Learn to play blues guitar.
by Brian 80 Comments
I recently added a lesson video showing you how to play a blues rhythm and lead along with a tempo change, here’s a link to that lesson if you missed it.
After posting that lesson video, I received lots of comments and emails from you asking about the guitar that was used. The reason I didn’t mention it is because it’s such a special guitar that I figure it needs to have it’s own video created to explain the origin. Here’s that video:
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A truly beautiful guitar, Brian. A once-in-a-lifetime purchase. I’m really happy you could get it. Enjoy! (I know you will!)
How cool I hope you have money left for groceries
Very nice. Congratulations!
Hey Brian,
You actually have a lot of cool guitars in your quiver. I would love to see a picture on your website of all of them all lined up. You must have a room full of them. Do it Brian, do!!!
Great! Thanks for sharing! What gauge of strings do you use?
Congratulations, Brian. I think you have made a wise and satisfying investment.
John
So happy for you! And it’s great to hear it’s not going to sit in a display case but will be played.
Well done Brian.
What can you say, Holy Cow!
Probably never imagined that in your wildest dreams.
Good for you! You deserve it!
Rob
Brian,
Thanks for sharing the info on your Byrdland. What a lucky dude.!!!I Think you made a very wise investment. i know these are VERY expensive, but if you should ever decide to sell it I’m sure you’ll make a profit. Can’t see you ever doing that though. This is something to hand down to someone special in your family. Thanks again…it’s a real beauty. Hope to see it in future lessons.
Keep those great lessons coming!
Brian, that is too cool for words! The neck pickup is sweet. Great find!
Awesome guitar, Brian. Congratulations
Brian,
That guitar has so much music radiating off it! It’s gorgeous and I believe a wonderful investment. Besides, you just deserve a guitar like that!
Cheers,
Debra
Brian,
That is just super, super cool. I love the look of the guitar and the fact that it’s one of Eric’s guitars is just awesome. I have seen Clapton a number of times in concert and was in London during the 60’s and during his Cream days. He’s always been one of my favorite guitar players.
Did you buy this online thru an auction process or was it just a fixed price offered by the guitar store in Nashville? If it was an auction I’m sure that it was a nail biting process…… It’s extra special I think that you will be playing this and as you say not just putting it away for display. I’m sure Eric would approve.
Congratulations! Love it.
Tim
It was just up for sale, no auction involved.
Incredibly cool Brian!
Eric is one of my inspirational artists as well. I cannot imagine how super
jazzed you must have been at first touch! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Looking forward to some great lessons from you with that beautiful instrument.
Kevin
Wow! Wow! Wow! Brian, what a beautiful guitar and story, thanks for sharing. You deserve this for everything you have given to all of us. Does Eric know it has gone to you? I hope he does. I look forward to learning more from you featuring your piece of history. Cheers Phil
Brian, This is the best !!! I could feel your pride and Joy just as your holding the guitar.
Congratulations!! We are all lucky and look forward to Clapton lessons with your Clapton guitar.
MERRY CHRISTMAS………………………
Great story, thanks for sharing, Brian. I wish you loads of fun with this beautiful guitar. I’m glad it’s in good hands and will be used often. I also think it would be a shame if it would just hang on a wall, never to be enjoyed by others.
So Cool Brian. I can only imagine how you must feel owning a guitar that belonged to a legend like Clapton. Congratulations, can’t wait to see you using it in upcoming lessons.
She’s a beauty Brian. Looking forward to seeing and hearing it in future lessons. So cool. Thanks.
Brian, you did the right thing. Superb. You will get a special buzz every time you open the case.
As a petrol head as well as a grizzled old raver, I saw a small ad in a British sports car magazine for an E-Tpe Jaguar (XK-E in the USA) – ex-George Harrison!
Now, I knew that George was very ill with lung cancer and was not long to be with us. The UK motor trade seemed not to know this.
I had the money. I had half of it in a trade for my sports car. But I did not do what you did – follow my heart and forget about the expense, 5 minutes after acquiring such a wonderful thing.
Congratulations
That’s an awesome story 🙂 Congrats on that!
That’s fascinating Brian-you certainly kept us in suspense! I recognised it as a Byrdland but had no idea that it had belonged to the great man himself.
Congratulations, Brian. It must be magical to own an instrument which is not only tremendous in its own right but has a history like this.
Enjoy it, Brian. That’s a beauty.
Lineage aside, how does the 23.5″ scale feel? Lots looser than the 335, I bet.
It honestly feels like the 335 to me. I don’t notice the shorter scale that much.
I am happy that I will get to see this guitar in future lessons. How cool is that.
Congrats Brian.
Brian,
…AWESOMESAUCE ! I know that you will be enjoying it tremendously and glad that you got it at the right time too. Glad that you will be playing it and not looking at it in a glass case ; – ))
MERRY CHRISTMAS ! ! !
Thanks for sharing this story Brian. The coolest thing is that your playing is so connected to the instrument. I’m looking for a Bill Frisell tele but I don’t have the chops✂️
Love the guitar, Brian!
