The Epiphone B.B. King Lucille in Ebony is a distinctive signature semi-hollow electric inspired by the instruments used by one of the most important blues guitarists of all time.

Based around the classic ES-style double-cutaway format, the Lucille differs from most semi-hollow guitars by having no F-holes, a feature specifically associated with B.B. King’s preference for improved feedback resistance at stage volume.

Its dual humbuckers are partnered with the model’s famous six-position Varitone circuit, allowing a much wider range of filtered tones than a conventional dual-humbucker guitar. Separate mono and stereo output options further expand its flexibility, while the TP-6 tailpiece with fine tuners provides precise tuning adjustment.

Finished in elegant Ebony with gold hardware, this Pre-Owned example is in Very Good condition, weighs an actual 9.24 lbs, and includes a Gator hardcase.

AT A GLANCE

Detail	Specification
Brand	Epiphone
Model	B.B. King Lucille
Finish	Ebony
Type	Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar
Pickup Layout	Dual Humbuckers
Tone Circuit	6-Position Varitone
Outputs	Mono / Stereo
Weight	9.24 lbs
Condition	Very Good / Pre-Owned
Case	Gator Hardcase Included

PRE-OWNED CONDITION REPORT

This is a Pre-Owned Epiphone B.B. King Lucille in Very Good condition.

The Very Good condition grade reflects a guitar that has been well looked after overall while showing the light signs of previous use expected from a Pre-Owned instrument.

This individual guitar weighs 9.24 lbs.

A Gator hardcase is included.

KEY FEATURES

• Epiphone B.B. King Lucille

• B.B. King Signature model

• Ebony finish

• ES-style semi-hollow construction

• Solid centre block

• No F-holes

• Set maple neck

• 24.75" scale length

• 22 medium-jumbo frets

• Dual humbucking pickups

• 3-way pickup selector

• 2 Volume controls

• 2 Tone controls

• 6-position Varitone switch

• Mono output

• Stereo output

• Tune-O-Matic-style bridge

• TP-6 tailpiece with fine tuners

• Grover-style tuning machines

• Gold hardware

• Decorative Lucille headstock detailing

• Actual measured weight of 9.24 lbs

• Very Good Pre-Owned condition

• Gator hardcase included

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

The Lucille is much more than a cosmetically modified semi-hollow.

Its lack of F-holes, dedicated Varitone circuit and mono/stereo outputs make it a genuinely specialised instrument with far more tonal flexibility than a conventional two-humbucker guitar.

At one extreme, it can deliver the warm and rounded neck-pickup sounds associated with classic blues and jazz. At the other, the Varitone can introduce thinner, more focused and nasal textures that cut through a full band mix extremely well.

DETAILED FEATURES & BENEFITS

B.B. King Signature Design

The Lucille was developed around the type of ES-style instruments associated with B.B. King, whose playing helped define modern electric blues.

The signature model incorporates a number of features closely associated with his preferred guitar setup.

Semi-Hollow Construction

The Lucille uses semi-hollow construction with a central solid block.

This provides more resonance than a conventional solid body while giving greater feedback control than a fully hollow guitar.

No F-Holes

One of the defining Lucille features is the absence of traditional F-holes.

B.B. King favoured this approach because it helped further reduce unwanted feedback during amplified performance.

Ebony Finish

The deep Ebony finish combines with gold hardware and ornate binding to give the Lucille an unmistakably premium appearance.

Set Maple Neck

The maple neck is glued into the body for the familiar sustain and feel associated with set-neck semi-hollow construction.

24.75" Scale Length

The 24.75" scale length gives the guitar a slightly softer string feel than a longer 25.5" design.

This works particularly well for expressive blues bends and vibrato.

22 Medium-Jumbo Frets

The guitar uses 22 medium-jumbo frets, providing a comfortable balance for chord work and lead playing.

Dual Humbuckers

Two humbuckers provide the warm, full-bodied foundation expected from the Lucille platform.

They work equally well for clean blues, jazzier sounds and overdriven rock tones.

Neck Pickup

The neck pickup delivers the warmest and smoothest voice, ideal for expressive blues phrasing and rounded clean tones.

Bridge Pickup

The bridge pickup provides additional cut, attack and definition, making it useful for more aggressive blues and rock lead sounds.

