Fingerstylist extraordinaire, prominent CAAS member, and Deluxe Human Being Bobby Gibson has been a familiar and welcome presence at Gretsch events over the past couple of years, from NAMM to CAAS to the Fred & Joe Road Show. I know of no finer contemporary compleat fingerpicker.
Here at NAMM, he plays smoooooth morning sets and fills in the soundscape around the booth at other odd moments, jamming with selected accomplished booth visitors, and often showing off his one-of-twelve blonde 6122-59.
I caught his set yesterday morning, where he turned in a typically fine performance. GDPer Tommy59, Tom Connell, made his annual pilgrimage to the booth yesterday as well, and jammed some with Bobby, driving the Jimmy Vaughan Synchromatic archtop.
Tommy is always a joy to hear, because not only does he have superb chops, but his sense of rhythm is impeccable, his taste is as refined as his chops, and he's musically generous and responsive to other players. With Tommy it's always about the music, and not a hint of ego: the kind of guy we'd all like to have in our corner. I wish I'd recorded more of him; maybe next time.
Here's a short clip of the Bob & Tom Show.
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Bobby Tries Tru-Arc
I had a chance to talk to Bobby Friday afternoon about bridges, and it turns out he's often thought about the radius issue, as well as the virtues of various metals for bridge construction.
So he was all ears about Tru-Arcs, and was anxious to try one. We put a copper bridge on his 6122-59 on the spot, and that's what you'll hear in these clips. Bobby's trying the bridge at this point, not endorsing it, and we'll talk more after he's had some time with the copper and other species, to see which he likes best.
As usual, he's playing through the Gretsch Executive amp.
Bobby Audio
Bobby Gibson Part 1
Bobby Gibson Part 2
Bobby Gibson Part 3
Bobby Gibson Part 4
Bobby Gibson Part 5
Bobby Gibson Part 6
Bobby Gibson Part 7
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