I have the Ibanez copy of this guitar. Really pretty.
Very nice guitar , lucky you Michael
Couldn’t have come to a better place. Brian, we are happy for you.
Ron
Thanks for sharing! What a beautiful guitar.
Brian,
You are a mentor to all of us aspiring guitarists and it is really cool to hear you talk about your guitar hero and his guitar.
Thanks for posting,
JohnA
I knew and mentioned you had a Byrdland on the 9th but the “Custom” truss rod cover through me off for a reissue not Clapton’s…..Wow!
Hope you didn’t pay a penny over $30k….wink wink
Wow !! Just one word Wow !
You only live once, Brian…….Sweet acquisition. Congrats!!
Marty
Awesome EC guitar! – Congratulations! Brian, you deserve it if anyone does. What I wouldn’t do to own a guitar that Eric Clapton played….
But, the real question is: how do we purchase an official Active Melody t-shirt?? 😉
We just had some for sale and ended it. I’ll put some more shirts up!
Great. I’ll be ordering a Large if available 🙂
Wow! So cool and agree it is the best long term investment in so many ways! That is a dynamite guitar absolutely great tones! congratulations Brian on a nice grab!! And teaching others to play with it is coolest too! lol ty for sharing
thank you for all you do Brian
That guitar is the best gift of Santa Claus. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for you and your family and also for the followers of Active melody.
Could not have went to a Better Home Brian, Another Great Chapter
In your Guitar Journey!I liked the Noodleing at the end Do i sense another Clapton lesson Brewing:-)
Congrats Barry
Brian, how can I hate someone and be so happy for them at the same ;-)….Seriously you’ve always been a favorite and I really think it’s fantastic that you now own a Clapton guitar, and not just any guitar at that. It probably broke the bank, but hey who’s counting….an investment indeed and most importantly one that will be aired and played.
My expensive contribution to my love of Clapton was traveling from Sweden to London to see Slowhand at 70, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, May 2015. Wouldn’t say it was his best concert I’ve seen but I was there. It was just after B.B. King passed away, so that might have something to do with it.
Keep up the great work Brian, you’re the best in an ever expanding internet world…..and lets hear more of the guitar.
/Eddie
Wow, one of slowhands guitar, nice 🙂 well done
Thanks for sharing this with us Brian!! Happy for you and us. Better you have it than Joe Bonnamassa, if you know what I mean.
I’m keen to know about the quality of the guitar (given its prestige) and given that Gibson knew it would be going to Eric Clapton. I’ve had issues with Gibson over sharp fret ends and less than perfect binding and wonder if yours is 100%. Great guitar, sounds cool and so pleased you got it. Never seen one before.
Enjoy,
Happy Christmas,
Andrew
Wow, what a beautiful and awesome sounding guitar! Congratulations on this clever investment, and thanks for sharing the story with us. Wishing you a very happy and peaceful Christmas season.
Kind Regards, Andreas
On a scale of -10 to 10 how happy is Mrs Sherrill right now?
I was at a Gibson guitar clinic at my local music store a few years back. You know, the kind; the Gibson gunslinger comes in to demonstrate all the new gear and hopefully sell some product. While the new stuff sounded great, some old guy brought in a ’59 Les Paul. He said he had once owned a music store and kept this guitar since it was new but it never got played. That guitar had superior sonic qualities unmatched by anything else that I had heard.
The Byrdland seems to be one one of those rare guitars with great tone despite being played through a blues junior and room miked.
It has a great history but it’s sonic qualities make it a special guitar as well.
I’m glad you will be playing it. That is what it was made for.
Love it, Love it, Love it that you have acquired this guitar, and that it will be put to good use, tell me, was the setup really good, I mean really stand out good ?
best wishes for Xmas and the New Year
Allan
Hey Allan, the setup seemed normal, nothing that you wouldn’t feel if you pick up a brand new Gibson. I wondered that too.
Hi Brian great story wow EC guitar, great it will be a working guitar not hidden away I do hope Clapton knows it has gone to a great home look forward to seeing and hearing it soon loved the Cream era. Good on ya mate
Brian,
At the end of the video you were showing your Clapton guitar’s different sounds. The last setting you played a slow Clapton blues riff. Please, please expand on these Clapton riffs in an upcoming lesson.
Thanks and great guitar video!
Chuck
Congrats first of all! Beautiful guitar! Curious to what string guage is on the guitar?
Looking like a 10 gauge to me. Those strings were the ones that were on it when I bought it.
After Brian posted this, I went to Gruhn Guitars’ website and read how George Gruhn came to know Eric Clapton. It’s interesting and cool: http://guitars.com/news/eric-clapton-collection-gruhn-guitars. Three of Eric’s guitars are still for sale on the site–all D’Angelicos.
Brian, you are a great teacher. I’ve been playing guitar for about 30 years, and was on a plateau for about 25 of them until I signed up for a membership and started taking your lessons. The lesson in which you explained how music is another language, and the licks are the words of that language really opened my eyes and mind.
Thank you. You deserve the guitar. I look forward to seeing its occasional appearance in future lessons.
