Barney Kessel’s own, personal:

• Guitar – KAY BARNEY KESSEL – Artist – 1960
• Bass – DANELECTRO – Model 3412 – 1959
• Amplifier – GIBSON – Model BR-3 – 1940s

“The greatest American guitarist, Barney Kessel brought much needed innovation to jazz in the mid fifties and quality to the exploding sixties pop scene. Kessel plays the guitars on the Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” and monster hits such as ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’, ‘I Got You Babe’ and I’m A Believer’; his CV is an encyclopedia of popular music.  Rated as the best by John Lennon, Phil Spector, Pete Townshend and Jimi Hendrix.”    FiveFour Records

Barney Kessel was voted “Number 1” in the music polls of Esquire, Playboy, Downbeat, Metronome and Melody Maker magazines.

“I’d listen to records by Barney Kessel . . . and my jaw would drop . . . I was awe struck.”   B.B. King

Barney Kessel performed at the White House for U.S. Presidents, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. played with theBig Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (with Sonny Rollins, Les Brown and Nancy Wilson), Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame (with Chet Baker) and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (with Vince Gill).   He was appointed Cultural Ambassador for the United States, Department of State.

• Guitar – Kay Barney Kessel – Artist – 1960

Barney Kessel owned & played this guitar on hits with Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Connie Francis, T-Bone Walker, Ike & Tina Turner, Phil Spector, Dinah Washington, Bobby Darin, etc.

Kay – Barney Kessel – Artist – 1960
Excellent Original Condition – Neck Straight – Everything Works
Central Lab – Mustard Caps – (same as Vintage Burst Les Paul)
250K – Pot Code:  134009
Body Batch Code:  L262 6700 (black ink stamped)
Factory Order Number:  2425 (red ink stamped)
Serial Number:  B-1103
Hanging Tag with conforming serial number
Original factory hard shell case in nice condition
Barney Kessel’s own, leather guitar strap

• Bass – DANELECTRO – Model 3412 – 1959

Danelectro Shorthorn Bass – Model 3412 – Double Cutaway – 1959

Even though credited as “guitarist,” Barney Kessel actually played bass on many sessions and when he was part of a Wrecking Crew “bass section” Kessel used this Danelectro to compliment the sonic textures of the Fender Precision of Carol Kaye or Ray Pohlman (and others) and/or the upright bass of Lyle Ritz or Chuck Berghoffer (and others), playing it on innumerable hit recordings including, among many, records with Sonny & Cher and the Phil Spector productions of the Righteous Brothers and Ike & Tina Turner.

Good Condition – All Original – Neck Straight – Everything Works Original hard shell case

• Amplifier – Gibson – Model BR-3 – 1940s

Amplifier – Gibson – Model BR-3 – 1940s

Barney Kessel used this amp on his own early live gigs and recordings and on the hit records of others including Julie London (Cry Me a River), Dinah Washington (Unforgettable), Larry Williams (Bony Maronie), Bobby Day (Rockin’ Robin), Elvis (Return to Sender), the Coasters (Young Blood), Phil Spector  (He’s a Rebel), T-Bone Walker, Duane Eddy, Ricky Nelson, etc. and on classic recordings with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Fred Astaire.

Good original working condition. Made in Chicago, USA
“In the mid 1940s Barney used a Gibson BR-3 amplifier. … This was the amplifier he used when he played with Charlie Parker in 1947.  He stopped using this as his main amplifier in the early 1950s but occasionally he would use it when he was working on certain jazz, rhythm and blues or rock ‘n’ roll recording sessions.”  from “Barney Kessel – A Jazz Legend” by Maurice J. Summerfield, (foreword by Howard Alden), Ashley Mark Publishing Company

A certificate of authenticity for each item is provided by Kessel’s son and executive director of the Barney Kessel Collection.  Authentication that this guitar, bass and amp were owned and played by Barney Kessel is confirmed in official letters of appraisal from a top L.A. vintage Guitar & amp shop, who also certify their condition as being: Guitar – Excellent/Original, Bass – Good/Original and Amp – Good/Original.  Also, a photo showing Kessel on stage, playing through this amp, and a vintage publicity photo, personally signed by Barney Kessel, are provided with Kessel’s guitar, bass and amp.

