T-Bone Walker's Gibson ES-5

T-Bone Walker: The DNA of Rock ’n’ Roll

Long before rock became a global spectacle, T-Bone Walker pioneered the rebellion of Electric Blues.

Industrial CT scans of this original Gibson ES-5 document the physical toll of his legendary showmanship and its verified history. Visible within the wooden architecture is the structural fracture caused by the dancer "The Body" standing on Walker’s back—a moment that pushed the instrument beyond its limits.

This is a forensic look at the guitar that hardwired the DNA for everyone from Chuck Berry to Jimmy Page.