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John Bolin Bass made for Dusty Hill (1988) - "The Jelly Bean"- Dusty Hill Collection
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The rockers of ZZ Top have become legendary for their beard, but above all for their rhythm, their sense of melody and their blues rock. Today, they have become absolute references in their genre and are among the great myths of contemporary music. In the trio formed by Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, their style is matched only by their hits, which have spanned generations. Discovering live instruments played by one of the members of ZZ Top is always a moving opportunity to get close to their extraordinary sense of style, which has remained unrivalled in rock'n'roll until now. The basses in the Dusty Hill collection carry a touch of madness all their own, some of them matching their counterparts in the Billy Gibbons collection.
This exceptional bass was made by John Bolin in 1988 for the ZZ Top bassist. Nicknamed the 'Jelly Bean', its rounded, swollen shape is directly inspired by the famous sweet. Immaculately white to emphasise its generous shape, this bass is based on an Explorer shape to make it unique and instantly recognisable. A great accomplice of Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, luthier John Bolin made some exceptional instruments for ZZ Top's string duo. They often built instruments to match, with Billy and Dusty playing matching pieces to perfect their live show. The 'Jelly Bean' is one of these: John Bolin made two instruments in 1988 especially for ZZ Top, as the engraved plate on the back of the bass attests. The result is a unique bass, stamped "Gibbons" because it was designed by the Reverend.
Played many times on stage with ZZ Top in the late 1980s, this instrument is a piece of musical history, as well as an exceptional piece of lutherie.
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