B.B. King is a unanimous blues legend, ranked #3 greatest guitarist of all time by none other than Rolling Stone magazine. His signature guitar sound comes thanks to "Lucille", King's affectionate name for all of his guitars. The story is, in the mid-1950s, B.B. was performing in Arkansas when two attendees got in a fight and knocked over a kerosene stove that set fire to the hall. When B.B. ran outside to safety he realized he left his guitar inside, so he rushed back into danger to retrieve it. As it turns out, the two men had been fighting over a woman named Lucille, and ever after, B.B. decided to give that name to his trademark guitars as a reminder never to act foolishly and fight over a woman or run into burning buildings! The Epiphone B.B. King Lucille proudly carries this name.
In 1982, B.B. King teamed up with Gibson to create a signature model guitar with the name Lucille. The Epiphone Lucille employs most of the same tech specs but at a fraction of the price of its Gibson cousin. The Epiphone BB King Lucille is a unique instrument, designed by the reigning "King of the Blues", B.B. King himself. This semi-hollow Body electric guitar is similiar to the 335 but with no F-holes. B.B. only wants feedback when he wants feedback, so he designed the Epiphone B.B. King Lucille to get the precise tone he demands, avoiding any unwanted tones unless he conjures them. The result is a guitar with a very unique voice that is less prone to feedback at high volume levels.
Lucille's body is made from laminated maple - top, back and sides. A set maple neck and smooth, rosewood fingerboard just ask to be played, while two humbuckers with Vari-Tone deliver that signature tone. Other appointments include a TP-6 fine-tuning tailpiece, six position Vari-Tone switch, and BB King-signature stereo outputs. To top it off, her name is elegantly inlaid in mother-of-pearl on the headstock and the Gold hardware adds a final classy touch.
The Epiphone B.B. King Lucille is famous for both its Vari-Tone switch and its stereo outputs. The explanation for the stereo outs is simple, B.B. likes to use one amp set for treble and one for bass so he gets the best of both worlds when he's onstage. As for the Vari-Tone switch, B.B. enjoys the extra tonal variety it provides, and you will too. The Vari-Tone makes it easy to subtly change your sound as you play so you can achieve whatever result you're after.
