$325,000 for a vintage 1960 Gibson Les Paul

Hm hm. Not sure who can afford to spend $325,000 on eBay, but that would buy you . Looking at the pics, it could be a reissue just out of the Gibson Custom Shop for all I know - a 50-year guitar without a scratch!

The question is: would you dare playing it?

Besides, it has the original case and case candy. It's really like if someone had bought that guitar and put it in a vault in 1960 with instruction to take it out only in 50 years. Too bad it hasn't seen much daylight though: the sunburst has not faded - that's how I like my Les Paul's...

Anyway, at that price, the buyer will probably want to do some due diligence but if it is indeed the real deal, that's a worthy investment. Just put it in a vault with instructions not to open before 2060. That will be worth an even bigger boatload of cash. Rendez-vous then!

My Iconic Guitars: the Ibanez RG770 (my #1)

Ah, the Ibanez RG770 in sparkling red finish from 1992.

With the kids finally asleep and the wife taking a long shower, I feel I can relax, unwind, and reminisce my first guitar. An Ibanez RG 770, acquired in Paris in 1992 - the year I started playing. I still have it in storage somewhere in the family house.

I didn't think there was any value in that guitar although it's a good instrument until I was reminded of this guitar a couple of days ago. I saw that the RG770 model had actually been reissued.

Yes. R-E-I-S-S-U-E-D! The mark of a truly iconic guitar, right?

Check Ibanez RG770 guitars on eBay.

So the story of the RG line (which stands for Roadstar Guitar) starts with Ibanez moving away from copying US models in the mi-80's following a lawsuit brought by Gibson. They then moved to produce a string of superstrats including the RG (based on an earlier model designed with Steve Vai).

I read somewhere that the RG has become the line of guitars with the most models. And truly, this is the weapon of choice for metal teenagers - though I loved mine to play funk as well because you can combine the pickups in nice ways (in position 2 and 4 the selector switch splits the humbuckers and combines them with the middle single coil).

Not sure my own RG is worth much today, given that it's been pretty relic'd :)
And to be honest I wouldn't buy one today (the floyd-rose type tremolo is just a pain in the butt).

But the 24-fret flat slim "Wizard" neck was fun to play the crazy shit you like in your teenage years. And the looks were killer: red pickups, transparent pickguard, sharktooth inlays and that ruby red color!!!

Full specs are here (RG770 reissue).

For some fun, have a look at the RG770 page in the original catalogs from 1992 and 1993. I remember those - unfortunately it's hard to forget those greasy hair / badly dressed '80s metalheads :)

Check Ibanez RG770 guitars on eBay.

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.

Vintage 1962 Guild Starfire in original black finish

UPDATE: the auction for the guitar described below has closed. Browse vintage Guild Starfire on auction on eBay now!

An has been listed on eBay. While I have covered Guild Starfires in the past, that's the first time I see one with a black transparent finish. The seller is listing it as a "blackfire" and provides just a bit more information in the posting:

awseome collectable ebony grain starfire 2 or 3,(no bigsby)all original except the tuners,flamey on back especially,neck is super straight,life on orginal fretts,killer dearmonds, special color factory finish list for 2800$ in 2008 vintage guitar book! real clean cept for belt buckle typical back side marks from playing, neck and rest of guitar finish is original

More vintage Guild Starfire auctioned on eBay below.

'54 Fender Stratocaster - the Vintage Fender holy grail for $52,000

Iconic Vintage Fender alert!!! A . 1954 is the first year of production of this true icon of music and pop culture that the Strat is.
OK. It's not the holy grail of Fender guitars per se - that would be the 1953 prototypes of the Strat' (more on that in a later post). But this '54 guitar is still from a very limited production series and a very desirable addition to any guitar collection. That is, if you're a collector with $52,000 in your pockets!
From the posting, this one seems to have most of the original parts, including the case and is in very good shape. I wouldn't mind seeing this beauty under the Christmas tree tomorrow morning!

The seller would "really want this guitar to go to a player such as Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robin Trower, Eric Clapton, David Gilmore." and is asking "Are you out there guys?". Smart. Good luck with that. :)

As for the sound, it probably rocks. I own a Fender Custom Shop 1956 Strat' reissue (an expensive but still affordable guitar) and it is really awesome for blues, rock and funk. To get a flavor of a 50's strat tone, listen to the tune below which I recorded just with that 56 Reissue ("Song #22", one of my songs):





I am a sucker for beautiful Strats so check out previous posts about Fender Custom Shop reissues and vintage strats like this awesome Fender 69 Mustang in Placid Blue with Stripes.

And of course, eBay has plenty of other vintage Stratocasters.

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.

Awesome Fender 69 Mustang in Placid Blue with Competition Stripes and Matching Headstock

Well. It's all in the title: Awesome in placid blue with competition stripes and matching headstock.

Or almost. A few more interesting points about this really gorgeous vintage guitar, from the eBay posting:

• VERY RARE 21 FRET + 22 INCH SCALE NECK
• COMPETITION RACING STRIPE and MATCHING HEADSTOCK
• ORIGINAL SILVER HARD SHELL CASE

I really like Mustangs and their quirkiness (the shape, the electronics...) and I have a thing for stripes so I would totally reinvest my Google Adsense revenues in that guitar.... if they only amounted to the $3,479 asked for this vintage beauty. In the meantime, feel free to click on a few ads :)
Note that this guitar is not "mint condition" at all (massive impact on the side). Keep that pic for reference, relic pros :)





Other Mustang I covered in this blog