~1978 Travis Bean TB1000A Artist Natural

Offered for sale:

Vintage 1978c Travis Bean TB1000A Artist, serial number 1281.

This guitar has never officially been sold. We were a Travis Bean dealer from about late 1976. This was the last guitar that they shipped us; one of the last made. You could consider it “New Old Stock”.

This Bean is in excellent condition showing limited playing time. I’m the only one who has played it. Those pick scratches are mine. It has never been gigged but it does have a few 1/16” dings about the body which are very difficult to photograph.

Being one of the last of the Beans it has all of the improvements that Travis Bean incorporated over time; thinner lighter body, roomier cutaways and the painted aluminum neck

In an early advertisement, Travis Bean Guitars described their aluminum-necked designs as “the first new development in the electric guitar since the 1930s.” Their patented neck concept which features a single piece of milled (not forged) aircraft grade aluminum extending from headstock to bridge was a turning point in guitar innovation. Although not the first guitar to use aluminum as a building material, Travis Bean was generally regarded as the first manufacturer to make the concept the central focus of the uniqueness of the instrument.

During the initial run, the most notable Travis Bean endorsees included Bill Wyman and Keith Richards, as well as Jerry Garcia (..best damn production guitar [on the market] - JG).

Travis Bean Guitars went into full production in 1974, building approximately 3,700 guitars and basses through 1979. Bean built a set of revised prototypes in the late ’90s, and aluminum guitar revivalist Kevin Burkett of Electrical Guitar Company recently offered a new line of Bean guitars, which launched at the Winter 2017 NAMM show.

This is a rare opportunity to own a very unique instrument.

Original hard-shell case included.

We carefully inspect every instrument when we buy it and bring it up to our standards before we offer it for sale. We also do a full set up before we ship.

If you decide to purchase this guitar, please let us know what gauge strings you prefer.

GUITAR SPECS:

Finish Details: Original

Body Material: Koa

Neck Material: Milled aircraft grade aluminum, painted black

Fingerboard Material: Rosewood

Neck Profile: "C" profile

Neck Thickness: .78" (1st fret), .89" (12th fret)

Fingerboard Radius: 20.00"

Nut Width: 1-1/2"

Scale Length: 24 1/2"

Neck Details: Solid aluminum neck-through body design, with ebony fretboard, block inlays, and brass nut.

Electronics: Original Travis Bean alnico humbucking pickups
3-way toggle selector switch and volume/tone controls for each pickup.
Volume and tone controls of each pickup function independently of each other.

Pickup Measurements: 12.0k (neck), 12.2k (bridge)

Hardware: Original

Weight: 9.2 lbs.

*Please note: we do our best giving descriptions of used pieces. We have found it impossible to describe every mark on an instrument or amp that is not in the "mint" category. Also, what's important to you may not be important to someone else. For example, you may say, "I don't care what it looks like as long as it plays or sounds well." Another person may say, "Body cosmetics are very important to me so tell me about every scratch, nick and blemish." So, please ask the questions that are most important to you. If you ask they will be answered. They are free and there's no limit. Additional photos can also be made available.

This is a specific item that is also being offered for sale in our brick & mortar location. It is possible that it has just been sold. Please ask if it is still available before purchasing.

*It is our policy to require a signature on delivery of all musical instruments. Please let us know if you prefer no signature required when ordering or we will automatically require a signature.

If you prefer your item to be sent without a required signature Imperial Guitar and the selected carrier can no longer be responsible for the security of the package once it has been delivered.