Existing comment:
"Twang Machine"
ca. 1960
Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company
Bo Diddley built his first guitar from a rectangular piece of wood fitted with a pickup made from Victrola turntable parts. He was one of the first electric guitarists to collaborate directly with instrument makers on adventurous designs, including this "Twang Machine" and other radically shaped guitars based on the modernistic curves of luxury automobiles.
Diddley introduced the "hambone" rhythm to American popular music through his eponymous 1955 hit single. The "Bo Diddley beat" strongly influenced other early rock and roll musicians, including Buddy Holly, whose hit "Not Fade Away" features the rhythm prominently. |