Aged Slash Les Paul (Appetite Tour) by Gibson Custom Shop / Tom Murphy

The new Slash "Appetite / Derrig" Les Paul which is expected pretty soon is setting the blogosphere and twittosphere on fire. But while you wait for its release, .

Only 100 were produced (this is #86) and they look exactly like the one Slash used for the tour that set Guns n' Roses on the map of Rock n' Roll. Completely battered out, with more scars, dings, cigarette burns and buckle rash than an 80's GnR groupie.

I own a similar VOS model and it rocks your socks and your next door neighbor's socks off. Heavy stuff. Shoot vodka bottoms up, hit a loud A chord and have your eyes pop out.

And go rob a bank, because that baby is worth a nifty $9,800 - you have the option of making an offer...



Check out this Gibson Custom Shop SLASH Les Paul, Tom Murphy-Aged

Slash and the Apetite Les Paul prototype at NAMM

If like me you couldn't be at NAMM, here is a picture of Slash and a prototype of the much anticipated "Apetite for Destruction" Les Paul reissue. I would guess that this is the Gibson USA model and that the previous "sneak peak" was the Custom Shop version based on the colors (softer look for the Custom Shop).

All the details about the new Slash Les Paul here.



If you're interested by previous Slash models, have a look on eBay.

New Slash 2010 Appetite Les Paul Guitar

Gibson just released a preview of the new Slash signature Les Paul on their blog to announce the sneak peak they will host at NAMM this Saturday (with Slash himself visiting at 3.30pm if you're around).
They are confirming what we knew (see previous post): it's "inspired by the axe that the legendary Guns and Roses guitar hero played on the multi-platinum selling “Appetite for Destruction” album and practically every recording since".

It's gonna be out soon. Like the Slash model released in 2008, there will be different versions to cater to every wallet: the Slash “Appetite for Destruction" Les Paul "will be released in the coming weeks in limited quantities from Gibson USA, Gibson Custom Division and from Epiphone."


It really looks like the Derrig replica that Slash owns (as shown on the left), very figured top, only in less orangey -which is a good thing, this is not the 80s anymore. I am a big fan of the zebra-pickups look.

One thing to notice is that the Slash model will have Slash's "smoking skull" signature on the head which I am not a big fan of. That being said, I am guessing this is only on the Gibson USA and Epiphone models. I imagine the Custom Shop version won't have it and will look like the real deal therefore.

My 2008 Custom Shop Slash Signature has the classic "Les Paul model" peghead with the regular "Standard" trussrod cover. That's how it should be.

Gibson has also released the official specs:

• Traditional style weight relief Mahogany body with AAA Figured Maple top
• Unique neck profile made for Slash features rounded 60’s shape
• Rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid inlays
• Un-burst top with faded cherry back lacquer finish
• Slash signature smoking skull with top hat artwork for peghead face
• New Seymour Duncan Slash Signature Alnico II pickups
• Special capacitors selected by Slash for vintage tone
• Tone Pro hardware with historic machine heads, locking bridge and tailpiece

I'm now awaiting the price for this new iconic guitar to see if I'm going to complete my Slash Signature collection.

Slash, a new signature guitar. Again! And it's a Les Paul

UPDATE: Gibson has confirmed the Slash "Apetite" Les Paul is coming out soon (with a picture and the specs).

Another of Slash's iconic Les Paul is about to be reissued... on the heels of the Jimmy Page #2.

Slash is not hiding that he is working with the Gibson Custom Shop to produce a new Les Paul model. He has been tweeting about it and leaving clues for a while.

So what do we know so far:

The Man revealed on Twitter:

Just checked the new "Slash model" prototype LP, its really nice. Making a few tweaks etc, will keep you posted.

And then added:

it is a replica of my '86 Les Paul that I use to record with, its an amazing sounding guitar.

Below is a shot of Slash with that guitar, "Slash's 1959 reissue custom. Made for him in 1987"(through Guitar Center twitpic account).


>> Look at Gibson Slash Les Pauls now available on eBay

There should be an Epiphone model like in the previous two releases in 2008 (the Goldtop and the "1989" model):

@douglas713. I'm pretty sure there is going to be an Epi model.

This guitar would be a fitting addition to my collection which features the Slash Goldtop and Slash VOS. However, I'm a little pissed off that Gibson and Slash are creating another Slash signature guitar already. It's just been 2 years since the reissue of the Les Paul he took on tour for "Appetite for Destruction". Slash is definitely milking it right now: new Gibson Les Paul signature, new Marshall Amp signature, new Seymour Duncan signature pickups.

Slash will announce this and that at NAMM pretty soon:

To those of you who have been inquiring, I'll be announcing the new "Slash" Marshall & Les Paul at NAMM, Sat, Jan 16th.

