Gibson / Johnny A Spruce. Top / 2017 / Natural / Guitar For Sale
The result of an unusual collaboration, this guitar is one of the rare examples of a double signature model bringing together Johnny A. - ace session guitar player and current member of the Yardbirds - and blues prodigy Joe Bonamassa. Johnny A. has had his own Gibson signature model since 2003 - a radical design that remains one of the most inventive and interesting ones to have come out of the Nashville factory since the seventies.
It is a semi-hollow thinline, (the same formula as an ES-335) with a slightly smaller build (like an ES-339), and peculiar f-holes that recall Rickenbacker, a bigsby, and more importantly a double Florentine cutaway (same as an SG). Even the pickguard is sharper than usual, in the same spirit as the cutaways. This mix is very harmonious and bold, providing the instrument with a vintage look.
Joe Bonamassa comes into play in 2017 when the project was launched : creating a solid body version of the Johnny A. with a spruce top - the same wood as ES-335s or the brand’s acoustic guitars. The pickguard is more traditional, and the bridge is fixed. Although it was introduced at NAMM, the Johnny A. Spruce Bonamassa remained a very limited edition with its parallelogram-shaped inlays. On this prototype, we see the fretboard logo which has adorned Joe’s personal specimens for the Bonabyrd or the Blackburst, a guarantee that this guitar does come from his personal collection. A Johnny A. Spruce would be a rare find, but this prototype is simply one-of-a-kind.
Matts Guitar Shop, France 
In a milieu where desirable objects are generally locked away in a safe or behind glass, Matthieu Lucas’ collection is a refreshing exception to the rule.
He represents a new generation of guitar lovers, for whom music comes first and the sound is more important than the serial number. Like any fine collection, Matthieu Lucas’ one has a speciality: he tracks down instruments that have belonged to artists, from Jeff Buckley’s Telecaster to Tal Farlow’s Gibson, not to mention Spot - one of the few sunbursts to be found in France and which belonged to a certain Joe Bonamassa.
Through perseverance, Matthieu managed to open doors that are generally kept well shut and gained access to instruments that were not even supposed to be sold. And true to the principle that the love of music comes first, Matthieu is not the type to prevent a guitarist from enjoying his or her prized jewels.
Out of that desire to share, he finally created the Matt’s Guitar Shop showroom, a special place for selling and trading that gives Paris back its reputation for excellence in the area of beautiful guitars. Inspired and inspiring instruments, which continue to bring beautiful notes to the ears of music lovers.
