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Rickenbacker 331 Light Show

Date:
1971
Site:
Smithsonian National Museum Of American History
Publisher/Studio:
Santa Ana, CA: Rickenbacker, Inc.

The unusual Light Show model was made in limited quantities from 1970 to 1975. Behind the translucent top of this guitar are rows of different colored bulbs that light up depending on which particular frequencies are played. The special effects reflect an era of increasingly flashy concerts in large arenas and the rock music popular at the time.

Location:
National Museum of American History Room 334, MRC 604 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Smithsonian Institution P.O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 Washington DC , District of Columbia
Identifier:
10.038
Institution:
Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Gittler

Date:
1971
Site:
Smithsonian National Museum Of American History
Creator:
Alan Gittler

A custom guitar maker, Alan Gittler continually experimented with the minimalist approach, using simple materials and removing all aspects of the traditional guitar that he considered unnecessary. By 1978 he had perfected this skeleton design and was building limited quantities by hand.

Location:
National Museum of American History Room 334, MRC 604 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Smithsonian Institution P.O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 Washington DC , District of Columbia
Identifier:
10.039
Institution:
Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Mosrite Custom

Date:
1980
Site:
Smithsonian National Museum Of American History
Publisher/Studio:
Bakersfield, CA: Mosrite Company

This guitar was handmade by Mosrite Company founder Semie Moseley, in gratitude to a financial backer. The body is laminated walnut and maple, and the bronze hardware was cast from molds. Its frets were uniquely designed to reduce neck vibration, connecting to an interior bar that runs through the length of the guitar's neck.

Location:
National Museum of American History Room 334, MRC 604 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Smithsonian Institution P.O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 Washington DC , District of Columbia
Identifier:
10.04
Institution:
Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Prince's Yellow Cloud

Date:
1989
Site:
Smithsonian National Museum Of American History
Creator:
David Rusan, Barry Haugen
Publisher/Studio:
Minneapolis, MN: Knut-Koupee Enterprises, Inc.

This guitar was designed by Prince for his exclusive use and was custom-made by Minneapolis craftsmen. The musician's distinctive personal symbol adorns both the top and the side of the fingerboard. Today, custom work for famous instrumentalists provides an important marketing tool for small-scale guitar makers. Solid-body construction enables the creation of highly imaginative shapes. Colors like this bright yellow were first offered commercially by Fender in the mid-1950s.

Location:
National Museum of American History Room 334, MRC 604 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Smithsonian Institution P.O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 Washington DC , District of Columbia
Identifier:
10.041
Institution:
Smithsonian National Museum of American History