I'm also announcing a new signature series Seymour Duncun pick-up at NAMM as well.

2010 Prediction: expect more bragging from Slash about his fast cars on Twitter soon (like here).

In the meantime, you can check out the Gibson Les Paul Traditional Pro which looks really like a Slash LP. And see you in 6 months for the Guns n' Roses Reunion special limited edition.

For those interested in the "Slash" signature Marshall Amp:

First:

@jamesstu22. Its based on the Marshall
JCM 800 I used to record "Appetite for Destruction"

Then:

@susan01563. I do, I used it for this
last record I just did. As well as all the post "Appetite" GNR & Snakepit
& VR

About the Seymour Duncan (which will be regularly available, not a limited edition), here:

These are matched exactly to my '86 Alnico 2's wind for wind & sound identical.

Jimmy Page #2 Les Paul - a truly iconic guitar reissued by the Gibson Custom Shop

Wow. Jimmy Page #2 Les Paul is about to be re-issued in a very limited release. This Gibson Custom Shop series will include:

• 25 Aged and Signed guitars
• 100 Aged models
• 200 VOS models

Any Jimmy Page guitar, and especially a Les Paul, is truly iconic. I can't think of better guitars to post about in this blog. I covered Page's black beauty Les Paul custom earlier this year - these fetch about $50k and more on eBay routinely. So the #2 reissue is bound to be a good investment.

>> Search Jimmy Page Les Paul guitars now listed on eBay.

The story of the Jimmy Page #2 is nicely narrated on Gibson's site as they celebrate Page's 40-year Les Paul legacy:

Soon after making Led Zeppelin II Page acquired a second Les Paul Standard he dubbed “Number 2.” He had its neck shaved to emulated “Number 1” ’s distinctive profile, and installed push-pull pots to coil split the guitar’s humbuckers. After Led Zeppelin disbanded he had phase and series switches installed beneath the pick guard. But before Zeppelin’s dissolution, “Number 1” and “Number 2” helped Page and his self-made supergroup create rock ‘n’ roll history for seven more awe inspiring, timeless albums.

Regarding the specs, to sum up:

• New Page humbucking pickup in the bridge position (treble)
• Regular Page humbucker in the neck position (rhythm)
• Pull-up Tone pots to split pickups to single coil
• Pull-up Volume pots to engage parallel mode (hum reduction)
• What really makes this guitar special is the couple of switches hidden under the pickguard: when pushed, th first one activates a "series/parallel" mode and the second one a phase reversal.
• And...this guitar is beautiful with great woods and lots of style (50's era LP Standard, treble pickup cover removed as is characteristic of Page)

Now, as for the price, I haven't got more indication from my guy at Guitar Center than it should be in line with the Billy Gibbons Pearly Gates Les Paul reissue. For sure it's gonna cost you more than a whole lotta love to play guitar god a la Stairway to Heaven. As a comparison, the Jeff Beck Oxblood reissue Aged and Signed (a series of 50) was going at $25,000 at Guitar Center.

There are always a few Jimmy Page signature or reissue models on eBay which are beautiful to look at (don't drool on your keyboard). See a few current postings below:




By the way, if you're into coil splitting pull-up knobs, I suggest you look at the Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro I covered sometime ago. Closest Les Paul model you'll find, beautiful guitar - and way cheaper.

And thanks Jeremy for the tip.

Billy Gibbons Les Paul Standard now has its page on Gibson.com - Say hi to Pearly Gates

Just 2 weeks ago, I announced my guy Jeremy was starting taking orders on the Inspired By ZZ Top Billy Gibbons Les Paul Standard Reissue.

Now the "Pearly Gates" page has gone live on Gibson.com featuring this new Gibson Custom Shop release: The '59 Les Paul Standard with 'Divine Connections'

Which is which?
Maybe you'll end up with the real one ;)

The page has a lot of info about the work involved to reproduce the flamed top and the exact burst of this Les Paul and about the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbuckers.

This is, like the Jeff Beck model, a limited run edition with VOS/aged/signed&played offering:

The Billy Gibbons ‘Pearly Gates’ Les Paul Standard will be produced in a very limited quantity of only 350 guitars – 250 will receive Gibson Custom’s patented V.O.S. finish, 50 will be aged to look exactly like the original Pearly Gates, and another 50 will aged and personally signed and played by Gibbons himself.

The VOS is available at $7,999:
Buy Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul VOS Electric Guitar Billy Gibbons Burst

The Aged model is available at $10,999:
Buy Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul Aged Electric Guitar Billy Gibbons Burst¹

And the "Aged, Signed and Played by Gibbons himself" model will cost you $17,999:
Buy Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul Aged/Signed Electric Guitar Billy Gibbons Burst¹

What scratch?

But don't be shy and go talk to Jeremy about your Pearly Gates. Or any other guitar. He is great.

