split into two inlays on the re-issue (just like all the other inlays) whereas the inlay on the 12th fret on the BTTF guitar is solid; 2: the amp jack has been re-located from the face of the guitar to the side. Other than that, this is probably as spot on as you are going to get unless you are fortunate enough to track down a 1963 ES-345TD....good luck on that as there were only a few hundred made and those still around go for thousands of dollars!!
The re-issue isn't cheap (about $3k) but, doable for some. You can pick up a Bigsby B7 Gold-plated tremolo (which looks to be the exact same one used in the movie) for under $200 just about anywhere. Install it yourself or take it to a guitar custom shop to have installed, do a little aging on everything, add Kurtyboy's photo of Marty disappearing under the strings on the headstock and voila! Marty's Enchantment Under the Sea guitar!! For me, this is probably the second most important prop from the movie...behind the Delorean, of course.
This is my next project!!!
thumbsup:thumbsup
Edit: I just noticed one other difference on the re-issue. The pickguard is longer...it comes out past the bridge where the in 1963 and 1967 ones pictured it stops at the bridge pickup. The pickguard could be easily replaced though with the correct size.
It's really not too hard as they are both real guitars.
The first seems to be better known within the BTTF world:
The Erlewine Chiquita Traveling Guitar
Erlewine is still in business and still makes these guitars. Match the finish and knob and your in business! (Erlewine Guitars)
The second (and far more desirable, at least for me) guitar seems to be less known about:
The Gibson ES-345TD that MJF plays at the rhythmic ceremonial ritual (note this photo is of a 1967 ES-345TD):
What's interesting to note is that apparently the guitar used was made in 1963. Obviously not available in 1955. The Tune-o-Matic bridge it originally came with was partially removed and a Bigsby Tremolo was retrofitted onto the guitar.
Check out this screen shot and you can see the posts from the Tune-o-Matic tailpiece were left in the guitar after the Bigsby was installed (they are the two giant screw heads just behind the bridge...kind of sitting there in the middle of the guitar and looking out of place):
Now comes the cool part. Gibson re-issued the ES-345TD a few years back and it is nearly identical to the one MJF used in the movie!
The only differences I've been able to spot so far are 1: the pearl inlay at the 12th fret is split into two inlays on the re-issue (just like all the other inlays) whereas the inlay on the 12th fret on the BTTF guitar is solid; 2: the amp jack has been re-located from the face of the guitar to the side. Other than that, this is probably as spot on as you are going to get unless you are fortunate enough to track down a 1963 ES-345TD....good luck on that as there were only a few hundred made and those still around go for thousands of dollars!!
The re-issue isn't cheap (about $3k) but, doable for some. You can pick up a Bigsby B7 Gold-plated tremolo (which looks to be the exact same one used in the movie) for under $200 just about anywhere. Install it yourself or take it to a guitar custom shop to have installed, do a little aging on everything, add Kurtyboy's photo of Marty disappearing under the strings on the headstock and voila! Marty's Enchantment Under the Sea guitar!! For me, this is probably the second most important prop from the movie...behind the Delorean, of course.
This is my next project!!!
thumbsup:thumbsupEdit: I just noticed one other difference on the re-issue. The pickguard is longer...it comes out past the bridge where the in 1963 and 1967 ones pictured it stops at the bridge pickup. The pickguard could be easily replaced though with the correct size.
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