Six-Position Varitone

The six-position Varitone switch is one of the Lucille’s most distinctive features.

Position 1 bypasses the filtering circuit, while the remaining settings progressively alter the frequency response to provide a range of thinner, more focused and nasal tonal colours.

Traditional Dual-Pickup Controls

Separate Volume and Tone controls are provided for each pickup.

This gives plenty of control over individual pickup balance and the combined middle setting.

Stereo & Mono Outputs

The Lucille provides both mono and stereo output options.

The mono output allows conventional single-amplifier operation, while the stereo facility provides additional routing flexibility when used with suitable equipment.

TP-6 Fine-Tuning Tailpiece

The TP-6 tailpiece includes individual fine tuners.

This allows precise tuning corrections directly at the tailpiece after the main tuning machines have been set.

Gold Hardware

Gold-plated hardware gives the Lucille its distinctive upscale appearance and complements the Ebony finish beautifully.

9.24 lbs Actual Weight

This individual guitar weighs 9.24 lbs, giving buyers an exact indication of how this particular example will feel.

WHO IS IT FOR?

The Epiphone B.B. King Lucille is particularly well suited to blues, jazz, soul, classic rock and expressive lead players who want a semi-hollow guitar with more tonal flexibility than a conventional ES-style model.

It should also appeal strongly to B.B. King fans and players who appreciate signature instruments with meaningful functional differences rather than cosmetic changes alone.

PLAYING STYLES & APPLICATIONS

The Lucille works particularly well for:

• Blues

• Jazz

• Soul

• R&B

• Classic rock

• Clean rhythm

• Expressive lead guitar

• Studio work

• Low-to-medium gain playing

The Varitone also makes it particularly useful when layering guitars in a recording, because its filtered settings can help parts occupy different areas of the mix.

HOW IT COMPARES

Lucille vs Conventional ES-335-Style Guitar

A typical ES-335-style guitar uses F-holes and conventional dual-humbucker wiring.

The Lucille removes the F-holes and adds a six-position Varitone plus stereo/mono output options, giving it a much more specialised specification.

Varitone vs Standard Tone Control

A normal Tone control progressively reduces high frequencies.

The Varitone uses different filter settings to alter specific areas of the frequency spectrum, producing much more dramatic changes in character.

Lucille vs Fully Hollow Guitar

A fully hollow guitar generally provides greater acoustic resonance but can be more susceptible to feedback.

The Lucille’s centre block and closed top provide much greater control at stage volume.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Specification	Details
Product Type	Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar
Brand	Epiphone
Artist	B.B. King
Model	Lucille
Finish	Ebony
Body Shape	ES-Style Double Cutaway
Body Type	Semi-Hollow
F-Holes	None
Centre Block	Yes
Neck Construction	Set Neck
Neck Material	Maple
Scale Length	24.75" / 628mm
Frets	22 Medium Jumbo
Pickup Configuration	HH
Pickups	Dual Humbuckers
Electronics	Passive
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Pickup Switching	3-Way Toggle
Tone Circuit	6-Position Varitone
Outputs	Mono / Stereo
Bridge	Tune-O-Matic Style
Tailpiece	TP-6 with Fine Tuners
Tuners	Grover-Style
Hardware	Gold
Weight	9.24 lbs
Case	Gator Hardcase Included
Condition	Very Good / Pre-Owned

POWER REQUIREMENTS

None.

The Epiphone B.B. King Lucille uses passive electronics and requires no battery or external power supply.

FAIR DEAL MUSIC EXPERT VERDICT ★★★★★

Best suited for: Blues, jazz and soul players looking for a versatile semi-hollow with genuine signature-model features and extensive tone shaping.

Customers usually upgrade from: Standard Epiphone ES-style guitars, basic semi-hollows and conventional dual-humbucker electrics.

Most commonly paired with: Clean valve amplifiers, low-gain overdrive, boost, delay and reverb.

Our tip: Start with the Varitone in Position 1 to hear the guitar without additional filtering, then work through the other settings using both pickups together. The filtered positions can create exceptionally useful cutting tones that sit very differently in a full mix.

