Gretsch G6138 "Bo Diddley" model rectangular guitar owned by Bo Diddley

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A red Gretsch G6138 "Bo Diddley" model guitar with Diddley's signature rectangular body shape, owned by Bo Diddley. The guitar, manufactured in 2005, is based on the 1958 custom designed instrument made by Gretsch for Diddley in 1958. The rectangular, semi-hollow body is red with black and white accents at the edges. The neck and fretboard are black, with pearl dots on the fretboard. The bridge, pickups, knobs, switches, and tuners are made of brass. The pickups have etched type on the front and the bottom reading: [U.S. PAT. 2892371]. At the top of the headstock is [GRETSCH] in pearl, with [Bo Diddley / MODEL] in white at the truss rod cover. "Bo Diddley" is in the style of Diddley's signature. On the back of the head is: [JT05096044 / MADE IN JAPAN].

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