Travis Bean TB-3000 Wedge Solid Body Electric Guitar (1978)
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Item # 11104
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Travis Bean TB-3000 Wedge Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1978), made in Sun Valley, CA, serial # 51, white lacquer body, Emron black enamel neck finish, aluminum neck and centerpiece,X body, rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.
This striking guitar is a late example of the Travis Bean TB-3000 "Wedge", the most eccentric model in the company's innovative but short-lived guitar line. It mates their patented aluminum neck/centerpiece with a very long solid wood body shaped somewhat like a Flying V but without the "V" cutout at the rear. The company also offered the more familiar conventionally shaped "Standard" and "Artist" models and the budget TB-500. The TB-3000 and matching TB-4000 Bass are by far the rarest Beans, visually the most outrageous and something of a left-field classic.
Former motocross racer and lifelong tinkerer Clifford Travis Bean had two partners initially; guitar tech Marc McElwee and Gary Kramer, soon to split off and found his own guitar operation. Ads claimed their designs were "the first new development in the electric guitar since the 1930s; The lightweight neck and receiver system forms a rigid link between the tuning machines and the bridge. When the strings are attached, a complete vibration connection is achieved. It is this patented chassis that makes the Travis Bean guitar what it is: an instrument that has become the most dramatic breakthrough in electric guitar technology in 50 years."
This patented through-neck/body core was milled from T6061 aircraft aluminum, extending from headstock to the through-body strung six-saddle bridge. Narrow chambers running its length improved resonance and reduced weight, if only slightly. This metal centerpiece is mounted into the long straight-sided wood body, the top having a slightly dipped-in recurve off the edge. All featured the company's Alnico magnet humbucking pickups with "Travis Bean" engraved on their covers - the only branding besides the subtle "T" cut out of the headstock! These in-house pickups have a stellar reputation on their own, but were never used on any other instruments.
In later 1977, the company shut down and laid off employees in an attempt to reorganize. When they re-opened in summer of 1978, several production changes were implemented to cut costs and assuage critiques of the guitars. The coating of Imron paint seen on this Wedge was introduced as an option in response to complaints the bare aluminum necks felt cold; this was designed to feel "warmer" more like a finished wood neck. The bodies were also slimmed slightly to reduce weight.
Wedge models started production later than the other Beans in 1976 and were made in VERY small numbers; this TB-3000 serial #51 is one of the last 5 or 6 ever made with the extremely rare combination of a slimmer solid white body and Imron coated neck. The long body is lighter than one might expect; it is about 1/4" thinner at the rim than earlier examples. Reportedly under 10 Wedge Guitars exist with this second generation lighter body, of a total of 45 produced. The rosewood fingerboard has pearl block inlay and a brass nut. Schaller tuners, milled aluminum knobs and a fully adjustable bridge complete the hardware. The original pots are coded to mid-1978. The guitars garnered a reputation for very high quality; the Wedge looks unusually long, but actually balances well on a strap and is surprisingly comfortable to play.
Travis Beans made a splash at the time did not become a huge success; especially the eccentric Wedge. In the 1970s various Rolling Stones and Jerry Garcia used Standard or Artist models; the Wedge appeared in the hands of PIL's Keith Levene but otherwise got little pro attention. More recently, all Beans have been gainfully employed by a number of noise-rock players and denizens of myriad heavy sub-genres like doom and stoner metal. The Bean sound is powerful and articulate at lover volumes, but winds up magnificently to a shuddering crunch when pushed. Visually, of course, the wedge is the wickedest of them all! Travis Bean knew he had something great in the mid-1970s; while not a major commercial success at the time he would no doubt be satisfied by the lasting player appeal and highly collectible status his creations have earned 45+ years on.
Overall length is 44 1/2 in. (113 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This exceptionally rare Travis Bean variant remains in superb all-original condition, showing only the most minor play wear. There are a few scuffs and rubs to the body and neck finish here and there, and that's really about it. The plating on the tuners has some minor corrosion, the there is just a bit of wear to the original frets. Playability is exceptional and this is about as fine an example of this exceptionally rare guitar as we would expect to find, complete in the even rarer original HSC which has some external wear and sticker action but is completely solid.
