“I said, ‘I used to have a Les Paul Custom and I sold it like an idiot.
The Murphy Lab-aged LP faithfully recreates the original model, but Clapton has added a few personal modifications to the reissue.
Gibson has had quite the week. On Tuesday, it was showing off the prowess of its Bozeman, Montana acoustic guitar Custom Shop with the launch of the Brian May SJ-200 12-String, and now it’s the Murphy Lab in Nashville’s turn to show off with a meticulous Murphy Lab replica of one of the most hallowed electric guitars in Eric Clapton history – his 1958 Les Paul Custom.
This Les Paul Custom bore the serial number 8 6320, was bought during Cream’s inaugural tour of the USA, and was used throughout the recording sessions for Disraeli Gears, before it was gifted to Albert Lee in 1979.
Clapton took it on tour with Delaney & Bonnie, appeared with it on a number of occasions during the late ‘60s and throughout the ‘70s, before giving it to Albert Lee in 1979.
Perhaps most notably, it was played by Clapton when he toured with Delaney & Bonnie, and during the Live Peace in Toronto concert, where Slowhand played alongside John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Klaus Voorman and Alan White.
And now, if you can stump up the asking price of £17,499/$19,999 and find one of just limited edition beauties, you can own it, too. Note: they’re only making 150 of ‘em.
Judging from some archive pictures, Clapton had removed the pickguard and the pickup coverings, but these had been reinstated over the years and this comes setup in its original configuration.
It has a one-piece body carved from “ultra-light weight” mahogany – it will be interesting to put one of these on the scales. The multi-ply binding has been applied to the top of the body and even with that aged finish there is something special about a Custom's Ebony paint job and binding, inlays and gold hardware.
Credits: Musicradar / GuitarWorld