NOTE:  The late, great, Barney Kessel, guitarist extraordinaire, didn’t use this guitar (or bass) on his own albums.  It couldn’t touch his 1946/47 Gibson ES 350 (later modified with a 1939 ES 150 Charlie Christian pickup) which he used for touring and recording his own ground-breaking albums as a world renowned virtuoso.  Starting in the ’70s and beyond, Kessel also played his personal Ibanez “Barney Kessel Model – Prototype.”  Kessel favored the 3rd of only 3 such guitars, custom built for him.  He used that one for concertizing, TV appearances and recording in the late 1970s and afterward, though he later mostly relied on his vintage Gibson.

But, in his incredible, alternate career as “first call” for Hollywood’s film & TV studios as an original member of Hollywood’s famed Wrecking Crew, Barney Kessel was one of the most-recorded guitarist in the world, working alongside other top recording musicians such as Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye, Glen Campbell, Leon Russel, and other top session players on recordings including Wouldn’t It Be Nice/Beach Boys, Mr. Tambourine Man/the Byrds, I’m a Believer/the Monkees, The Beat Goes On/Sonny & Cher, River Deep, Mountain High/Ike & Tina Turner, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’/the Righteous Brothers, etc.  For this, Kessel owned and utilized a small array of gear including mandolins, banjos, a lap steel, etc.  This Kay Barney Kessel Artist was in fact one such guitar he turned to for rock/pop/r&b/blues recording sessions with the most popular performers of the early ’60s.  On the other hand, this Danelectro was his primary tool when it came to playing bass on hit recordings with Phil Spector, Sonny & Cher and many others.  This Gibson amp was used over a longer period of time, starting in the 1940s and in a wider variety of situations including Barney Kessel’s own early, live jazz gigs, some of his own early recordings, and classic recordings and hit records with others including a variety of jazz, pop, r&b and rock ‘n’ roll artists.

Barney played the equipment listed here on such early Rock ‘n’ Roll classics as the original “Bony Maronie” by Larry Williams, the original “Rockin’ Robin” by Bobby Day, “Young Blood” by the Coasters, many other records including the original, bluesy “Cry Me a River” with Julie London, Dinah Washington’s biggest hit, “Unforgettable” and classic recordings with such legendary artists as Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Billie Holiday and Fred Astaire.  For these recordings as well as his incredible artistry as a jazz virtuoso, Kessel was admired by such rock music luminaries as Pete Townsend of The Who and John Lennon & George Harrison of The Beatles and discriminating guitarists of all generations.

• http://www.barneykesselcollection.com
• http://www.barneykessel.com
• http://www.barneykessel.net
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Kessel
• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450255/
• http://www.spectropop.com/remembers/BKobit.htm
• http://www.wreckingcrewfilm.com/buffalonews051108.pdf
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wrecking_Crew_%28music%29
• http://www.wreckingcrew.tv/

Please Read Carefully – Buyer agrees to terms of auction/sale.

Payment due within 72 hours of purchase. Items ship after funds have cleared PayPal and have cleared at my bank.  Guitar, bass & amp are as described and sold “as is.”   Items will be professionally packaged for maximum protection, at an official UPS Service Center and will ship out via UPS Ground.

Shipping cost in this listing is for the continental U.S. (48 States) only and for packing and shipping only and does not include insurance.  If buyer desires insurance (and/or an upgraded shipping option) through UPS ground, cost of same will be added to seller’s total for payment prior to shipment.

Buyer understands that seller is not an insurance agent/broker and does not sell or provide insurance and is in any case, not responsible for the content, nor the legal terms and exclusions, nor the consequences of, any claims in connection with any insurance policy or policies related to these items. California residents will be subject to sales tax. Outside the continental U.S. (48 States) check here first to see if items can be shipped to your location,
and if so, what the total will be for shipping. You pay any/all costs related to shipping, insurance, tariff, fees, etc… Serious inquiries (through eBay’s message system) are welcome.  Messages are checked there at least once daily, M-F. Outside Continental USA (48 States) – Please Ask First as restrictions may exist. Check Status or Bid at eBay