Chet Atkins became the world’s most influential guitarist on the strength of his impeccable thumb-and-finger picking guitar style, but he is equally important and influential for his guitar designs.
Hascal “Hack” Haile (1906-86) of Tompkinsville, Kentucky, didn’t begin making classical guitars until after he retired from the furniture business. His most famous client was Chet Atkins, and it was Haile who made Atkins’ prototype for the solidbody classical model (with piezo pickup) that Gibson introduced as the Chet Atkins CE model in 1981.
Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins
Tommy Emmanuel and Michael Johnson