It's not every day that a guitar is discovered to be valued at half a million dollars. But when you factor in the significance and history behind the fretless Bartell featured on Antiques Roadshowearlier this year... it sort of makes sense.
Paul Barth's prowess as a guitar maker goes far beyond the 2000-some-odd instruments that came out of the Bartell factory in the '60s. Having previously worked with the likes of Magnatone, Rickenbacker, National, and Acoustic, it's safe to say the man knew what he was doing!
It's no wonder that legendary guitarists Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and George Harrison all took a liking to Barth's work. In fact, there's one thing all three artists shared in common: the ownership of a fretless guitar designed by Barth.
Here's a videodetailing the history behind a fretless Bartell played by both John Lennon and George Harrison. Fretless guitars are getting harder and harder to come by these days, and we figured there's no better option than this to pay tribute to. So let's do it!
**NOTE** Images shown are of an original, not our version. They are shown only as a reference for our intended design.
