I remember seeing the Edge and James Hetfield with an Explorer. Billy Gibbons and Jimi Hendrix with a Flying V. Johnny Winter and Allen Collins with a Firebird… Such fascinating tones from such fascinating players. 

Of course I wouldn’t call these guitars traditional by any stretch of the imagination. Simply put… they look awkward, clunky, and like something out of a sci-fi movie. That said… I currently own the Gibson versions of an Explorer… Flying V… and Firebird… and they are probably some of the best sounding guitars I own.

But… Why did these guitars fail early in production? Were they before their time? What keeps them from being popular now? Are they built any different than a Les Paul?  Do they have a unique sound? What artists are using them? Are they worth having in a guitar collection? Can they be a guitar players #1? And size… Do they fit in the trunk of my car?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Barber, on the Tweed Couch.