“I’d never buy one from the ’70s because I’ve always felt that there’s no such thing as a good guitar from that decade”: Robby Krieger on what makes his 1968 Gibson Barney Kessel special

In 1983, the Doors guitarist and rock legend posed on the cover of Guitar World with a 1968 Gibson Barney Kessell. Krieger reveals the story behind his fellow cover star – and why it isn’t an SG

(Image credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

This month on Cover Models we have the one and only Robby Krieger checking in to take a trip down memory lane.

No, he’s not here to talk about the Doors. Instead he’ll be telling us why he was holding a 1968 Barney Kessel – not his customary Gibson SG – when Michael Curtis shot him for the cover of GW‘s December 1983 issue and what exactly makes the guitar special.

Where and when did you buy this guitar?

“I got it at Norman’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles in the early ’80s. The guitar would have had to be from the ’60s; as I recall, it was a ’68. I’d never buy one from the ’70s because I’ve always felt that there’s no such thing as a good guitar from that decade.”

Why did you choose it?

“I had been looking for a Gibson L-7 from the ’50s or ’60s, but I didn’t find one I liked. Then I came upon the Barney Kessel and was immediately drawn to it because it was a double-cut, which I liked, and it was a good jazz guitar. I always loved Wes Montgomery and felt that Sunburst would be the perfect tool for that style.”

(Image credit: Future)

Did you use it on any notable recordings?

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“I might have, but honestly, I didn’t buy that guitar to record with. I liked messing around with it in my free time, and around that time, I was playing a lot of jazz guitar at home, so the [Gibson] SG wasn’t what I’d be using for that.”

What did the Barney Kessel allow you to do that the SG didn’t?

“It was easier to get that Wes Montgomery sound. I liked how the octaves sounded, which I guess is one of many differences between a hollow-body guitar and an SG.”

Why did you choose this particular guitar for your GW cover shoot?

“Because I liked how it looked! That would have been the driving force since it wasn’t being used to record. I’ve always been into jazz, and people always talk about the SG, so I wanted to have a different look.”

Do you still own this guitar?

“I do. I just saw it the other day, coincidentally. It’s been forever since I played it; I should get it out and play it again. I remember it being a great guitar, which is probably why I bought it!”

Some very trivial trivia: Inside the January 1983 issue (pictured above), Robby is misspelled “Robbie,” and his guitar is misidentified as a Gibson 355. Come on, vintage GW – get your facts straight!