This coming Tuesday, the "BIG!" build team on Discovery Channel's new series takes on the daunting task of building a 30-foot, playable, electric guitar. In typical "BIG!" fashion, the team pulls it off and reveals the musical monster outside the Peter Frampton/Styx concert at the Universal City Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. To the delight of "BIG!" host, Frank Payne, Peter Frampton puts the enormous guitar to the test, providing an impromptu giant jam session to gawking fans.
To build the 30-foot guitar, the "BIG!" team turns to luthier Matty Baratto and legendary pick-up guru Seymour Duncan. The design of the huge guitar was based on one of Baratto's favorite 1960's guitars. Baratto has built guitars for Bucket Head, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray, and B Real of Cypress Hill. In the program, Duncan gives host Frank Payne a grand tour of his factory, and builds what has been said to be the largest pick-up ever -- a 156-pound humbucker designed especially for the project. Throughout his career, Duncan has worked with such greats as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen.
To test the "BIG!" guitar, the team hooked it up to a massive 36 x 10 650- watt Ampeg amplifier. The head houses 22 vacuum tubes. The amp weighs 950 pounds. After guitar virtuoso Peter Frampton tests it out with an enormous stainless steel slide, he, along with Baratto and Duncan provide fans with an extended jam session of massive proportions.
The electric guitar episode is the third installment of the 16-part series. |
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