Travis Bean TB-1000S Standard Solid Body Electric Guitar (1976)
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Item #10584
Travis Bean TB-1000S Standard Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1976), made in Sun Valley, CA, serial # 790, natural lacquer finish, aluminum neck and centerpiece, koa wood body, rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This striking mid-1970's classic is a Travis Bean TB1000S "Standard", the bedrock model in the company's innovative but short-lived guitar line. It mates their patented raison d'etre aluminum neck/centerpiece with a solid Hawaiian koa wood body and rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay. The company also offered the "Artist" TB1000A model, similar in design but with a sculpted body and more deluxe appointments, the budget TB-500 and the very eccentrically shaped "Wedge" models. Of all of these the TB-1000 is the "classic" Bean, the most widely recognized and fondly remembered of the bunch.
Former motocross racer and lifelong tinkerer Clifford Travis Bean had two partners initially; guitar tech Marc McElwee and one Gary Kramer, who would soon split off to found his own (for a time) successful guitar operation. The ads claimed their aluminum-necked designs were "the first new development in the electric guitar since the 1930s" although whether they were considering the early cast aluminum Rickenbacker steels is a moot point! The catalog continued "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."
Bean's patented concept was a through-neck/central body core 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 a lovely grained Hawaiian koa wood body finished in natural lacquer. The Standard, Artist, and Wedge models mounted the company's own Alnico magnet humbucking pickups with "Travis Bean" engraved on their covers - the only branding on the instrument 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.
This is a fairly early Standard carrying serial number #790 stamped into the headstock, likely manufactured in 1976. The original pots are coded to the 19th week of that year. The slab-o-koa body is thicker than later examples and feels quite substantial. The rosewood fingerboard has plain dot inlay and a brass nut. The knobs are the earlier clear plastic style, with Schaller tuners, a fully adjustable bridge and small aluminum pickguard completing the hardware.
In 1975 the Standard model retailed for $595, which went up to $995 before the end of the run. While not the most expensive solidbody guitar on the market in 1976, this was still a fairly high-end instrument. Travis Beans did not become a huge retail success they were featured by some major artists when new. At various times Keith Richards, Ron Wood, and Bill Wyman all played them with the Rolling Stones in the mid '70s, Wyman even having custom short-scale basses made for him. Jerry Garcia was an official endorser and played both a TB 1000 and a TB 500 for a time, making these models revered by many deadheads to this day. The guitars garnered a reputation for very high quality, but many players at the time felt the bare aluminum neck had a cold and clinical feel.
More recently, Travis Beans have been gainfully employed by a number of noise-rock players along with many 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 in these heavy contexts. Travis Bean knew he had something great in the mid-1970s; while his vision did not lead to major commercial success at the time he would no doubt be well satisfied by the lasting appeal to players and highly collectible status his creations have earned 45+ years on.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 14 1/8 in. (35.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
This guitar remains nicely original, showing some moderately heavy play wear (mostly on the back) but no abuse or alterations. The lacquer finish has some general dings and dents, with the upper back showing heavier wear with an area worn through to the wood and a lot of attendant scratching and scuffing. The face and sides do not show nearly as much wear (somebody likely had a heavy '70s belt buckle!) but do have small dings and dents with some odd shallow scratching around the control knobs.
The plating has some minor wear, with scuffing overall and light corrosion most notable on the saddle adjustment screws. The back of the neck is clean having only a very few tiny dinks in the metal. The original jumbo frets and rosewood fingerboard show surprisingly little wear, and this metal-neck marvel plays excellent and sounds fantastic. At nearly 10 1/2 lbs. this Bean has a substantial feel with massive sustain, while the metal neck still feels timelessly modern. The original HSC is included, somewhat worn but still fully intact and functional. Excellent - Condition.
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This striking mid-1970's classic is a Travis Bean TB1000S "Standard", the bedrock model in the company's innovative but short-lived guitar line. It mates their patented raison d'etre aluminum neck/centerpiece with a solid Hawaiian koa wood body and rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay. The company also offered the "Artist" TB1000A model, similar in design but with a sculpted body and more deluxe appointments, the budget TB-500 and the very eccentrically shaped "Wedge" models. Of all of these the TB-1000 is the "classic" Bean, the most widely recognized and fondly remembered of the bunch.
Former motocross racer and lifelong tinkerer Clifford Travis Bean had two partners initially; guitar tech Marc McElwee and one Gary Kramer, who would soon split off to found his own (for a time) successful guitar operation. The ads claimed their aluminum-necked designs were "the first new development in the electric guitar since the 1930s" although whether they were considering the early cast aluminum Rickenbacker steels is a moot point! The catalog continued "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."
Bean's patented concept was a through-neck/central body core 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 a lovely grained Hawaiian koa wood body finished in natural lacquer. The Standard, Artist, and Wedge models mounted the company's own Alnico magnet humbucking pickups with "Travis Bean" engraved on their covers - the only branding on the instrument 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.
This is a fairly early Standard carrying serial number #790 stamped into the headstock, likely manufactured in 1976. The original pots are coded to the 19th week of that year. The slab-o-koa body is thicker than later examples and feels quite substantial. The rosewood fingerboard has plain dot inlay and a brass nut. The knobs are the earlier clear plastic style, with Schaller tuners, a fully adjustable bridge and small aluminum pickguard completing the hardware.
In 1975 the Standard model retailed for $595, which went up to $995 before the end of the run. While not the most expensive solidbody guitar on the market in 1976, this was still a fairly high-end instrument. Travis Beans did not become a huge retail success they were featured by some major artists when new. At various times Keith Richards, Ron Wood, and Bill Wyman all played them with the Rolling Stones in the mid '70s, Wyman even having custom short-scale basses made for him. Jerry Garcia was an official endorser and played both a TB 1000 and a TB 500 for a time, making these models revered by many deadheads to this day. The guitars garnered a reputation for very high quality, but many players at the time felt the bare aluminum neck had a cold and clinical feel.
More recently, Travis Beans have been gainfully employed by a number of noise-rock players along with many 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 in these heavy contexts. Travis Bean knew he had something great in the mid-1970s; while his vision did not lead to major commercial success at the time he would no doubt be well satisfied by the lasting appeal to players and highly collectible status his creations have earned 45+ years on.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 14 1/8 in. (35.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
This guitar remains nicely original, showing some moderately heavy play wear (mostly on the back) but no abuse or alterations. The lacquer finish has some general dings and dents, with the upper back showing heavier wear with an area worn through to the wood and a lot of attendant scratching and scuffing. The face and sides do not show nearly as much wear (somebody likely had a heavy '70s belt buckle!) but do have small dings and dents with some odd shallow scratching around the control knobs.
The plating has some minor wear, with scuffing overall and light corrosion most notable on the saddle adjustment screws. The back of the neck is clean having only a very few tiny dinks in the metal. The original jumbo frets and rosewood fingerboard show surprisingly little wear, and this metal-neck marvel plays excellent and sounds fantastic. At nearly 10 1/2 lbs. this Bean has a substantial feel with massive sustain, while the metal neck still feels timelessly modern. The original HSC is included, somewhat worn but still fully intact and functional. Excellent - Condition.
