Warren Haynes Stage Plays Duane Allman's 1961 Les Paul Standard (SG) for the 1st Time in Decades

We were so excited to be able to connect legendary guitarist, Warren Haynes, with Duane Allman's iconic 1961 Les Paul Standard (SG) at Chattanooga's Riverbend Festival (June 3-5, 2022). This guitar is currently on display at the Songbirds Guitar & Pop Culture Museum in Chattanooga, TN.
Duane Allman kept this guitar tuned to open-E, his preferred tuning for slide. His guitar partner Dickey Betts gave it to Duane so he didn’t have to retune between songs. There is no clear documentation that Duane played this guitar on At Fillmore East.
Though this guitar is commonly called an SG, it is actually a 1961 Gibson Les Paul, which the original truss rod cover would have read. The screw holes in the body show that the guitar originally featured a Vibrola vibrato, which Betts had removed. Gibson Custom shop released a faithful recreation of this guitar as a Dickey Betts signature model-"From One Brother to Another.” Since 2011, Derek Trucks has played Artist Proof #4 of this reissue as his main stage guitar. It was a gift from Duane’s daughter Galadrielle Allman. This guitar is on loan courtesy of the George Fontaine Family.
These sessions help keep the music alive by helping the Songbirds Foundation raise money to buy guitars for kids…check out our website to find out more- songbirdsfoundation.org. Thanks to our sponsors and friends- The George Fontaine Family, The Riverview Foundation, Schillhahn-Huskey Foundation, GHS Strings, and Todd Sharp Amplifiers. Special thanks to John Dooley for the great video work.
WE HAVE SOME BIG SESSIONS COMING SOON: Jack Pearson and Duane Allman’s Firebird, Jimmy Herring + Duane’s SG, Tommy Emmanuel (Part 2), Jerry Douglas, Eric Tessmer, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, John Paul White, Reignwolf, and more Moon River Sessions. Follow us for more!

[@stlrockn]

I visited the Songbirds Museum back in 2018 and took the backstage tour (incredible!). I had seen in a article online that the place closed a year or so ago and the collection was to be sold off. Was I misinformed? Is the place still open? Inquiring minds want to know....cuz if not then I need to go back! Thanks for any updates you might give me.

[@SongbirdsFoundation]

We're back open! We re-opened in September 2021 with a newly redesigned museum, and many of the same vintage guitars in the previous collection + many more new exhibits. We hope you come back and see us this year!

[@stlrockn]

@@SongbirdsFoundation Thanks for the update. I will definitely be back!

[@J.C...]

@@SongbirdsFoundation hey I gotta question. My middle names Duane, too. Think I could play it if I stop by? 😁 Come on! My daddy named me after Skydog. And I play guitar. You can't get much cooler than that! 🤣😁

[@groundhog713]

Warren is doing Duane justice on that SG. I'm sure Duane is looking down from up there with a smile on his face.

[@jimmydeanbrooks]

The Duane Legend Lives On With Warren, Warren And Derek Know How To Keep The Sound And Memory Alive And Well.

[@Petequinn741]

Glad it's being played and not a museum piece.. Warren!!

[@martinmcgimpsey9750]

What a guitar player! Awesome musician, well done Warren Haynes! Well done!

[@dennisholehouse1906]

I saw Duane play that guitar at the Fillmore West

[@funkster007]

Some serious mojo still in that SG. Sounds great. Warren doin Duane proud.

[@KeyWestChrisRehm]

On a side note: This was Dickey's guitar before it was Duane's. The story goes that Dickey gave it to Duane, as the band had to stop and wait for Duane to retune from his slide tuning (open E) to standard. Duane is said to have taken a serious liking to the guitar, as it offered much easier access to everything above the 12th fret. It offered the ultimate guitar for his style and tone. He had this guitar for about the last year of his life. 1961 was the only year Gibson made this style Les Paul. Les Paul himself didn't design it, nor was he a fan of the guitar and had Gibson re-name it. From that point on, new production models were called SG, for "Solid Guitar".

[@mikemet1744]

Awesome info!!

[@briano.1503]

You are correct! ✌💀👍🎸🎼🎵🎶♾

[@ksr9t]

Dickie Betts also gave Billy Joe Shavers son Eddy Shaver a Fender Stratocaster and Gibson 335 that belonged to Duane. Dickie proved to be quite the mentor to Eddy. Listening will prove my point.

[@johnfoskey7855]

You can find 62 sg les pauls

[@ksr9t]

@@JohnNathanCO Should have separated the two. Not sure if the Strat came from Duane but the the Gibson 335 was from Duane to Betts. Betts then later gave it to Eddy. Sorry for the mixup. Never seen Eddy play the Gibson. I was also a big fan of Billy Joe Shaver and Waylon Jennings.

[@koornick]

I was there. Amazing set at Riverbend Music Festival in Chattanooga. I knew it was Duane’s guitar but people around us had no idea.

[@tomwright4984]

On the rail for this. So damn good

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

Goosebumps all over me. What a tone.

[@milesofentertainment]

We think Duane would approve.

