The Gibson Johnny Smith model, produced starting in 1961, features a 25″ scale length, a 1.75″ nut width, and a body depth of 3 1/8″. The guitar has a carved spruce top and a carved maple back. Its fingerboard is made of ebony with split block pearl inlays, and the ebony bridge also has pearl inlays. Early models had a three-piece maple and walnut neck, while later models featured a five-piece neck.

The guitar includes a floating mini-humbucker, with the output jack and volume knob attached to the pickguard. The D model was equipped with two pickups. The tailpiece on earlier models resembled the L-5 style with Johnny Smith’s name vertically inlaid, while later models adopted an Oettinger-style tailpiece. The headstock is large, in the style of the Super 400, with ornate pearl inlays.

This model was designed by Johnny Smith in collaboration with Gibson president Ted McCarty during a visit to Smith’s home in 1961.

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Gibson Johnny Smith

Stevie used this guitar to record the song Stang’s Swang, from his...