Ultimate Rhoads

On the way to a Guitar lesson in London (receiving one, not giving one) I got a text from my mate Simon, from the Gibson forum saying Roger, who we stayed with in the Summer (did a thread about it a while back) was friends with the people doing a London guitar auction. Anyway included in this auction was a Gibson 1959 Les Paul. The best bit was because Roger's knew the organisers, we were welcome to try anything we wanted!

Roger filmed the auction live for his internet site...

Anyway it was freekin brilliant I got my dream wish to actually play a 1959 Gibson Les Paul. It was estimated to go for £100000-£150000. It played like a ringing bell...beautiful!

The Holy Grail of electric guitars!


Played a Daniel Frederich Classical that was estimated at £8000-£10000, a truly amazing instrument!! Among these acoustics were 19th century Parlour guitars and rare luthier made Classical and Flamenco guitars.


This wall contained a host of mouth wateringly rare Fenders, Grestch's, Gibson and USA Epiphones from the 50's. Rare and expensive!








A 1963 Start and The 'Holy Grail'





The Hofner guitars below, despite being 50's and 60's models, just are not collectible the way Gibson and Fender guitars are. hesne price tags c.£400

Beautiful guitars! That moon one is crazy!

Matt you are one lucky son of a bitch getting to play one of them....

The flame top on that one is beautiful. How'd it play?

Man, I'd love to be able to get hold of one of them beasties (any 58 to 60 will do) as it'd sit nicely in my small collection. I think I'd just sit there and stroke it's fretboard, whilst purring.........Hmmmmmm, brings to mind Mr Tufnell (discussing his vintage Les Paul):

Nigel Tufnel: Look... still has the old tag on, never even played it.
Marty DiBergi: [points his finger] You've never played...?
Nigel Tufnel: Don't touch it!
Marty DiBergi: We'll I wasn't going to touch it, I was just pointing at it.
Nigel Tufnel: Well... don't point! It can't be played.
Marty DiBergi: Don't point, okay. Can I look at it?
Nigel Tufnel: No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.

Very nice indeed !!

ptate wrote:Hmmmmmm, brings to mind Mr Tufnell (discussing his vintage Les Paul):

Nigel Tufnel: Look... still has the old tag on, never even played it.
Marty DiBergi: [points his finger] You've never played...?
Nigel Tufnel: Don't touch it!
Marty DiBergi: We'll I wasn't going to touch it, I was just pointing at it.
Nigel Tufnel: Well... don't point! It can't be played.
Marty DiBergi: Don't point, okay. Can I look at it?
Nigel Tufnel: No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.

One of my favorite scenes for sure!

Matt,
How did it play?

Hi Patrick and Plate

It had type of resonance a very good quality Classical had; despite it's solid body (Gibson have 'swiss cheesed' and chambered guitars since the early 80's) you could hear every very note clearly (even unplugged).

The sustain was great and the highs were very 'bell like' and clear, where as the mids and lows were very rich.

Yes Ritchie,
A great guitar for sure

Matt

I know that feeling.
Wen´t to a music store here in Stockholm, Sweden saw that they had a 1961 Gibson Les Paul, which was the SG so the first year they were made.
I got to try it i promised the store manager to be real carefull.
The acoustic sound is great in theese old guitars with aged wood.

Wow that sounds great MrRhoads

Matt

i'm drooling over that 59

Good for you that you got to play it, let alone touch it!
With all the fakes out there that even fool the experts at times, I'm suprised no-one has tried to copy the '59 Les Paul.
My boss at work has a fake Rolex from Hong Kong and it cost him about 1/100th of the actual official price but it looks fantastic. Its even 'fooled' insurers it is THAT convincing. The 'fakers' have come a LONG way in 20 years!

Very cool!

With all the "talk" about 59 LP's you are now in a position to have your own valid opinion of the iconic model, very valuable realy

Heres the $100 question though (and being a gibson owner, one im sure you've already considered);

How much would you pay for it if it was a brand new guitar fresh outa the gibson factory? Just how good is it compared to what you already have?

Rob

hmmm, interesting question...

To be a devil's advocate smart ass; it couldn't reallyt sound as a 59 (a new one out the factory) as the maturity of the sound really cannot be mimicked with technology...but IF..IF it could...
maybe a few grand yeah c.£3000

If/when I come into some money one day; inheritance? I would seriously consider buying a 59 Les. I would consider it on loan to me, use it at home and look after it..then flog it 20 years later for a shed load of cash and buy a pizza restaurant

Matt

Cpt Matt Sparrow wrote:
If/when I come into some money one day; inheritance? I would seriously consider buying a 59 Les. I would consider it on loan to me, use it at home and look after it..then flog it 20 years later for a shed load of cash and buy a pizza restaurant

pizza restaurant? i like the sound of that

Rob

Cpt Matt Sparrow wrote: A 1963 Strat and The 'Holy Grail'

That's very much like what Gary Moore's choice of guitars were back in the early 80's when he was doing his Corridors of Power Victim of the Future tours. I'm not sure if Gary still has salmon pink strat but i think his Greeny LP was sold to help him pay for the costs of some gigs he had to cancel.

Rob, me and you can run it together!!! LOL