Unique Burst Guitar Art Guitar Paint Job Les Paul Jr

When y'all walk around the guitar, it pulses nearly like blinds opening and closing – this top is hypnotic

We are led upstairs into the back room of a studio to encounter a very special guitar indeed. Following two years of enquiries and negotiations, the owner of the instrument – who wishes to remain anonymous – arrives promptly at this neutral location with two cases.

One is the dilapidated original and the other, more sturdy example contains the guitar itself. To our amazement, the possessor opens the case containing the guitar and immediately leaves the room for a short while in order for the states to become quietly acquainted with it. Only later practise nosotros consider the value of this spine-tingling moment, simply first a little history…

Of all the guitars that Paul Kossoff subjected to his trademark vibrato during his all-also-brief spell on the planet, it's the Les Paul stripped dorsum to a natural cease that he played at the Island Of Wight Festival back in 1970 that has been subject to the well-nigh speculation. Over the years, opinions take differed with regard to whether it started life as a goldtop or a sunburst, and the absenteeism of a serial number – missing following a refinish – has only served to stoke the fire. Was it made in 1958, 1959 or 1960? Is it the All Right Now guitar?

The battle-scarred lacquer on the headstock fascia is original

The primeval known photo of Kossoff using this guitar live was taken at the Golf-Drouot nightclub in Paris during shows on v-7 Apr 1969. It was also seen in May of that twelvemonth at Morgan Studios in London, hooked up to a wah-wah, likely during the session for I'll Be Creepin' or Carbohydrate For Mr Morrison. It would appear again the following year for the Top Of The Pops performance of All Right Now in June, on the German music bear witness Vanquish-Guild on 24 August and at the legendary Island Of Wight Festival on xxx August.

The recording sessions for Free'due south third album Fire And Water, which yielded All Right At present, had taken identify in the first half of 1970. At the time, Kossoff could accept called on either the stripped Les Paul or the 'darkburst' 1958 Les Paul he'd swapped with Eric Clapton for a three-pickup Les Paul Custom during Free's tour with Bullheaded Faith in the summer of 1969.

The back of the instrument is heavily worn

Which is the All Right Now guitar? Kossoff certainly leaned on the stripped Burst while miming his style through the ring's biggest hitting on Summit Of The Pops, and his connection with that particular musical instrument seems axiomatic from footage of Free's aforementioned Beat-Club performance. He also chose to utilise information technology for the Island Of Wight show, the biggest gig of the band's career at a festival attended past 600,000 people. Would the diminutive Kossoff, a man with relatively small easily, have opted to grapple with the larger neck of the darkburst '58 during long studio sessions?

It's well documented that addiction had begun to get the meliorate of Paul Kossoff by 1974. He sold a number of guitars, and 1 of them found its way to Orangish Music in London. That guitar was the stripped Les Paul. It was sold to one Mike Gooch for £500 on 21 September 1974. At the time, the frets were badly worn and Gooch'south begetter gave him an ear-bashing for spending and then much money on a beaten-up guitar.

The original Klusons were replaced in 1974

In 1975, a series of modifications were carried out by luthier Dick Knight. The instrument was refretted and refinished around the front merely not at the back. The original nickel-plated pickup covers and stopbar tailpiece were replaced with gold-plated hardware. Although the top was refinished, the back was probably merely lightly sanded, only the serial number was lost.

On 15 June 1975 Kossoff played Fairfield Halls, Croydon with his new outfit Back Street Crawler. Gooch took the stripped Outburst backstage to prove Kossoff, whose "eyes lit upwardly" as he offered the guitar's new owner £1,000 and a Gibson L5S in exchange for it, but Gooch declined. Some years passed, during which time the instrument was about stolen during a intermission-in – but another guitar that was lying on top of the stripped Flare-up's example was taken instead. A lucky escape indeed.

The wiring harness was re-soldered after the instrument was refinished

Gooch eventually decided to sell the guitar, and afterwards it went unsold by Sotheby's in London in 1993 it was bought for £12,000 at Christie's in May 1994. At the time of sale, the guitar still had a replacement chrome tune-o-matic span with retaining wire and nylon saddles.

