Gretsch "Billy Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird

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Click to enlarge this original Ghostbuilt model
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Gretsch "Billy Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird

Rock luminaries Billy F Gibbons and Bo Diddley have joined forces to bring you a 21st century version of the elusive Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird ™, now dubbed the "Billy-Bo". Designed in '59 from Bo Diddley's talented hand...!

"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."

 Billy F Gibbons

The new Gretsch "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird will highlight Bo's original futuristic design with Billy's added ingredients for a steaming hot helping of dirty rotten Rock 'N' Roll.

The result of this "science project gone wrong" features a heavily chambered mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck, ultra-thin laminate maple top, TV Jones ® Power'Tron (neck) and Power'Tron "Plus" (bridge) pickups, pinned Adjusto-matic ™ bridge, Schaller ® Straplocks, and enough "vibe" to make space aliens dance the alligator.

G6199 "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird (NEW!)

MODEL NAME G6199, Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird MODEL NUMBER 240-0508-(815) SERIES Professional Series COLORS (815) Black with FirebirdTM Red Top CATEGORY Artist Signature BODY STYLE Futuristic (Stranger than Fiction) SCALE LENGTH 24.6" (625mm) TOP Laminated Maple BRACING N/A BACK AND SIDES Heavily Chambered Mahogany Body NECK 1-Piece Mahogany PICKUPS 1 TV Jones ® Power'TronTM Plus (Bridge), 1 TV Jones ® Power'TronTM (Neck) PICKUP SWITCHING 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups Position 3. Neck Pickup CONTROLS Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master Volume, Master Tone WIDTH AT NUT 1-11/16" (43mm) FRETBOARD Rosewood BRIDGE Pinned Adjusto-MaticTM Bridge TAILPIECE Gretsch G-Cutout Tailpiece HARDWARE Chrome-Plated FINISH Gloss Urethane CASE Includes G6276 Hardshell Case NO. OF FRETS 22 MACHINE HEADS Chrome-Plated Grover ® V98C Sta-TiteTM Die-cast Tuners UNIQUE FEATURES Neo Classic "Thumbnail" Inlay Position Markers, Aged Fingerboard, Headstock and Body Bindings, Multiple Aged Body Bindings, Black Plexi Pickguard, Schaller ® Straplocks, Adjustable Truss Rod

This page is the official version available to the general public & consumers.

The real story however is much different!!!

See The Original Tom Holmes Version from 20 years ago