During his career, Chuck Berry was known for playing a lot of different guitars. This is an echo of an age defined by Chuck Berry’s unmatched impact. The question, “What guitar did Chuck Berry play?” keeps going around, making artists and fans alike curious.
Within this piece, Eguitarmania will explore the three guitars that Berry cherished the most, along with a few others he liked playing. As we go into the history of this legendary instrument and Berry’s playing style, we also cover his own preferences and techniques.
In early stage: 1957 Gibson ES-350T
The ES-350T is one of Gibson’s most stylish thinline hollow body electric guitars from the 1950s, and this guitar is a beautiful example of a fairly rare variation on that model. As opposed to the usual maple top, this instrument has a layered spruce top, which is not common. Gibson never recorded this variation (or even mentioned it), but there are a few examples from the 1950s that can be found.
Specification
This was a hollow-body electric guitar made before Fender made the more classic-looking electrics we know today. It had Gibson’s new P.A.F. humbucker pickups and rattled and buzzed a lot.
Many of Berry’s early records with Chess Records were made with this guitar. “Johnny B. Goode,” which was recorded in 1955 but not released until 1958, is one of them. On one occasion, Eric Clapton bought this guitar just to please Berry for a live show in the 1980s. An image of Berry as a child playing the guitar is shown below.
Overall, this guitar is pretty clean. The deep golden finish still shines, even though there are a few small dings and light checks that you’d expect. Some normal wear is visible on the pickup plates and the Bigsby unit, but the gold finish is still pretty good overall.
| Manufacturer | Gibson |
| Body type | Hollow |
| Body/ Neck Woods | Maple |
| Bridge | Tune-o-matic |
| Pickup(s) | 2 P-90s (1955–1957)2 humbuckers (1957–present) |
| Dimensions | W-L-D: 17 in. – 41 1/2 in. – 2 1/4 in. |
Berry’s favorite guitar early in his career was a 1957 Gibson ES-350T with the company’s new P.A.F. humbuckers. He used this guitar to make most of his Chess Records albums. On many TV shows, he was also seen playing a 1956 Gibson hollow body ES-350TN with a thin natural finish.
In mid stage : Cherry Red Gibson ES-355
The ES-355TD (Thinline semi-hollow, Double pickups) was Gibson’s best thinline semi-hollowbody electric guitar.
Instead of the smaller crown inlay on the 335/345, the neck has a split-diamond inlay and a multi-layered binding. Starting at the first guitar position, the fingerboard inlays are mother-of-pearl blocks that are attached to the board.
This guitar has binding on the neck, the fretboard, and both the front and back edges of the body. In contrast to the rosewood neck on the 335 or 345, the ebony fingerboard on both versions of the 355 makes the sound “smoother.” Some reissues have a richlite fingerboard.
There were two Vibrola or Bigsby options for the ES-355. A audio output and Varitone tone filter circuits were also available. The type was called the ES-355TD-SV when it had the extra sound wires and Varitone loaded on it.
Specification
What could possibly be better than the famous ES-335? This is the ES-355! The ES-355 starts with all the great things about it: the semi-hollowbody construction that prevents feedback, the two humbucking pickups with individual volume and tone controls, the legendary sound versatility, and the fantastic playability.
It then takes it to the next level with an ebony fretboard that has 22 authentic medium jumbo frets and 50s-style mother-of-pearl block inlays. As if that wasn’t enough, the ES-355 has gold hardware, a split diamond design on the neck, and multi-ply binding.
| Manufacturer | Gibson |
| Body type | Hollow |
| Body/ Neck Woods | Maple / Mahogany |
| Bridge | Bridge ABR-1 |
| Pickup(s) | 1 PAF and 1 Patent Number |
| Scale Length | 24.75″ |
Berry’s cherry red Gibson ES-355 was the most famous guitar I had ever seen him play. Berry played this famous cherry red Gibson electric guitar when he was at the height of his success. It came out in 1958, the same year that “Johnny B. Goode” and “Sweet Little Sixteen” did. Berry started playing the guitar at that time. It became his signature style until he died.
In late stage : BB King Gibson Lucille Signature
Gibson’s B.B. King Lucille Legacy is now a core Artist model in the Custom Shop ES™ collection. Lucille has royal-style amenities. Gold hardware, including a “B.B. King” truss rod cover and TP-6 tailpiece with fine tuners, is included. Headstock and ebony fretboard with “Lucille” and split block mother of pearl inlays.
Gibson Custombucker humbuckers include a mono Varitone switch, four audio taper CTS® potentiometers, and paper-in-oil Bumblebee capacitors. The iconic semi-hollowbody design remains, but B.B. King removed the f-holes. Lucille is a blues royalty-worthy guitar with gorgeous figured maple veneer on the top, back, and sides and a transparent ebony nitrocellulose lacquer finish.
Specification
2005 Gibson BB King 80th Birthday ES-355 “Lucille” guitar, still in its original, perfect, unplayed state and signed by the legendary singer himself in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2006! Original Gibson “BB King” hardshell case, proof of authenticity, and insurance card are all included. Guitarist B.B.
King turned 80 in 2005, so Gibson made a special run of 80 Lucilles, which they called the 80th Birthday Lucille. This guitar is #40 of a limited edition of just 80 made around the world. Features a picture of BB holding the guitar after signing it, an original 2006 issue of “Guitar” magazine with the same picture and a story from a former Gibson dealer, and a BB King CD for his 80th birthday.
| Manufacturer | Gibson |
| Body type | ES |
| Body/ Neck Woods | 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple |
| Bridge | Bridge ABR-1 |
| Pickup(s) | 3-Way Switchcraft |
| Scale Length | 24-3/4″ |
As Berry got older, he liked playing both his ES-355 and the BB King Gibson Lucille signature. It had a full, bright sound that was great for soloing or making a lot of space with chunky chords. King asked that there be no f-holes on the face of the guitar so that there would be less chance of feedback. There are also “a six-position Varitone switch, a pair of Alnico Classic PRO humbucking pickups wired to CTS potentiometers, and stereo and mono output jacks” in the product description.
Which guitar was Chuck Berry buried with?
The Gibson ES-355TD type that Chuck Berry played was cherry red and made in 1958. He was known for being a dedicated Gibson Semi-Hollow body guitar player. During his career, he played a number of different models, but his ES-355TD would be with him throughout his whole career and even to his grave.
Final Thought
Chuck Berry has lived up to the name “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” He mixed blues, jazz, and country styles from artists like Big Joe Turner, Louis Jordan, T-Bone Walker, and others with his own creative words to make rock music what it is today and for many years to come. During his career, Chuck Berry was known to play a number of different guitars, but the Gibson ES-335 was the one that people most often thought of when they thought of him.
