A 1999 DeArmond Jet Star reissue solidbody electric guitar, serial #KC9010310, in cherry red finish. Owned and played by Randy Bachman, who has sold 40 million records worldwide as a member of The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and as a solo artist.

Ever an admirer of guitar wizard Bo Diddley, whose outré style and futuristic guitars wowed audiences of the 1950s and 60s, Randy set out to acquire his own. “It’s kind of my Bo Diddley –– he had weird-shaped guitars.”

While Diddley was an avid user of Gretsch guitars, namely the Jupiter Thunderbird (which he had a hand in designing) and his trademark rectangular guitars, the DeArmond Jet Star is vaguely reminiscent of the shapes Diddley slung around his shoulders.

Originally produced by Guild as the Thunderbird, the DeArmond Jet Star is a reissue of that guitar from the 1990s/2000s, made in Korea and deviating slightly from the original with a pair of Gold Tone pickups and simplified controls consisting of a three way toggle selector switch, and volume and tone controls for each pickup.

The bound, block-inlaid rosewood fingerboard has 21 frets on a mahogany neck. Asymmetrical 3x3 DeArmond headstock with Thunderbird inlay and Guild-branded truss rod cover. Mahogany body, chrome hardware, black plastics save for two replaced knobs.

Includes hardshell case.

PROVENANCE From The Collection of Randy Bachman

Guitars & Instruments, Randy Bachman