HBII Origin Mystery

[BluesBoy71]

Hey folks!

A couple years ago, I bought a super super amazing HBII made in 2009:

I always thought the back of the headstock seemed unique:

I'd love to find out anything I can about this guitar. A friend suggested I post here to see if I can find clues. PRS customer service couldn't tell me much beyond the specs I already knew - they didn't know who Burdett was.

Does anyone have any guesses? Maybe it's an employee guitar? It's also got a second signature on it, which maybe says "Drew Ciana" or "Drew Eram" or "Dun Elam" or ...?

Failing legitimate answers, I'm happy to accept wild speculation and outright fabrication. Something like this would suffice:

Drew Ciana was the master builder at PRS from 2004-2013 and he built this guitar for T Bone Burnett but spelled his name wrong. They had to build T Bone a second one that never quite lived up to the magic the first one captured.​

Cheers!

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Not sure who Drew might be, but Paul may have signed this guitar at a meet and greet event, he does so all the time. Lots of us have gotten our guitars or backplates signed this way.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Well, I'll start with...it was Burdett's birthday gift from his Grandmother, but recently they've been on the outs, so she signed it "DAm Grama"

Big stretch, sorry...but beautiful guitar!!!

 

[bodia]

Not sure who Drew might be, but Paul may have signed this guitar at a meet and greet event, he does so all the time. Lots of us have gotten our guitars or backplates signed this way.

I'm with this. He signed the back of my one of my headstocks the same way.

Seriously hot looking guitar, too.

 

[gush]

Part of the D name is under the tuner so it had to be signed at the factory prior to final assembly.

Very curious about this one.

 

[László]

Here's the story:

T-Bun Burdett is a highly talented guitarist and producer of such artists as Elvis Cosmello, Marshall Drenshaw, and The Nitty Gritty Blurt Band. He also did the soundtrack for The Big Beloski, among others.

Drew Grana was the soloist on the soundtrack for The Big Beloski. He's a pretty famous player in his own estimation.

Therefore, this was an Artist Relations guitar, never mind that it doesn't have the usual 'Artist Relations' ink on the headstock rear, because clearly T-Bun and Drew were far too awesome for mere Artist Relations guitars.

So what you have there is a one-of-a-kind guitar with a very clear artist provenance. Congrats!

"Les, you totally made that up."

"How could you tell?"

"Because this is what you do. You get silly and tell wild stories. I'd like a hit of whatever you're smoking."

"I don't smoke."

"Then you owe it to me to at least try."

 

[Buildermike]

Regardless of it's provenance, that's a hot looking guitar.

 

[Frank McNerney]

Really nice !

 

[alantig]

This was a PS build for the guy who did the Motel Six commercials.

 

[BluesBoy71]

Love the energy and humor from everyone

Part of the D name is under the tuner so it had to be signed at the factory prior to final assembly.

Very curious about this one.

Also, all the gold ink writing is below the top level of finish, so very likely came from the factory that way.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Employee guitar?

 

[Bill SAS 513]

I think they usually write "Employee Guitar" or "Made for ..." when its an employee axe.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I think they usually write "Employee Guitar" or "Made for ..." when its an employee axe.

I’m the “new boy” Bill

There is a guy on here that might be able to help.

@Shawn@PRS to the natural finished courtesy phone.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Well stated, Alnus...and you're definitely NOT the new boy.

Yup, calling Shawn...

 

[alantig]

I think they usually write "Employee Guitar" or "Made for ..." when its an employee axe.

Maybe he got fired right before it was done.

 

[BluesBoy71]

I’m the “new boy” Bill

There is a guy on here that might be able to help.

@Shawn@PRS to the natural finished courtesy phone.

Actually, the person who responded to the email that I sent to PRS Customer Service signed the response "Shawn"...

So either that's a funny coincidence or Shawn's already weighed in and can't provide many clues to the mystery...

 

[Going Modal]

Just send that guitar to me, so that you no have this dilemma on your hands. It is because I'm such a nice guy, you see, that I'm willing to do this for you.