Airline Res-O-Glas
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Jack White used this guitar extensively in his live performances and recordings with the White Stripes. The Valco Airline, with its unusual design, plastic composition, and red color, became a key element in the duo’s look. It appears in numerous music videos, including those for “Seven Nation Army” and “The Hardest Button to Button,” and was featured in animated form during White’s cameo on an episode of The Simpsons.
Technical Description:
Semi-hollow body with “Res-o-Glas” molded fiberglass top and back, maple body core and neck, rosewood fingerboard; 25 in. scale; red body; bolt-on steel-reinforced neck with zero fret and pearloid block inlays; asymmetrical headstock with embossed plastic "Airline" logo; two large single coil pickups, three-way selector switch, two volume and two tone controls on upper bass bout, master volume control on lower treble bout; wooden floating bridge, nickel tailpiece, pickup covers, and Kluson tuners, white plastic pickguard with black border, white plastic knobs with silver caps
Technical Description:
Semi-hollow body with “Res-o-Glas” molded fiberglass top and back, maple body core and neck, rosewood fingerboard; 25 in. scale; red body; bolt-on steel-reinforced neck with zero fret and pearloid block inlays; asymmetrical headstock with embossed plastic "Airline" logo; two large single coil pickups, three-way selector switch, two volume and two tone controls on upper bass bout, master volume control on lower treble bout; wooden floating bridge, nickel tailpiece, pickup covers, and Kluson tuners, white plastic pickguard with black border, white plastic knobs with silver caps
Artwork Details
- Title: Airline Res-O-Glas
- Artist: Valco Manufacturing Company
- Artist: Jack White (American, born Detroit, Michigan, 1975)
- Date: 1964
- Geography: Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Medium: Fiberglass, maple, rosewood, plastic, metal
- Dimensions: Length: 39 3/4 in. (101 cm)
Width: 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)
Depth (incl. hardware): 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm)
Weight: 3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) - Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: Courtesy of Jack White
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments