Gretsch Introduces G6199 Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird

Jul 22, 2005

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Rock luminaries Billy F. Gibbons and Bo Diddley have joined forces to bring guitar aficionados everywhere a 21st Century version of the elusive Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird guitar, now dubbed the "Billy-Bo". First conceived in 1959 by the legendary Bo Diddley himself, this one-of-a-kind guitar later found its way into the hands of ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons.

Said Gibbons, "Some time ago, Bo gave me the guitar as a gift. It was during the recent ZZ Top recordings when the engineering crew and I snaked through the guitar vault searching for that 'certain-something' guitar and there it was! We didn't risk subjecting such a rare instrument to the rigors of the road so this new reproduction model was recreated--with some BFG Mojo thrown in for good measure. It's now the main stage guitar with a groove."

As noted by Gibbons, the new Gretsch "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird highlights Bo's original futuristic design, with Gibbons' added enhancements providing for "a steaming hot helping of dirty rotten Rock 'N' Roll".

The Billy-Bo comes with one TV Jones Power'Tron pickup in the neck position and one Power'Tron "Plus" pickup in the bridge position. Additional features include a pinned Adjusto-matic bridge, Schaller strap locks, G-cutout tailpiece, chrome hardware, Grover Sta-Tite machine heads and, as Gibbons will tell you, "enough 'vibe' to make space aliens dance the alligator!"

Available in August, 2005, the new Gretsch G6199 "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird has a US MSRP of $3,250.00, with case included.

For more information, visit their web site at www.gretsch.com.