Well, it’s that time again folks… time for the boys and girls with the big bucks to throw down some serious scratch on yet another pre-destined collector’s item––Gibson’s new limited run Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood.
All right, while I’m fairly sure I myself will never purchase one of these Artist Replica-type instruments, I can certainly see the appeal… it just seems a real shame that most of them will never actually get played, and will more than likely while away their years on a collector’s wall.
Then again, next to some recent forays into big name replicas (remember Fender’s $24,000 Blackie replica?) the Jeff Back ’54 Oxblood looks almost affordable at an MSRP of $8235. Hahaha.
Based on the heavily modified ’54 Les Paul that Beck picked up at a Memphis, Tenn. music store back in the ’70s, the Jeff Beck Oxblood will feature a deep chocolate-brown finish (apparently Oxblood in the right light,) a pair of Gibson’s top-of-the-line Burstbucker PAF reproductions (the guitar had it’s original P-90s swapped out before Beck even purchased it,) and a slightly thinner rounded ’50s neck shape (another pre-Beck alteration.)
Other features will include a single-piece light mahogany back, accurately-carved maple top, mahogany neck with long-tenon neck joint, and a light-aluminum wrapover bridge.
And if that weren’t enough, here’s the final skinny from Gibson––
Available in very limited numbers, the Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood from Gibson Custom will come in two different series. The first 50 of these historic guitars will be carefully aged by the master luthiers at Gibson Custom to look exactly like Beck’s original, then personally hand-signed, numbered and played by Beck himself. The next 100 guitars will be prepared with Gibson Custom’s pioneering V.O.S. finish, bringing the total run to just 150 rare instruments. Each one also comes with a specially produced Gibson Custom case with Beck’s signature silkscreened on the top, a custom care kit and a certificate of authenticity.
I’m happy to note that unlike some previous big name replica sales, Guitar Center doesn’t appear to be the exclusive dealer for the Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood (exclusivity on this scale just seems a bit un-democratic to me)––but don’t quote me on that.
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January 22nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Whoa! How does this work? Isn’t JB married to Fender, with an Artist model there? Talk about having your cake and eating it too– there must be a great story behind how he’s managing to work both Gibson & Fender.
Good for Jeff!
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Man I’m getting tired of all of these unaffordable artist models – I understand it’s business and if that’s what it takes to stay afloat in this economy I’ll go along with the program – so long as there are options for us “poor” people.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:53 pm
GRIMM, that’s really not a bad price for a custom Gibson. Most of their customs run above $5000, so this isn’t that bad a price comparatively. Especially considering the Fender’s that Cary mentioned. Regardless of price, this LP looks awesome! It’s too rich for my blood, but I’d love to have one of these.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:32 am
True Josh, comparatively it’s not bad – and if I consider the total amount of money I’ve spent on gear and guitars over the years the price tag for a custom model isn’t that far out of reach. So maybe if I don’t make any more purchases in the next couple of years I can get me a Custom Shop LP! That cheered me up.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Ho hum….it’s a black Les Paul with humbuckers. I can get a black LP Studio for…oh, that’s right, about $1000. So I could have 8 of those guitars or one of these? Please, this is not even up for discussion.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
hahaha… so true, so true ;)
February 14th, 2009 at 5:21 am
Type in Dick Wyzanski on internet go to his website Jeff Beck news bulletin#15 for real real story of oxblood les paul so you can find out Strings and Things took my solid black 54 les paul I traded them,had their craftsman Teddy Paige do it chocolate brown we called it(Jeff told me personally it was oxblood and he is an expert with paint colors being a hot rodder,we’ve been friends going on 40 years.)You will find out the story of Strings and Things SELLING it to him is INACCURATE!!!! and that I got it back from Charlie Lawing a then co-owner of the store after customer did not like it and I DID,and after having it back for weeks sold it to Jeff the day after seeing him play in Little Rock Ark.with BBA,when he called me on my home phone wanting to go look for a les paul to fatten up his 3 piece sound with BBA in front of a hot rod shop in Memphis after he saw nothing he wanted at S&T’s which I took him to or 2 other music stores after that.Don’t be afraid to find out the truth,please just do it then decide for yourself am I accurate or the person telling the story on S&T’s site. I’m 100% confident you’ll decide the correct answer.P.S. after seeing this bogus story on the S&T site for years and now all these other sites promoting the oxblood you would want the record set REALLY straight too if you were me. sincerely BUDDY DAVIS Memphis Tenn.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I wouldn’t mind having a guitar that Jeff Beck played and signed. That in itself would be trey inspirational. I once got to play a Les Paul that had been one of Jimmy Pages, given as a gift to Trevor Rabin. Awesome enough that Trevor let me play it in the first place! But I swear I felt a lot of inspiration just holding the thing.
Sure it’s a lot of money but lots of people go through that much in dope in a few months so better to put it into a special axe and then play the heck out of it.