Showroom feedback: The Lucille has a substantially different personality from a standard semi-hollow. The closed body, Varitone and TP-6 hardware give it a unique combination of blues heritage and practical tonal flexibility.

WHY BUY PRE-OWNED FROM FAIR DEAL MUSIC?

Buying a Pre-Owned Epiphone B.B. King Lucille can provide excellent value for players looking for one of Epiphone’s most distinctive signature semi-hollow guitars.

This example is in Very Good condition, weighs 9.24 lbs, and includes a Gator hardcase.

Fair Deal Music has decades of experience buying, selling and part-exchanging Epiphone, Pre-Owned and specialist guitars.

WHY BUY FROM FAIR DEAL MUSIC?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

Fair Deal Music combines a large Birmingham showroom with nationwide ecommerce and knowledgeable musician-led advice.

Customers benefit from:

• Family-run independent retailer established in 1987

• Birmingham's largest independent music store

• 6,000+ Trustpilot reviews

• Knowledgeable musician-led advice

• Extensive experience with Epiphone and Pre-Owned guitars

• Large Birmingham showroom

• Secure online ordering

• Fast UK delivery

• Friendly customer support

• Part-exchange and trade-in service

• Request a Video Demo option

TRADE IN. TRADE UP. SAVE MORE.

Your current guitar or other musical equipment could help towards the cost of this Epiphone B.B. King Lucille.

Fair Deal Music buys and part-exchanges guitars, basses, amplifiers, effects, keyboards and a wide range of musical equipment.

Contact our team for a no-obligation valuation.

PART EXCHANGE / TRADE-IN

If you already own a guitar or other musical equipment you are considering replacing, Fair Deal Music can assess it for part exchange.

Trading in can remove the inconvenience of selling privately while allowing the value of your existing equipment to go directly towards your next instrument.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is this Epiphone B.B. King Lucille used?

Yes. This is a Pre-Owned Epiphone B.B. King Lucille in Very Good condition.

What finish does it have?

It has an Ebony finish.

Is it a B.B. King Signature model?

Yes. The Lucille is Epiphone’s tribute to B.B. King’s famous signature guitar.

Is it semi-hollow?

Yes. It uses semi-hollow construction with a solid centre block.

Why doesn't it have F-holes?

The closed top is a defining Lucille feature designed to help reduce unwanted feedback.

What is the scale length?

It uses a 24.75" scale length.

How many frets does it have?

It has 22 medium-jumbo frets.

What pickup configuration does it have?

It uses two humbuckers.

What exact pickups are fitted?

Epiphone changed the pickup specification across different Lucille production periods. As the year of this individual guitar has not been supplied, the exact pickup generation has deliberately not been guessed.

What fingerboard does it have?

Fingerboard specification also changed across Lucille production generations, so the exact material has not been stated without a confirmed year or serial number.

What is a Varitone?

The Varitone is a six-position tone-filtering circuit that provides several distinctly different frequency responses.

Can the Varitone be bypassed?

Yes. Position 1 provides the standard unfiltered pickup signal.

Does it have stereo outputs?

Yes. The Lucille provides mono and stereo output connections.

What is the TP-6 tailpiece?

The TP-6 is a stopbar-style tailpiece with individual fine tuners for precise tuning adjustment.

Does it have gold hardware?

Yes.

Does it require a battery?

No. The electronics are passive.

How much does it weigh?

This individual guitar weighs 9.24 lbs.

Does it come with a case?

Yes. A Gator hardcase is included.

Is the case the original Epiphone case?

It is supplied with a Gator hardcase, rather than being described as the original Epiphone case.

What condition is it in?

This example is in Very Good condition.

Is it suitable for blues?

Absolutely. The Lucille was designed around B.B. King’s requirements and is particularly well suited to expressive blues playing.

Is it suitable for jazz?

Yes. Its neck humbucker and semi-hollow construction are capable of warm, rounded jazz tones.

Can it handle rock?

Yes. The bridge humbucker and Varitone provide plenty of definition for classic rock and driven lead sounds.

Can I request a video demo?

Yes. A video demo is particularly worthwhile with a Lucille because it allows you to hear the different Varitone settings.

Can I part-exchange another guitar against it?

Yes. Fair Deal Music considers guitars and a wide range of other musical equipment for part exchange.