There’s a lot going on. I’m gonna hand the mic over to my buddy Mark to give you some insight into a guitar used on Cruel Country, and in particular the track “Country Song Upside-Down,” which you’ll see/hear above if you’re behind the paywall. Carry on, Jeffy
GEAR TALKIN’™️ #6: 1964 Gibson B-45 12 string
Welcome back to GEAR TALKIN’™️! Today we are highlighting Jeff's gorgeous (playing and looking) 1964 Gibson B-45 12 string acoustic guitar made in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It’s the Gordon Lightfoot model!
I’ve seen some of these with trapeze bridges, but this one has that better-sounding, super chunky pin bridge. Its natural spruce top has aged beautifully into a well crazed honey color. Yummmm! The neck? Well, to be frank, it's big and fat. Sorry, neck, but it’s true. Aren't you glad you heard it from a friend? And sure, I don’t have the world’s longest, articulated piano-playin’ digits, so maybe most guitar necks seem fat in my pee-wee-league catcher's mitts. Who am I to judge?! You know what, Gibson B-45 12 string neck? You’re fine just as you are! Don't let anyone tell you different!
The year this guitar was made, the Beatles came to America for the first time, as did the Rolling Stones. The Byrds formed, Simon and Garfunkel released their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., and Sam Cooke died. The Kinks released “You Really Got Me” and Bob Moog started to demonstrate his new invention, the Moog synthesizer.
We highlight this guitar since it was the one Jeff played on the recording of the song “Country Song Upside-Down” from the new Wilco double album Cruel Country (out May 27th!). You can hear that song behind the paywall and trust me, you’re going to want to hear that song. As Gordon Lightfoot might say, “It’s a pretty damn great song, eh?"
COUNTRY SONG UPSIDE-DOWN
I found
A
Song
Upside-down
A country song
Like a trout
Dying sky and water
Rainbow
Flickering out
Inside
A dark
Cabin
The more moonlike
I become
I’m rounding all of my edges
Because
I’m worried
It can’t be sung
This is the gist
It goes
Like this
I found
A
Song
Upside-down
A country song
Without a doubt
Dying sky and water
Rainbow
Flickering out
Country Song Upside-Down (out May 27)