More Sparkle: Les Paul Standard by the Gibson Custom

Ending the "Sparkle Les Paul" week here at IconicGuitars.

I now bring you the very rare to follow on the Les Paul Special Red Sparkle and the Les Paul Custom Red Sparkle -also by the Custom Shop.


Apart from the gold hardware which I am no fan of, this 2008 Les Paul Standard is an interesting and unique guitar with this dark green sparkle finish on all its surface (body, back, neck, headstock). This seems to be a custom order with the following feats:

• Special Ordered Emerald Sparkle Finish with no Pickguard
• Mahogany body with carved maple top
• Long Neck Tenon
• 50's rounded mahogany neck
• Dark Rosewood fretboard with trapezoid inlays
• Gold hardware
• Gibson '57 Classic Pickups

Price tag is a bit high at $2,995. Had I that kind of money now, it would probably go towards a Gibson Custom Shop '58 re-issue. But still, if you want a unique guitar and this finish is your bag, you'll probably the only one out there with such a guitar! Full listing here.

Bob Marley Les Paul Special re-issue by Gibson Custom Shop

UPDATE: the auction for the guitar described below has now closed. >> Search Bob Marley Les Paul guitars currently listed on eBay.

Just 3 hours left to grab .

I am a big fan of the Les Paul Special and its bare bone tone and appearance. It was the topic of one of my very first posts. Bob Marley's Special, which he called the "Old Faithful" is a beautiful example of the warm tone you can get through the simple mahogany wood and P-90's that make the core of the Les Paul Special.

Marley had made some modifications to his Special, including:

• aluminum pick guard and pickup selector cover
• headstock binding
• brass nut
  

These details are captured in the reproduction of this guitar by the Gibson Custom Shop on auction.

because these are pretty rare.

Red Sparkle Les Paul Custom by the Gibson Custom Shop

It's Red Sparkle Les Paul week here. Almost.

This 2009 Les Paul Custom popped in an eBay search. Just had to top yesterday's Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Special.

This one is also a rare model created by the Gibson Custom Shop. It hovers around the same price at $2,400.

From the listing: "it has a beautiful Red Sparkle finish throughout the body, back, and neck. This one is a real beauty and rare." - I agree!

Don't you think the red sparkle goes so well with the triple binding and gold hardware?

Les Paul Special Red Sparkle by Gibson Custom Shop

A very rare finish for this beautiful Les Paul Special. The Gibson Custom Shop was inspired to choose this Red Sparkle finish.

I really like Les Paul Special's - even better with a double cutaway but this single cutaway will do. The single piece of wood (no carved table as found on other Les Paul's), the bolt-on pickguard and the single-coil P90 pickups scream simplicity. And they are lighter than a regular Paul which is always enjoyable.

This sparkling finish is really fun and puts a different spin on this icon - this can't be confused for Bob Marley's Special. It's more glam than reggae.

You have 2 days to bring home this guitar from Oz. Follow the yellow brick road! We're off to see the wizzard...

Mark Knopfler 1984 Les Paul Reissue - please, Gibson Custom Shop!

Just thinking out loud: wouldn't it be cool to see a reissue of the Les Paul used by Mark Knopfler for Money for Nothing on Brother in Arms created by the Gibson Custom Shop?


I mean, the Gibson Custom Shop have launched so many Inspired By guitars from legendary rock players just in the past 12 months: Slash, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Robby Krieger...

I'd so like to see a reissue of that guitar that sends shiver down my spine every single time I hear Money for Nothing - you know just after that crazy keyboard and drum intro when these crazy things stop and that beautiful G guitar riff kicks in.

Very often when I try out a Les Paul, I use that riff. Not passing the "Money for Nothing" test is a deal breaker.

And don't even mention the song Brothers in Arms. To me, one of the most beautiful guitar parts ever recorded -the tone, the melody, the feel.

So, I tried to find out a bit more about this particular Les Paul that Knopfler used. While MK owns both a 58 and a 59 vintage Les Paul, then he used a reissue built in 1984 -I'm guessing he didn't have the "real deal" then. So this baby was almost brand new by the time of recording. I hear people complaining all the time about the quality of Gibsons from the 80's. Definitely, this one received particular attention (maybe some sort of masterbuilt).

From this very antique website:

This is a reissue of a late 50ies Les Paul Standard, built in 1984.

Mark used it a lot on Brothers in Arms (Money for Nothing, Brothers in Arms).

This picture was taken on Live Aid in 1985.

Sure, I don't know what a 2009 reissue of a 1984 reissue of a 1959 Les Paul would be like but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one to put my name on the list for one of those.

So, pleeeease Gibson Custom Shop, get this on your todo list if it's not already there! By the way, my birthday is at the end of July...just saying.

