One of the earliest Rick Turner guitars ever built, this authenticated 1980 Baritone Model 1 is a museum-level rarity from the dawn of his independent career

1980 Rick Turner Model 1 Lindsey Buckingham (Baritone)

A superb and exceptionally rare early Rick Turner baritone/bass VI guitar (serial number 80 116), built in 1980.
This great rarity is a lightweight at 8.00 pounds and features a 12 1/2 inch wide, 2 3/8 inch deep, solid mahogany body with a high gloss finish in the typical Lindsey Buckingham style. The guitar is 44 inches in length and has a three-piece maple neck with two mahogany inserts and a splice-jointed headstock. The neck has a scale length of 31 3/4 inches, a nut width of 1 9/16 inches and a thin-to-medium profile, rising gently from 0.80 inch behind the first fret to 0.94 inch behind the 12th fret. Slab rosewood fingerboard with 24 medium jumbo frets and New Zealand Paua shell dots and side markers. Headstock with inlaid Turner “sun-lion” emblem, and “Turner” engraved vertically. Individual gold Schaller tuners with hexagonal metal buttons. Single large custom rotating Turner low-impedance pickup with black plastic cover, output measured at 19.36k. The two potentiometers are stamped "134 8026" (Centralab June 1980). Original Leo Quan “Badass” Tune-o-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece; two chrome control knobs (volume and tone). Housed in a modern black shaped hardshell case with five latches and black plush lining (9.50) (supplied by Renaissance Guitars ex Rick Turner).

Historical Context. This remarkable instrument dates from the second year of Rick Turner’s independent production (he began building under his own name in 1979) and represents one of his earliest experiments in extended-scale guitars. Closely related to the iconic Model 1 made famous by Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, this rare baritone variant- with its extended 32 inch scale - was designed for lower tunings, offering deeper tonal range and broader expressive possibilities.

Provenance & Condition. Privately held for over three decades before being acquired by Fretted Americana, Inc. in 2025. Inspected and set up by the Renaissance Guitar Company (successor to Rick Turner Guitars), whose records confirm its originality. Minor evidence of careful use; hardware lightly tarnished; finish clean and lustrous. The guitar had been stored without a case for much of its life; the present modern case was supplied by Renaissance.

Rarity & Significance. Serial number “80 116” places the instrument within Turner’s first year of full production. Baritone Model 1s were made only in vanishingly small numbers; few, if any, from 1979–80 have surfaced publicly. The survival of the original Leo Quan “Badass” bridge - a defining boutique innovation of the 1970s, adopted by Alembic and other West Coast builders - underscores its period authenticity. This is one of the most elusive and collectible of his instruments.

Tuning Note. With its extended scale, the guitar was conceived for lower tunings, typically a fourth or fifth below standard (e.g., B–B or A–A). The combination of mahogany body, laminated maple/mahogany neck, and Badass bridge provides both depth and clarity, making it ideally suited to studio use and live performance. The guitar has been set up with Ernie Ball 13,18, 30, 44 56 & 72 - six string baritone slinky strings.