Jimmie Vaughan shared insights about his top three guitars, including the Fender he gifted to his brother Stevie, which fetched a significant amount, estimated around a million dollars years later.
Twisting the Blues: Jimmie Vaughan's Favorite Six-Strings
Texas legend Jimmie Vaughan, the veteran bluesman with less fear in his heart than frets on his guitars, has been strumming for over half a century. Despite a couple of health hiccups, he's still on the road, jammin' alongside Eric Clapton. Catchin' up with GW from his Texan abode, surrounded by the cluck-cluckin' of his chickens, Vaughan had nothing but smiles to share about his health.
"I'm feelin' peachy! I'm in the pink of health and just dreamin' up new tunes for my next album."
Vaughan's recent albums have been all about breathing fresh life into forgotten blues classics, but that could soon change.
"I'm always cookin' up new ideas and jottin' 'em down. Come recordin' time, I'll be diggin' into some originals. You can still expect a few old favorites, but it's all about playin' what sets my heart aflutter."
Teasin' us with the taste of original tracks, Vaughan gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of his musically-skewed mind.
His six-string collection is a treasure trove of stories and history, with some guitars dating back to when he first started pluckin' and pluckin'. We had to ask about his favorites.
The 50-Buck Dream (1957 Gibson ES-125T 3/4)
"This is my first electric; it holds a special place in my heart. My dear old dad bought this for a measly fifty bucks from a relative. I wasn't too fussed about the size, 'cause it made it easier for me to handle as a kid. I was just glad to get my hands on a guitar.
"Growin' up, I was always surrounded by guitar-playin' pals, and they'd come over on Saturday nights, jammin' and pluggin' into amps. That's what made me wanna pick up the guitar, so I appreciate this old Gibson for kickin' off my journey."
The ES-330 Sunburst (1970s Gibson ES-330)
"After my initial Gibson, my dad gifted me a sunburst Gibson ES-330 from Arnold & Morgan, a killer music store in Dallas. I used this beauty when I started playin' shows six nights a week at the Hob Nob Room. Around the same time, my brother Stevie picked up an ES-125.
"A friend of mine lent me a Telecaster, and that made me want a proper one. I picked up a '51 Nocaster from Arnold & Morgan for $175. I used that for a while before I landed my first Strat, a sunburst '57. I wore that Strat to the bone on the first Fabulous Thunderbirds album."
An Ex-Brother's Guitar (1963 Fender Stratocaster)
"I grabbed this beauty off Bill Campbell for 'bout $150. She's a '63 Strat body, but the neck is one Bill gave me, so she's sort of a Frankenstein guitar. I'd been chasin' a white Strat forever, so when I finally snaffled one, I was over the moon. This guitar's been on the road with me ever since, and she's showcased on every Fabulous Thunderbirds album."
Chris-Apollo, The Goddess of Tones (2022 Fender Custom Shop Signature Strat)
"For road trips, I carry three Custom Shop Strats: Olympic White, Two-Tone Sunburst, and Gold. I'm especially fond of the Olympic White one. These beautiful beauties have improve maintenance, and my pal Mike Lewis from Fender Custom Shop was always on hand to make adjustments.
"These Strats came with a modified wiring setup, with the middle pickup being reverse-wound, which adds some zing to my sound. They've been a game-changer, to say the least."
From the old Gibson ES-125T to his many Stratocasters, Jimmie Vaughan's guitars have been his loyal companions, his trusty steeds on the road to musical greatness. Even when life tries to slow him down, there's nothing that can stop the man when he's got his six-strings by his side.
So here's to Vaughan's guitars—pals, companions, muses, and accomplices in his life's work of bringin' the blues alive. Here's to the timeless tunes they've created together and the beautiful music they'll continue to make.
*Jimmie Vaughan's first electric guitar was a 1957 Gibson ES-125T 3/4, a sentimental favorite purchased for only $50 by his father.* The Gibson ES-330 sunburst, gifted to Vaughan in the 1970s, was his instrument of choice during his regular six-night-a-week performances at the Hob Nob Room.* Vaughan acquired a 1963 Fender Stratocaster for around $150, a white model that has been with him on every Fabulous Thunderbirds album.* In recent years, Vaughan carries three Fender Custom Shop Signature Strats on the road, including an Olympic White model with a modified wiring setup that adds zing to his sound.