No join me all of you: I WANT MY. I WANT MY RE-ISSUE!

Billy Gibbons Pearly Gates 1959 Reissue Gibson Les Paul - Taking Orders!

My friend Jeremy the Tone Baron is taking orders for the new Gibson Billy Gibbons Pearly Gates 1959 Reissue Les Paul!


Jeremy is MY guy at Guitar Center Manhattan. He is cool and always has the info I am looking for, as well as the guitar I -don't always know- am looking for :)

He has more details about the Billy Gibbons reissue on his blog especially the serial numbers Guitar Center is going to receive:

Aged/Signed $17,999.99 GC will be receiving #2-#14 (no #13 serial)

Aged $10,999.99 GC will be receiving #2-#14 (no #13 serial)

VOS $7,999.99 GC will be receiving #2-#51

So get in the game and contact him now if you're interested.

Jeremy also has a nice '59 Les Paul Reissue in Scotch Burst - a very nice color. See it by yourself:


UPDATE: Billy Gibbons Les Paul Standard now has its page on Gibson.com - Say hi to Pearly Gates

Jimmy Page signed Les Paul at $45k

UPDATE: the auction for the guitar described below has closed.
>> Search Jimmy Page Les Paul guitars now listed on eBay.

Big WOW. A Jimmy Page signature Black Beauty Les Paul Custom "signed and played by Jimmy Page himself" is up for grabs on eBay.

That is, if you have $45,000. Yep, you got that right 45 followed by three zeros. That beats the $25,000 for a brand new Jeff Beck Oxblood. But this one has a Bigsby, right.

This is number 20 of 25 according to the vendor, who also suggests fingerprints on this guitar are likely Jimmy Page's. Yes, the Jimmy Page. HIS fingers! Extract of the listing below.

A brand new Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page "Signed" Les Paul Custom VOS Electric Guitar with Bigsby. Yes this is one of the rare signed and played by Jimmy Page himself. His signature is on the back of the headstock...Collector owned and never played. In fact it has only been handled 2 times, when first purchased and to take these pic's and only with cotton gloves on. So most likely the fingerprints that are on it are from Jimmy Page! Auction includes every piece of documentation that came with including the signed COA and Gibson custom shop case with silk-screen JP signature on the outside. It will ship in the original Gibson box it came in. This is # 20 of 25 made worldwide...

I also didn't know the original guitar had been stolen back in the days:

In the early days of Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page relied heavily on a three-pickup 1960 Les Paul custom "Black Beauty" with a Bigsby tailpiece. Unfortunately, the guitar was stolen in 1970 at an airport and never recovered. Page has always felt that that particular electric guitar was "the one that got away."

Anyway, if you acquire this truly iconic guitar or own one of the other 24 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul's in that series and you dare play it, you are invited to post a video here. I would be honored.

Unique Designs - Gibson Les Paul Auction Week End, Part I

As part of our Gibson Les Paul Auction Week End, here are a few Les Paul with very unique designs. Most are limited or very limited series, some by the Gibson Custom Shop.

These are a bit pricey - between $1,500 and 2,250. But each is one of a kind and looks amazing. Be quick to bid because that's the rule of the Gibson Les Paul Auction Week End: most of these expire in the next 24 hours!

'08 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Silver/Black Sparkle

Gibson Les Paul Indian Head Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Antique Classic Zebra Top Guitar

2004 Gibson Les Paul Standard LIMITED-Black Cherry

eBay thingie to help you track the auctions from here

$25k for a Signed Gibson Jeff Beck 54 Oxblood

I didn't post about the Les Paul 54 Oxblood Inspired By Jeff Beck model when it was first announced by the Gibson Custom Shop.

But today, I just realized that GuitarCenter.com was selling a signed aged version for a mind blowing $25,000!

Ok, Beck's 54 Les Paul is a unique model just for its story before and with Beck. And sure, the specs are very specific as a result: a 54 Les Paul routed for humbuckers with two refinish ending in a peculiar color. So, of course, when the Custom Shop decides to build a few replicas (150) of this unique model, these are going to be unique guitars. And then pick a few (50, pictured left) to be aged by Gibson master luthiers to look exactly like the real one. And then get those signed and played by Beck, a living guitar icon. That's huge.

But is it worth $25k? Can anyone afford this in this economy? Probably not as many as expected - as staggering as this price is, this is indicated as a price drop on GC's site.

If you really like this guitar but don't have this budget, you still have options: GuitarCenter.com still lists the non-signed non-aged version of this Les Paul Oxblood by the Custom Shop. The price tag is $7,000.

And if that is still too high, you can go with a previous re-issue by the Gibson Custom Shop. You can find those on eBay between $2,750 and $4,000 (as of writing). Note that these seem to be chambered Les Paul's. See below for current search results.