Excellent Condition.
This striking guitar is a late example of the Travis Bean TB-3000 "Wedge", the most eccentric model in the company's innovative but short-lived guitar line. It mates their patented aluminum neck/centerpiece with a very long solid wood body shaped somewhat like a Flying V but without the "V" cutout at the rear. The company also offered the more familiar conventionally shaped "Standard" and "Artist" models and the budget TB-500. The TB-3000 and matching TB-4000 Bass are by far the rarest Beans, visually the most outrageous and something of a left-field classic.
Former motocross racer and lifelong tinkerer Clifford Travis Bean had two partners initially; guitar tech Marc McElwee and Gary Kramer, soon to split off and found his own guitar operation. Ads claimed their designs were "the first new development in the electric guitar since the 1930s; The lightweight neck and receiver system forms a rigid link between the tuning machines and the bridge. When the strings are attached, a complete vibration connection is achieved. It is this patented chassis that makes the Travis Bean guitar what it is: an instrument that has become the most dramatic breakthrough in electric guitar technology in 50 years."
This patented through-neck/body core was milled from T6061 aircraft aluminum, extending from headstock to the through-body strung six-saddle bridge. Narrow chambers running its length improved resonance and reduced weight, if only slightly. This metal centerpiece is mounted into the long straight-sided wood body, the top having a slightly dipped-in recurve off the edge. All featured the company's Alnico magnet humbucking pickups with "Travis Bean" engraved on their covers - the only branding besides the subtle "T" cut out of the headstock! These in-house pickups have a stellar reputation on their own, but were never used on any other instruments.
In later 1977, the company shut down and laid off employees in an attempt to reorganize. When they re-opened in summer of 1978, several production changes were implemented to cut costs and assuage critiques of the guitars. The coating of Imron paint seen on this Wedge was introduced as an option in response to complaints the bare aluminum necks felt cold; this was designed to feel "warmer" more like a finished wood neck. The bodies were also slimmed slightly to reduce weight.
Wedge models started production later than the other Beans in 1976 and were made in VERY small numbers; this TB-3000 serial #51 is one of the last 5 or 6 ever made with the extremely rare combination of a slimmer solid white body and Imron coated neck. The long body is lighter than one might expect; it is about 1/4" thinner at the rim than earlier examples. Reportedly under 10 Wedge Guitars exist with this second generation lighter body, of a total of 45 produced. The rosewood fingerboard has pearl block inlay and a brass nut. Schaller tuners, milled aluminum knobs and a fully adjustable bridge complete the hardware. The original pots are coded to mid-1978. The guitars garnered a reputation for very high quality; the Wedge looks unusually long, but actually balances well on a strap and is surprisingly comfortable to play.
Travis Beans made a splash at the time did not become a huge success; especially the eccentric Wedge. In the 1970s various Rolling Stones and Jerry Garcia used Standard or Artist models; the Wedge appeared in the hands of PIL's Keith Levene but otherwise got little pro attention. More recently, all Beans have been gainfully employed by a number of noise-rock players and denizens of myriad heavy sub-genres like doom and stoner metal. The Bean sound is powerful and articulate at lover volumes, but winds up magnificently to a shuddering crunch when pushed. Visually, of course, the wedge is the wickedest of them all! Travis Bean knew he had something great in the mid-1970s; while not a major commercial success at the time he would no doubt be satisfied by the lasting player appeal and highly collectible status his creations have earned 45+ years on.
Overall length is 44 1/2 in. (113 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This exceptionally rare Travis Bean variant remains in superb all-original condition, showing only the most minor play wear. There are a few scuffs and rubs to the body and neck finish here and there, and that's really about it. The plating on the tuners has some minor corrosion, the there is just a bit of wear to the original frets. Playability is exceptional and this is about as fine an example of this exceptionally rare guitar as we would expect to find, complete in the even rarer original HSC which has some external wear and sticker action but is completely solid.
Excellent Condition.