[@XxSkydog71xX]

A legend playing another legend’s gear.

[@RichardGriffis]

Everything about this vid is amazing!!

[@amoruzz]

Great stuff, thanks!

[@calsurflance5598]

Just plain perfection!👍🎸

[@LotharOfTheHillPeople]

Warren's such a monster on guitar, but that goddamn VOICE!

[@ArloTarr]

I needed this🤘Love the Mule and Skydog🎸

[@michaelmooney3890]

He sure can pley that thing love that sound

[@martinclayton7260]

What an astonishing sounding guitar!

[@GuitarSwan]

I was at this show! Killer set and wish he would've played this guitar more, but seemed like he was having trouble keeping it in tune and didn't want to use it for too long.

[@Tonetwisters]

I saw Duane or Dickey ... one or the other ... play this guitar in Tully Gym at Florida State around 1970 when they opened for Frank Zappa. What a show that was. Who ever played this guitar that night, I said to myself, I like that guy who's playing that red guitar! The closest I could come to it is a current VOS version ...

[@revelry1969]

Damn…we need the whole gig! Thanks!

[@michaelriley9315]

When the Mule walks on stage we Muleheads gets chill bumps!

[@benjaminhenry8154]

Who’s playing bass? Definitely not Jorgensen

[@andrewcannon8561]

Kevin Scott from Atlanta…. great fit for Mule. Jorgen n Mule Parted ways

[@jasperallen8479]

He sounded awesome the last few times I have seen him play live with either Gov Mule or Warren Haynes Band. One of the best live bands going along nowadays.

[@mauromeglii493]

Great slidemam warren!!!

[@anthonyjohnson4734]

Absolutely bad ass.

[@chuckmathis958]

Wow!

[@kurtiswichmann4699]

Sweet!

[@mikemet1744]

Warren could make a "Sears Special" sound magical. Rock on.

[@danielosullivan3110]

Mr Dave on his Silverstone ❤️✌️

[@bryansimmons4550]

Actually Jimmy Page was quite fond of his "Sears Special" Silvertone ("Danelectro") lubestick tube pickup guitars. They really are made out of masonite presswood, and I still have mine from the 60's --- a short scale model. Black with silver sparkle finish, and a very woody tone from the single pickup, which makes it perfect for playing slide on, when tuned to open E.. You can tweak your amp's EQ to give it a brighter sound, if you wish. Live videos give great insight into what guitar Duane would play on a particular song. And there is a whole shitload of written information regarding the intricacies of Duane's guitars, amps, FX, and everything. It can be hard to determine what is real or bogus, so a good idea is to choose with your EARS, and if you like what you pick.... stick to your chosen combinations. SPOILER ALERT : YOU will never play like Duane Allman anyway, So take what you learn and develop your own distinguished sound. Then people will one day say that they have THE MIKE MET tone! Just as in martial arts, be the student who then becomes the Grand Master.

[@RUNNOFT71]

Get it Warren!

[@paullevine1813]

God i hate to see these ads pop up almost in the middle of the screen near the end of the clips , WTF is wrong with YT !!! What stories that SG would have to tell if it could speak . Saw The Allmans twice in 1970 & I'm sure this SG was there as both Duane & Dickey had more than one . I do believe this is the one Dickey had given Duane so he wouldn't have to spend time retuning on stage so much. Miss those great old glory days of the original Allman Bros. Got to see them at RFK Stadium in Washington DC & at American University of which the latter is on CD ,something I never though i would hear again & if memory serves that show was around 3 bucks to go see. It would have been cool to hear Warren play something off the Bros. first LP but this was still very cool.

[@frankgeeslin5483]

Holy Heat!

[@ericwatler23]

Very cool

[@CBGypsy03]

Fuckin fabulous

[@kellyutech5962]

Greatness

[@andrewdenine1685]

Rite on that had some wicked vibes I tell ya

[@briansbrain426]

Who's the guy playing bass guitar, he's keeping it thick n' gooey!

[@tramer76]

Flipping amazing guys!!! From the greastest slide player that ever lived, to the best slide player alive today!!

[@barryeaston6837]

Have you heard of Derek Trucks….

[@deanbeilke5783]

Or Sonny Landreth?

[@WardenJune]

That would be Derek Trucks and Jack Pearson but Warren is right up there.

[@benjack8477]

Derek trucks enters the chat

[@AZCobraman]

Nice to hear Warren playing in Open E rather than standard.

[@bongocuba]

Warren’s a monster axe player.

[@mikehancho1613]

Warren has more soul than any human should ever have.lol

[@zakkwyldesliver]

Warren and Greg Martin are slowly morphing into identical twins.

[@what1864]

how many guitars did duane allman own , i've seen quite a few that were credited with being owned by him , pretty rare back then for a guitar player even of his caliber to own more then a couple guitars ...

[@chriswick7987]

Dickey gave him this SG in June 71 so Duane wouldn’t have to re-tune his 59 Les Paul to open for the first songs in their set. Not long after, Duane also got his 59 dark burst Les Paul. So by the time he died, he was pretty much using the SG and the dark burst. Compare the sound of Dreams from Stonybrook 9/71 with the 58 he played at the Fillmore

[@simonfreer9076]

Who's that on bass?

