ALUMINUM-NECK ICON · 1970s ORIGINALS · MODERN TRAVIS BEAN DESIGNS
Travis Bean
Travis Bean is one of the rare guitar names where the construction can identify the instrument from across a room: an aluminum neck and center structure tied directly into the body and bridge. Original 1970s guitars and basses are collectible, while modern Travis Bean Designs revisits Bean’s later 1997 pan-back concept. If one appears in an estate or marketplace lot, stop before pricing it.
MODEL SEARCH
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OVERVIEW
What to know quickly
An original Travis Bean is not merely “an old heavy electric.” Model, serial, aluminum structure, original pickups/hardware and finish history can move value by thousands of dollars.
IDENTIFY YOUR GUITAR
Which Travis Bean do you have?
Start with the model family and serial, then document the aluminum neck/center structure, body wood, pickup configuration and hardware. Original TB1000S, TB1000A, TB500 and bass/Wedge models differ enough that generic Travis Bean comps are weak evidence.
- Find the model and serial. TB1000S, TB1000A, TB500, TB2000 and Wedge-family instruments have different production totals and market behavior.
- Photograph the aluminum structure. Get the headstock cutout, back of the neck, body interface and bridge/center section.
- Check pickup originality. Original Bean pickups are a major part of the instrument’s identity and value.
- Separate 1970s originals from modern builds. Travis Bean Designs uses a later pan-back concept with a machined 7075-T651 aluminum rear pan and contemporary construction details.
MODEL & CURRENT MARKET GUIDE
Original model first—then era
Vintage market examples checked October 3, 2026. Asking prices are not sold prices and unusual provenance, refinishes, missing pickups or rare variants can move value dramatically.
USED VALUE GUIDE
Start with the exact model
Travis Bean is a collector market with a relatively small population, so exact model and originality dominate. Current-market snapshots place clean TB1000 guitars far above ordinary used electrics, while altered/project examples can still carry substantial value because original parts are scarce.
- Find the complete model or component identity before comparing prices.
- Check the neck, frets, bridge, hardware and overall structural condition.
- Test pickups, switches, controls and output jack when electronics are present.
- Document cracks, repairs, refinishes, missing hardware and non-original parts.
- Compare the closest verified model or configuration with current and sold-market evidence.
CURRENT USED MARKET
See what the market is doing now
Thin or unusual markets reward exact searching. Use the full model name when possible and separate current asking prices from completed sales.
COMPARE
What else lives in this neighborhood?
These are research neighbors, not automatic substitutes. Match construction, era, condition and actual specifications before using another brand as a value comp.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Before you buy—or price—one
- Original pickups. Replacements or missing Bean pickups can materially affect collector value.
- Refinishes and extra routes. Old modifications are common; photograph every non-original hole, switch and finish change.
- Fretboard / neck condition. Inspect the bond and playing surface carefully; aluminum itself does not eliminate setup or fret issues.
- Weight and balance. These instruments can be heavy. Weight is a practical playability factor, not evidence of authenticity by itself.
- Modern-vintage confusion. A current Travis Bean Designs instrument is legitimate but belongs to a different era and construction story from a 1970s original.
HISTORY & COMMENTARY
The aluminum-neck experiment that became its own category
Travis Bean, Marc McElwee and Gary Kramer started Travis Bean Guitars in 1974. The original instruments used a machined aluminum neck/center structure extending into the body, creating a rigid mechanical path between the strings, neck and bridge. Production ended in 1979 after only a relatively small number of guitars and basses had been made.
In 1997 Travis and Rita Bean began developing a later concept in which the neck and rear body pan were machined from one billet. After Travis Bean’s death in 2011, Rita Bean and Kevin Burkett of Electrical Guitar Company revived that idea as Travis Bean Designs. Modern models therefore continue the name with a documented connection to Bean’s later work rather than pretending to be untouched 1970s production.
WHAT PLAYERS LIKE
Why a Travis Bean can be worth picking up
- Unique construction. The aluminum structure is not cosmetic—it defines the instrument mechanically and visually.
- Immediate identification. The headstock cutout and metal neck make many Beans recognizable even before the logo is read.
- Collector significance. Short original production and influential design give clean examples strong historical interest.
- Distinctive sound and sustain. The rigid metal structure is central to why players seek them out.
- Modern continuity. Travis Bean Designs gives the later 1997 pan-back concept a current, documented life.
CURRENT RETAIL & REFERENCE