(photo: Shane Speal)
“Lady”, an electric guitar built illegally by an inmate in a Pennsylvania State prison
This guitar came to life inside the 126-year-old jail that is so massive, it’s known locally as “The Wall.” Junior Ben had a broken guitar neck to start with. The heavy body was hand-carved from Pennsylvanian walnut and oak with white-painted binding. The hand-stamped brass truss rod cover has the word, “LADY,” a tribute to B.B. King’s “Lucille.”
All the wiring was smuggled in from the prison shops or pulled out of headphone jacks. All the knobs are spaced very closely together, a necessary step in order to keep wiring to a minimum.