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Tuesday December 19th, 2000
Birth of Christ guitar unveiled at Gibson Showcase
In honor of the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Gibson Guitar Company celebrates this holiday season with the public unveiling today of the most elaborate tribute guitar ever created. On display at the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase (at Opry Mills) through January, the completely hand-crafted "Birth of Christ" guitar is sure to inspire even the least musical of Holiday shoppers.
"This guitar exemplifies the abilities that have earned Gibson the reputation of being the world's finest guitar maker", stated Rick Gembar, General Manager of the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville,Tennessee. "More importantly, the guitar is a breathtaking interpretation of what some feel is the most significant day in world history", he adds.
Since July 1st 2000, Gibson artist and luthier Bruce J. Kunkel, along with the talented staff of the Custom, Art and Historic division, under the direction of Gembar, has been researching, designing, and crafting this one-of-a-kind tribute to Christ. Gibson's largest and most majestic guitar model, the 1939 Super 400 is the canvas upon which the story of the Savior's birth is told through paintings, carvings, engravings, and inlay.
Of the seemingly endless layers of art and materials that comprise the "Birth of Christ" tribute guitar, several are standouts. The Head Veneer depicts four hand-engraved angels playing 14k gold trumpets. In their midst, a mother of pearl scroll is unfurled, declaring Gibson's Celebration of Christmas 2000. Further, the Fingerboard displays the name, "Jesus Christ", in an elaborate Old English font hand cut from mother of pearl in a vertical format.
"Gibson's Celebration of Christmas 2000 is our Christmas card to those in our community", said Gembar. "We're pleased to be able to express our Joy and appreciation for this time of year and to be able to do so in such a unique and significant way."
Guitar virtuoso Phil Keaggy performed at the Showcase following the unveiling. He played a Gibson J-185 EC Cutaway acoustic and a Gibson ES-446s from the Custom Shop.
Gibson's Custom division produces a variety of specialty guitars. The Historic Collection features legendary Gibsons, including Gibson's first f-hole "jazz box," the L-5, and the painstakingly reproduced '59 Les Paul Figuredtop Reissue. The Custom Collection showcases the creative range of the division's designers and ranges from new models, built to the specifications of professional musicians, to special editions of traditional Gibsons, such as the highly ornamented Millenium guitar. The division's one-of-a-kind Art guitars are one-of-a-kind instruments made for individual artists or to commemorate events such as Gibson's 100th Anniversary and B.B. King's 70th Birthday.
Go here to see more detailed images of the "Birth Of Christ" guitar or here for a story and images of the guitar in progress.
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