-Jed Morton
Hey Brian
Congrats on the guitar man thanks for sharing the story hope it brings you playing it and others hearing it many years of enjoyment.
Maybe you can go the other way and do a lesson on a entry level guitar squire etc through a solid state amp . (That would shut the nay sayer up on youtube)
Not been following all your lessons as closely lately as Iam now in a rock covers band since sept and have set lists to learn.
I think I have improved this year following your lessons after plataeu ing for the last 5 years or so.
The theory that accompanies your lessons I think helped me get to the next level and get into my band. 3rd time lucky after 2 unsuccessful auditions with other bands 1 of which I didnt even hear back from.
So just wanted to say thanks from England and wish you your family and all the Active Melody community a merry christmas and happy new year.
Cheers
Dave
What a beautiful guitar! I just bought my first semi hollow body guitar (Gretsch Streamliner G2655T) and every time I take it out and play, I enjoy every moment as it plays so well! I can only imagine how you feel every time you take that guitar out of its case and play! Great playing by the way!!! You definitely deserve to own such a special instrument! Thanks for all the great lessons!
Just want to add my congratulations to all the others, Brian. Your lessons have been a great source of enjoyment and inspiration to me and your obvious pleasure and pride in owning this beautiful guitar are well deserved. Hope you and your family have a great Christmas.
Congrats on the guitar, too cool, smudges and all. You’ve earned it with your contribution to guitar learners all over the world thru this site.
Also, so many names here that seldom or never appear in forum postings. It may be private for business reasons, but i’m curious how many “members” there are at AM?
I am sure EC would be glad this fine instrument in in your hands. You make his music accessible to the rest of us.
Beautiful, Beautiful guitar Brian. How brilliant to own a piece of history and for it to continue to be played and inspire others. Not sure you’ll realize that investment potential, you’ll never want to sell it!! 😉
Brian, you deserve that beautiful piece of art. You’ve brought such pleasure to all of us, each of whom wait eagerly every week for a new lesson from you. I hesitate to call them lessons, as they are more like a visit from a friend. Merry Christmas and a Happy Byrdland New Year!
Very cool and very, very well deserved. Enjoy!
Can someone out there help me find the tab for Brad Kelsey, “just a step away. I’m not able to tab it myself, inexperienced.
Brian, Do I understand that the neck is a 335 neck? Congrats. Tom S.
Yes, it was designed to be exactly the same as his red ES-335 neck.
Gorgeous guitar Brian! sounds amazing too. Glad you’re using it to teach. I think Eric would respect that.
That is awsome! Thank you so much for sharing your story Brian, and I am looking forward to the lessons. So cool!
That’s a great guitar and a great story, Brian! I’m also an Eric Claptons fan but I will never be able to afford such treasure. Having said that, I’m very excited to say that this Gibson looks A LOT like the Greg Bennett Royale I have in the same color and I just wonder if Gibson did that intentionally?
Thank you for mentioning the gear you use with that and the settings, as I am yet to learn how to bring out the best sounds and this really helps.
And I just have to say this, you are a fantastic player. Even when you just mess around with it with riffs and snippets here and there, you sound so good, I could listen to your play all day. I’m so thankful you also like to teach, it’s such a blessing 😊
I’ll be looking forward to your lessons performed on this beauty!
Jolanta
Brian, I’d like to hear more Byrdland at active melody,especially most recent EP222 style
Having any Birdland is cool. Having one owned by Eric Clapton is a privilege few people will enjoy. Congrats!
Wow how cool is that man! Thanks for sharing that story Brian and what a beautiful guitar and owned by the man himself Eric Clapton,you enjoy that Brian and thanks for the lessons 🙂
BRIAN,
AWESOME……THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. I COULD FEEL YOUR EXCITEMENT AT HANDLING AND PLAYING THIS JEWEL. IT’S NOW IN GOOD, DESERVING HANDS! THE VERY FACT THAT YOU WILL PERFORM INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS WITH THIS GUITAR IS MARVELOUS. MANY OTHER POTENTIAL INVESTORS WOULD HAVE LIKELY LOCKED IT UP AND NEVER PLAYED IT. THIS COULD ONLY BE A DREAM FOR MOST OF US. GOOD FOR YOU.
Hey Brian!
Congratulations! Very cool item you were lucky enough to acquire.
The term for the letter from Eric Clapton that cane with the guitar is “Provenance”. Without it the item wouldn’t be as valuable as an investment!
The letter is the holy grail to a collector!
For once in my life I am envious!
Late for the party but I’m here now. I promise to buy an acoustic guitar tomorrow. Not this type here, just a regular one for the purpose of following your instructions here Mr. B.
When I get real good I’ll auction it, like Master Eric C. did. Any takers?
Thank you for coming up with this idea of sharing your wealth of guitar and musical experience with us. On Friday, payday, I’ll be Mr. Pops Premium. How about that?
Happy thanksgiving y’all.
That is so cool Brian! Enjoy every minute of it and as a student, I’ll enjoy the lessons with it just a bit more. Thank you for the story behind it!