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The Devon Allman Project’s recent tour united two sons of rock royalty, with Duane Betts, son of Dickey Betts, joining Allman onstage for some foreshadowing: Later this spring, they’re unveiling their new group, the Allman Betts Band, with a new album and a series of concerts.
During their gig at Nashville’s Exit/In, they played a mix of originals and classic page-turners from their families’ songbook, while preparing to write their own chapter. And, as PG senior editor Ted Drozdowski learned, they brought some cool and classic gear along for the ride. This rundown starts with some gorgeous vintage guitar straps used by Greg and Duane Allman.
This limited-run Gibson Robbie Krieger signature model SG is a recent acquisition. “When we do ‘Dreams’ and ‘One Way Out,’ I pick up this guitar,” says Allman, who makes it a point to play as least a few Allman Brothers tunes every night. It has ’57 Classic pickups and push-pull phase switching on the neck pickup.
Among the guitars once owned by his father, Gregg Allman, on this tour, is this 1961 Fender Stratocaster, which might sport a ’50s neck. The pickups were replaced with an unknown boutique brand and an anodized gold-foil pickguard has been installed. “I didn’t realize how many guitars my dad had,” says Allman, “He had 43, and he left them all to me. And when I saw this one, I was like ‘You’re the man, pop!’ This is the one.” A photograph from the 1972 sessions for Brothers and Sisters shows Gregg Allman playing this Strat.
Here’s the prototype for Gibson’s 114-piece run of the Dickey Betts Les Paul goldtop, which was done in 2001, with aging by Tom Murphy. It’s got ’57 Classic humbuckers. Of course, the model is based on Betts’ own vintage ’57 goldtop. This one is Duane Betts’ main stage guitar and, for a while, it was his dad’s as well. You can hear it at the start of this Rig Rundown.