The Epiphone BB King Lucille is a lovingly crafted tribute to the King of blues. This iconic signature guitar is inspired by various Gibson ES models that BB King had played over the years – all of which he named Lucille.
Constructed with stunning gold hardware including Grover Rotomatic tuners and TP-6 tail piece, the golden stylings are tied up with a truss rod cover with BB King’s name engraved upon it. Unlike many semi-hollow guitars, BB King personally requested that Lucille not feature any f-holes to help reduce feedback during his performances, allowing him to deliver a clean, undisrupted tone.
A six-position Varitone switch guarantees impeccable versatility and expression, essential for the passion and delicacy of BB King’s classic sound. This freedom is further supported by a pair of Alnico Classic PRO humbucking pickups wired directly to CTS potentiometers, and stereo and mono output jacks to really offer any performer complete and meticulous control of their sound. Based on a classic guitar which holds an incredibly unique story, there is certainly a lot of pressure to deliver, but this Lucille succeeds in every capacity. With this guitar, you’ll be compelled to sing duets, telling tales of both the tough times and the best of times. It is a superb tribute to a legendary musician.
Classic blues tone: This guitar has been continuously designed for decades to the specifications of one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time, so it comes as no surprise that it delivers the perfect blues tone. Two Alnico humbuckers offer delicate dynamic sensitivity and precise articulation to completely capture the emotion instilled within every performance. A six-position Varitone switch offers complete control of your mid-range, ranging from deep, rich tonalities to nasal higher tones. A three-way Epiphone pickup toggle combines with two designated volume and tone switches, offering that final precise touch to truly personalize your sound. Singing with precision, blues has never sounded so good.
A unique semi-hollow: Lucille is based upon the Various Gibson ES models, taking influence from a variety of different features that have developed BB King’s beloved guitar into an incredibly unique partner to any musician. Unlike most semi-hollow guitars, the f-holes have been removed from the top of the body. This was to reduce the amount of feedback, allowing King to dial up the volume and create that crisp, cutting blues tone without muddying his expression with any harsh tones. This isn’t the only feature to help prevent this, a maple center block is positioned to halt any feedback in its tracks. The body itself is constructed from five-ply maple, producing a tone which upholds the carefully curated bright, precise tone and delivers a tight low-end.
Gold standard hardware: It’s only right that BB King’s iconic guitar comes with hardware fit for a King. A TP-6 Stop Bar tailpiece with fine tuners delivers precise tuning and outstanding tuning stability, ensuring every note is tightly in key so it can resonate its true emotion. This is strengthened thanks to Grover Rotomatic tuning machines that lock in each note to prevent deviation from an accurate, pure note. All the hardware remains accurate to its inspiration, with a stunning gold finish across all the hardware, including the Alnico pickups. This is all respectfully completed with the blues legend’s name engraved into the brass truss rod cover.
Lucille’s story: Behind every iconic guitar, there’s a story, and Lucille’s story is the most unique tale of all. In BB King’s song “Lucille,” he gives us a recollection of how Lucille was named. One night, he was in Twist, Arkansas, when a brawl broke out, ultimately knocking over a barrel that was being burned to heat the hall, resulting in fuel spilling across the floor. The hall erupted into an inferno of flames and was evacuated. Once BB King had left the building, he realized he had left his beloved Gibson guitar. King ran back into the building and retrieved his guitar. The next day, he found out the fight broke out over a woman who worked at the bar named Lucille. He named every subsequent guitar he owned after Lucille as a reminder to never do something as risky as that again.
The King of Blues: BB King inspired multiple generations of guitar players with his iconic sound. Idolized by a multitude of artists ranging from Eric Clapton to John Mayer, his influence upon modern guitar playing has been significant to a wide variety of genres, including those outside of the blues. Starting his career in the 1940s, King began playing guitar with gospel singers before he moved to Memphis and started building his audience through regular slots performing on the radio. King continued to tour and perform with his trusted instrument Lucille until 2014 at the age of 89, accumulating a total of 43 studio albums over his outstanding 73-year career. King passed away in 2015, leaving an incredible legacy to guitarists.
Specifications:
– Body Shape: ES-335
– Body Material: 5-ply Layered Maple
– Bracing: Spruce
– Centerblock: Maple
– Binding: Multi-ply Top Back and Headstock Single ply Neck
– Finish: Gloss
Neck & Fretboard:
– Material: Maple
– Profile: Rounded C
– Scale Length: 24.75″
– Fingerboard Material: Ebony
– Fingerboard Radius: 12″
– Number Of Frets: 22
– Frets: Medium Jumbo
– Nut Material: Graph Tech
– Nut Width: 1.693″
– Inlays: Pearloid Blocks
– Joint: Glued in Set Neck
Hardware & Electronics:
– Finish: Gold
– Tuner Plating: Gold
– Bridge: Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic
– Tailpiece: TP-6 Stop Bar with Fine Tuners
– Tuning Machines: Grover Rotomatic with Keystone Buttons
– Pickguard: 5-ply ES-335 style Bound Tortoise Pickguard
– TrussRod: 2-way Adjustable
– Truss Rod Cover: Brass Bell; Engraved “B.B. King”
– Control Knobs: Black Speed Knobs, Black Chicken Head Varitone Knob
– Switch Tip: Cream
– Switch-washer: Gold Varitone Washer
– Control Covers: Black; PVC
– Strap Buttons: 2 – Bottom and Back of Heel
– Mounting Rings: Black
– Pickup Covers: Gold
– Neck Pickup: Alnico Classic PRO
– Bridge Pickup: Alnico Classic PRO
– Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone CTS Potentiometers, 6 Position Varitone Switch
– Pickup Selector: 3-way Epiphone Toggle
– Output Jack: Two: Epiphone 1/4″ Mono and Epiphone 1/4″ Stereo