[@Les537]

Why you no put the whole song?

[@zoef234]

🙏

[@felkikid]

I thought you guys closed down recently for good? im glad that doesn't seem to be the case

[@SongbirdsFoundation]

Nope! We were able to reopen in September 2021! Hooray!!! Come by anytime, we've got Duane's SG on display!

[@felkikid]

@@SongbirdsFoundation I’m gonna plan a vacation around it. See you soon!

[@patbateman6729]

Mule has to get back to St. Louis PLEASE!

[@willykayak]

.....mmmm make that baby cry

[@SexyplexiGT]

Shoulda had Derek play it for the first time in decades

[@arizjones]

Derek already plays a Gibson Custom shop released recreation of this guitar, so if he played it no one would notice anything different.

[@johnnymossville]

more boutique amps per square inch on that stage than I've ever seen before.

[@VincentVader]

So who's playing bass now?

[@franciscolemes484]

Mto bom 👍 A-ha !

[@ronn4238]

I'd sell an organ to play that guitar... 🤩

[@saltykrug]

Nice SG in the thumbnail though. Holy cow, hahahaha I had no idea that the standard had the SG appearance.

[@SongbirdsFoundation]

Back in the day, it was the Les Paul Standard, but only for a couple of years in the early 1960s... then it became known as the SG.

[@gdlonborg]

This Hatnes kid is good, maybe he should consider sticking with it.

[@guitardude4700]

🤣😂

[@guitardude4700]

Ya think

[@Idontlikethisever]

What does he mean it looks like an SG?

[@O.D.E.GuitarSoundtracks]

Delta!!!!!

[@WardenJune]

Made in Kalamazoo.

[@IIESPD00DII]

Where is Jorgen??????

[@guitardude4700]

Wow I never knew he was one of the songwriters of this song

[@josephzirngibl633]

He is not. This tune is from Legendary Black Blues musician Son House. Real old blues. Warren does an amazing job covering this classic!🤘🎸🎤✌️

[@josephzirngibl633]

I think Blind Willie Johnson recorded it originally.

[@thejimmymeister]

Its composition almost certainly pre-dates any recording, and I doubt anyone knows who wrote it or even when it was written. I think Gov't Mule plays it at least every once in a while.

[@rapidrhinoplumbing-monrovi3269]

Sure sounds good to me guys,,, Les Paul God bless him,,, was not always right. Glad Gibson let this model slip by.

[@georgedowney8533]

Derek who?

[@timhoovermusicman]

love this but I gotta say... it was really disappointing it cut off mid-song😰

[@faststratjo2006]

Really disappointing, wonder if there's some copyright reason for the cut off?

[@ramboweed5169]

Blind willie mctell

[@josephzirngibl633]

Blind Willie Johnson I believe.

[@pappyodanial]

Imagine working at Gibson, looking at the flame Maple tops and being like, nahhhhhhhh that's ugly.

[@JRAFF145]

From what I know this guitar is one piece - meaning the neck and body are from one piece of wood.

[@seagertennis5481]

No

[@dougerd684]

Warren should have Duane's guitar who better

[@AudioManIam]

That was Dickey’s before it was Duanes…..

[@jellojoe00]

I didn't know SGs were considered LesPauls.

[@SongbirdsFoundation]

Only for a couple of years back in the early 1960's. Cheers!

[@Tonetwisters]

This guy does not get nearly enough credit as a vocalist. And his name is Jesus. And he hung on the cross for us, naked and ashamed.

[@RR-pw5nb]

Not a Les Paul. It's a SG Standard. I had one for years.

[@Riverdeepnwide]

It’s a 1961. Called Les Paul then.

[@deanoemonsjr8543]

Warren is really good however, he ain’t Duane…..

[@davefiano4172]

Indeed. Not even close to Duane or Dickie. He has chops but he’s not very musically inventive. More like a guy who strings together a bunch of licks. He doesn’t tell a story like Duane and Dickie.

[@claudiomagi5375]

Io amo il suono delle Gibson il Rock vuole Gibson e basta 😡

[@dougsain5090]

LEARN ANOTHER CORD!!! DWAYNE DID....

[@bcdarling3488]

GOOD STUFF👍 ending sucked thou🤣

[@monsterzero1965]

Less singing MORE playing

[@jhmonthetube6339]

The guitar is an SG, not a Les Paul.

[@simonfreer9076]

Nope. It's a Les Paul.

[@WardenJune]

I wish they would explain that better.

[@chuckmathis958]

In the early 60’s, when the traditional Les Pauls weren’t selling well, Gibson decided to modernize (and cheapen) the line to sell more. Les didn’t like the new guitars but they went ahead with it anyway. Later they became SGs.

[@JoeandAngie]

Les Paul by date and history. SG stands for solid body.

[@WardenJune]

@@JoeandAngie wouldn't that be SB? Lol, just kidding but what does SG stand for?

[@nasticanasta]

Why would playing it make it special? (it doesn't)