[1] The Chet Atkins CE was the original nylon string version of 1982 and possibly the first of its kind.

The SST was offered in five finishes: natural, ebony, white, burgundy and cherry sunburst.

It had mother of pearl inlays on the fretboard, headstock, and bridge and features gold plated hardware.

Early models had an ornate headstock and a fake sound hole with the knobs mounted on the front of the guitar.

The SST quickly became popular among rock and country players because high volume levels could be reached without any feedback, whereas most traditional acoustic electrics will emit moderate to high levels of feedback when they come near amplifiers, speakers or microphones.