The Coveted White (Creme) Les Paul

[roballyn]

A few weeks ago, as i watched the Quiet Riot Starwood show from Oct 26,1979, I made what i thought was a profound discovery. During Randy's solo, as he moves to his left side of the stage, there is ANOTHER WHITE LES PAUL sitting on a stand! After a phone call to a friend who works for Gibson, he told me that the guys from the Gibson Custom Shop viewed Randy's Les Paul in the presence of Randy's family and that it was the one and only. Is there anyone out there that knows anything about this? If you have a copy of this show, check it out for yourself. The actual dating of Randy's Les Paul has long been speculated, that is until Gibson FINALLY did Randy the honor he deserved. After seeing the video, my speculation was once again stirred.

[crumblycake]

A few weeks ago, as i watched the Quiet Riot Starwood show from Oct 26,1979, I made what i thought was a profound discovery. During Randy's solo, as he moves to his left side of the stage, there is ANOTHER WHITE LES PAUL sitting on a stand! After a phone call to a friend who works for Gibson, he told me that the guys from the Gibson Custom Shop viewed Randy's Les Paul in the presence of Randy's family and that it was the one and only. Is there anyone out there that knows anything about this? If you have a copy of this show, check it out for yourself. The actual dating of Randy's Les Paul has long been speculated, that is until Gibson FINALLY did Randy the honor he deserved. After seeing the video, my speculation was once again stirred.

Yah, just watched the video inquestion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNbUgsBUTtI

and at the 2:16 mark you can see the "other" Les paul. Someone commented that that was one of Randy's Student's.

[whoopiecat]

That's what I'd guess, too. Anyone would be more than happy to let someone of Randy's stature borrow their guitar as a backup. (local hero & teacher).

[axeman_12656]

I noticed that a couple of months ago and ment to make a thread about it. It is interesting cause it looks just like the same guitar lol.. kind of odd to say the least.

[Paul Wolfe]

I don't see it as odd at all. The band didn't have a lot of money, so randy had the one guitar. He borrowed another in case he needed a backup... nothing out of the ordinary at all.

[axeman_12656]

I don't see it as odd at all. The band didn't have a lot of money, so randy had the one guitar. He borrowed another in case he needed a backup... nothing out of the ordinary at all.

Good point.. But it makes you wonder. Of the pics we have seen over the years how many of them Randy is indeed playing the backup les paul, not his own.

[axeman_12656]

I don't see it as odd at all. The band didn't have a lot of money, so randy had the one guitar. He borrowed another in case he needed a backup... nothing out of the ordinary at all.

Good point.. But it makes you wonder. Of the pics we have seen over the years how many of them Randy is indeed playing the backup les paul, not his own.

[Paul Wolfe]

I don't see it as odd at all. The band didn't have a lot of money, so randy had the one guitar. He borrowed another in case he needed a backup... nothing out of the ordinary at all.

Good point.. But it makes you wonder. Of the pics we have seen over the years how many of them Randy is indeed playing the backup les paul, not his own.

Interesting point...

[roballyn]

of course, after reading the liner notes of Quiet Riot TRRY, it states that Randy played "an early 60's white Gibson Les Paul". That would make Randy's guitar quite possibly one of the rarest in the world, considering only 3 were shipped from Gibson in 1961, and those were most likely SG/Les Paul Customs (ie:Tony Iommi). Actual Les Pauls weren't produced again until '68. I'm not a conspiry(spelling) theorist, just a fact hound.

[GUITARIDOL5682]

Randy found out later that it was a '74 model. He always thought he had a 60's model. When he toured with Budgie in 1980. The guitarist 'JT' John Thomas, who is a guitar guru and collector told Randy it was a 74.

[The Katzenjammer Kid]

of course, after reading the liner notes of Quiet Riot TRRY, it states that Randy played "an early 60's white Gibson Les Paul". That would make Randy's guitar quite possibly one of the rarest in the world, considering only 3 were shipped from Gibson in 1961, and those were most likely SG/Les Paul Customs (ie:Tony Iommi). Actual Les Pauls weren't produced again until '68. I'm not a conspiry(spelling) theorist, just a fact hound.

Interesting because Gibson themselves recently stated that Randy played a 74 Custom. I always thought he had one the prized Les Paul's, but given the bands financial status the 74 makes more sense.

I found the link.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electri ... ustom.aspx

After forming Quiet Riot while still in his teens, Rhoads stepped up his game when Ozzy Osbourne asked him to audition for his own band in 1979. Along came Rhoads, a practice amp in one hand, and his beloved 1974 Les Paul Custom in the other

[roballyn]

I'm sure the Les Paul that Gibson viewed was Randy's prize guitar. My friend at Gibson assures me of that. And yes it's most assuredly a 1974 custom. I guess I just wanna know the origin of the other guitar in the video. Was it Randy's also? Was it a students? I know there are documented photos of Randy playing a natural Les Paul that belonged to Jodi Raskin's brother. I've still got a couple of sources I'm looking into, I'm just hoping someone on here has facts i don't have. I guess we all love Randy so much that we want to know all we can, and not just speculate.

[Paul Wolfe]

All we can do is speculate. Asking Frank Santa Cruz or Robert LaFonde is about as close to verification as you can get. If they were there and thought to ask Randy, "Hey, is that also yours?" Then you might know for sure, otherwise it's all speculation based on what has been reported in the past, which is that Randy would borrow a friends or students guitar as backup, just in case.

Chances are all of these would have been '70's models as they were living and playing in the '70's and older Les Paul Customs were rare.

[roballyn]

Thanks to Slingblade, my suspicions are riled again. check it for yourself. something i noticed, in many of his photos, there doesn't appear to be "RANDY RHOADS" on the pick gaurd. And trust me, I looked at every picture slingblade posted. Even in some of the blurry ones, you can still see the name on the pick gaurd. I just wonder if there is a "number 2" Les Paul. here's some evidence...check out what's sitting in the corner to Randy's right. Now i'm stirring the pot a bit. LOL!

[Efrum]

There's a black uncovered pickup in the bridge of the borrowed one. We'd be able to tell pretty quickly if this one was being played in any photos. That pickup would stick out like a sore thumb!