Is it any wonder musician Willie Nelson dubbed his guitar “Trigger” after cowboy star Roy Rogers’ beloved horse?
Musicians have displayed the same sense of connection and affection for their guitars as a cowboy for his steed. A kind of extra appendage, guitars are the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll accessory and muse, inspiring deep devotion in their users for a particular sound, feel and, even, personality. Eddie Van Halen’s hand-assembled “Frankenstrat” was not only built, but even decorated with paint and tape by the musician; the kind of devotion that suggests a beloved, customized muscle car or the fierce brand loyalty that superhero and cartoon character-festooned metal lunchboxes once inspired in children.
»»Check out our podcast on MODA’s “Wood & Wire” below
The Museum of Design Atlanta exhibition “Wire & Wood: Designing Iconic Guitars” curated by Atlantan W. Todd Vaught (who also curated MODA’s 2012 “Skate It or Hang It!?” skateboard show) centers on this ultimate rock ‘n’ roll helpmate. As you might expect from a design museum and a show curated by an industrial designer, the exhibition focuses primarily on guitar creation, material and manufacture. Though guitars have been with us since the 15th century, “Wire & Wood” sticks to contemporary music and familiar names like Bo Diddley, Junior Brown and Eric Clapton. In the long hallway that opens the exhibition, blown-up mural images (which unfortunately tend to read as slightly grainy and distorted) of key musicians’ favorite instruments establish a connection between man and “machine,” like Dave Grohl for his Gibson. “This is the sound of the Foo Fighters” says Grohl.
On the opposite hallway wall are guitars made from an array of materials including steel, aluminum, scrap wood and even 3-D printed and carbon fiber versions; new technology that has often yielded more consistent, predictable sound even as wood guitar enthusiasts extol the virtues of imperfection and the organic sound variation found in the wood itself (which includes swamp ash, mahogany, alder and rosewood). A back gallery shows the steps involved in the manufacturing process, from raw block of wood to final gleaming, lacquered product. Accompanying wall text highlights key craftsmen in the genre, like Clarence Leo Fender originator of the iconic Fender guitar and amplifier company that became a cornerstone of the music industry. Interactive touch screens allow viewers to analyze the components in three iconic guitar brands: the Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker and see the musicians and songs associated with those brands.
Twelve guitars on display offer up anecdotal musings on the significance of these signature guitars from the musicians who play them including Metallica’s James Hetfield, the Cult’s Billy Duffy (whose rockabilly-retro Gretsch White Falcon may be the most exquisite in the show) to Jack White who made bare bones guitars part of his raw, egalitarian alternarock ethos. Displayed at MODA is White’s folk art-reminiscent Diddley Bow crafted from a Coke bottle and scrap wood, which looks like one of Lonnie Holley’s found wood sculptures. There is a rare Kurt Cobain Fender Stratocaster; rare because Cobain destroyed most of his guitars as a gesture of punk rock irreverence. One of the few guitars that hints at cultural depth beyond simply design, is St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark’s gender-neutral, lightweight MusicMan guitar. Countering the guitar’s masculine, phallic associations, the guitar was built in collaboration with Clark, who describes the design as having “room for a breast or two.”
St. Vincent’s momentary digression into the guitar’s deeper meaning and associations marks “Wire & Wood” overall as not an especially deep-diving show. Despite the guitars’ association with renegade performers, “Wire & Wood” has a vaguely corporate vibe and a relatively bloodless feel. And the exhibition can often feel like branded advertorial for guitar manufacturers, as in three videos where musicians St. Vincent, Billy Duffy and Steve Vai discuss their collaborations with manufacturers like Gretsch and MusicMan.
ART REVIEW
“Wire & Wood: Designing Iconic Guitars”
Through Sept. 29. Noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays; noon-8 p.m. Thursdays; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays. $10; $8 senior citizens, military and educators; $5 students; under age 5 free. Museum of Design Atlanta, 1315 Peachtree St. NE, 404-979-6455, www.museumofdesign.org
Bottom line: An array of “famous” guitars offer the most appeal in this conventional look at contemporary guitar design.
About the Author
