The Thrill Is Gone

The recording

B.B. King recorded "The Thrill Is Gone" in 1969 for the album Completely Well. He used his famed Gibson ES‑355 nicknamed “Lucille,” playing exclusively the neck humbucker pickup. The guitar was fed straight into a clean 1960s Fender Twin Reverb (some later accounts mention a Bassman, but the Twin Reverb is the most widely documented source). No effects pedals were employed; the tone relies on the guitar’s natural resonance, the amp’s clean headroom, and King’s signature hummingbird vibrato. Producer Bill Szymczyk added a string arrangement after the basic tracks were laid down, giving the final mix its dark, lush backdrop.

Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)·Strings 0.010‑0.044

Reported gear

Gibson ES-355 ('Lucille')

Guitar

B.B. King's signature semi‑hollow Gibson ES‑355, dubbed ‘Lucille’, provides the warm, singing tone heard on The Thrill Is Gone, with its humbucker neck pickup delivering rich sustain and a vocal‑like character.

Fender Twin Reverb (1960s)

Amp

A clean 1960s Fender Twin Reverb was used in the studio, offering a loud, articulate clean tone that let King's expressive vibrato and phrasing shine without any effects; some sources cite a Fender Bassman, but the Twin Reverb is the most consistently documented amp for this track.

Alternatives

Epiphone ES-355

Modern equivalent · for the Gibson ES-355 ('Lucille')

$700 to $900

Fender ’65 Twin Reverb Reissue

Reissue · for the Fender Twin Reverb (1960s)

$1,300 to $1,800

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Use the neck pickup for the warm, creamy tone that defines the track
2. 2.Control the guitar volume knob to shape dynamics and let notes swell naturally
3. 3.Apply the hummingbird vibrato—rapid, light finger flutter—to add vocal expressiveness
4. 4.Let each note ring; avoid playing fast passages that blur the melody
5. 5.Keep the amp clean and resist adding pedals; let the guitar’s natural sustain shine