Description
Dave Grohl – 1964 Gibson ES-335 Trini Lopez
About the Guitar
As with all my guitar sculptures, I start by transferring my scale drawing onto a wood base, making sure to accurately mark out all the features of the guitar; pickups, volume & tone knobs, jack plugs, bridges, fret position, headstock features etc.
From there I start by laying out the outline of the body shape. I use appropriate materials that best fits the guitar characteristics. For the 1964 Gibson ES-335 Trini Lopez I used heavy-duty motorcycle chain to shape the body and headstock.
The guitar body is predominately constructed out of motorcycle and car parts.
Furthermore, I have used a common technique of super heating metal and then quenching with motor oil, to achieve the rainbow/purple effect on the fret boards and pickups.
The guitar sculpture also comes with its own unique guitar stand. This is specifically tailored to the needs of the guitar with respects to its look, balance and body shape.
These guitars are unique and you will be buying a one-off piece of art. As such, a Certificate of Authenticity identifying your purchase is provided as part of the package.
About the Artist
David Eric Grohl (January 14, 1969)
David Eric Grohl is of German, Slovak and Irish decent. He learnt to play the guitar at the age of twelve. As a result of mastering the guitar, he then went onto teach himself how to play drums. Most noteworthy was playing drums alongside Kurt Cobain in the band Nirvana, until Kurt’s death in 1994.
Dave Grohl is a prolific musician who has played and collaborated with well-known bands and music projects. He dropped out of school at 11th Grade and cannot read music, but is estimated to be the wealthiest drummer in the world. His fortune is in excess of $250million USD.
His current band, Foo Fighters was formed in 1994. They have nine studio albums to their name, with record sales over 15 million copies in the US alone.
In May 2006, Dave sent a note of support to two trapped miners in the Beaconsfield mine collapse in Tasmania, Australia. Following the collapse, one of the men requested an iPod with the Foo Fighters album In Your Honor, to be sent down to them through a small hole. Dave Grohl’s note read, in part, “Though I’m halfway around the world right now, my heart is with you both, and I want you to know that when you come home, there’s two tickets to any Foos show, anywhere, and two cold beers waiting for you. Deal?”
In October 2006, one of the miners took up his offer, joining Grohl for a drink after a Foo Fighters acoustic concert at the Sydney Opera House. Grohl wrote an instrumental piece for the meeting, which he pledged he would include on the band’s next album. The song, titled “Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners”, appears on Foo Fighters’ 2007 release Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace.
Equipment Used
Dave has used Gibson guitars throughout his career, notably the 1964 Gibson ES-335 Trini Lopez. Trini Lopez originally designed the guitar at the request of the Gibson Guitar Corporation. The guitar was designed with cut-outs shaped as diamonds rather than the traditional violin shaped “f-holes”. Furthermore, the headstock is also different on the Trini.
Dave Grohl has recorded every Foo Fighters album with the 1964 Gibson ES-335 Trini Lopez and he now has a custom Gibson ES-335 specifically made for him by the Gibson Guitar Corporation.
Other guitarists that also made the Gibson Trini Lopez their guitar of choice include:
Noel Gallagher – Oasis
BB King
Alex Lifeson – Rush
Eric Clapton – Derek and the Dominoes