Inside the guitar case was a worn ABR-1 span, believed to have bowed under Kossoff's heavy-approximate strings. The bridge was later on straightened out in a vice and refitted to match the look of earlier photos. In footage of Free's appearance on Top Of The Pops, the saddles are metallic (though some say nylon), while both the high- and low-E saddles appear to have been flipped.

Removing the toggle switch back plate reveals that information technology has never been de-soldered

Fast-forrad to 2017 and the guitar's highly flamed, natural-finish top is scenic to behold. Even though the refinish is over four decades one-time, the top is in very practiced status, but the back is a dissimilar matter and has remained original since Kossoff used information technology: the wear is substantial. We place the guitar onto a bench and take a weight measurement of 8.74lbs… it's time to go downwards to the nitty-gritty.

Span
The guitar's ABR-1 tune-o-matic span measures 83.ix×10.76mm. The B-string saddle has been replaced, there'southward another cut in the saddle that'due south in the wrong identify and the screw is slightly bevelled at the dorsum. The superlative-E saddle has not worn like the rest, which suggests this was a replacement. The measurement from threaded post to post is 75mm. It's worth noting here that this is the condition it was in when Mike Gooch purchased it – Kossoff in all probability could have used information technology like this.

The slotted screw head is thinner, suggesting it came off a non-original '59 ABR-1. If you bankrupt a string, these were hands lost. The span is at present almost completely without aureate plating, and the little that remains tin just be seen between the saddles and the lower part of the bridge. The fit on both threaded posts is tight, and underneath the thumbwheels there is some other ready screwed down to the top of the guitar – once again, this can be seen in some of the annal pictures.

The spare tune-o-matic bridge in the case with its retaining wire and nylon saddles dates from later on 1962, and is in fine status. Information technology has been said that Kossoff liked the mellowness of the nylon saddles.

Tailpiece
The terminate tailpiece is made from aluminium, and the gold plating has almost disappeared; it measures 101.72mm. It's anchored down by two worn steel studs, which are a very tight fit, and we'd await them to have a positive effect on tone. The tailpiece is raised simply slightly off the trunk, and the strings simply clear the bridge at the top back border.

C ontrol knobs
Incredibly, these are the original bonnet style. But every bit we spot that the rhythm book knob has been replaced, the owner produces the original! Apparently, it keeps falling off, but it's in fine condition with a lovely light-green tinge appearing around the bottom of the numbers. The control pointers are still in place, which is nice to meet. The knobs measure 18.72mm beyond the mid-department and 26.27mm across the lower skirt.

A combination of circumstance and instinct lead us to believe that this really was the guitar used to record the studio version of All Right Now

Toggle switch and poker chip
The toggle environment, or 'poker chip', is besides original and has faded, but on shut inspection you tin can still run into the lettering. In 1959, the typeface started to become more refined: the letter 'R' is slightly wider than in 1958. 1959 likewise saw the plastic start to get thinner, equally seen hither.

The bore is 33.34mm. The toggle switch tip has been replaced but, one time again, the original is in the instance. The switch works perfectly. Removing the toggle switch dorsum plate reveals that information technology has non been de-soldered, which gives us a inkling every bit to how the refinish could have been carried out.

The gold plating has almost worn off the tailpiece

PAFs and plastics
The neck pickup's gold-plated cover is now very worn, and the glimpse of a white bobbin can be seen effectually the low-E cord'southward pole-piece spiral. The possessor tells usa information technology's a double-white PAF. The pickup has a DC resistance of eight.38k ohms. The span pickup is similarly worn, with a black bobbin on the spiral-coil side. We're informed that it could exist either a double-blackness or zebra PAF. The DC resistance is seven.99k ohms.

During 1959, double white or zebra combinations were a mutual look, with double-black bobbins reinstated past mid-1960. The frequently-repeated story is that the company supplying the bobbins ran out of blackness paint in early on 1959, but Gibson didn't mind as the pickup covers would hide them. On zebra PAFs, the white bobbin is nearly always on the not-adjustable slug side, with just a few exceptions. We can't help just wonder if this was done for cosmetic reasons – a Les Paul Standard or Custom with a glint of white showing around the pole-pieces would non look as good as it would if the blackness coil was on the adjustment side.

The playing wear in the cutaway and around the cervix join is extensive

Were exceptions to this rule absent-minded mistakes on a repetitious product line? The M69 pickup rings wait great on this guitar. The neck surround shows excessive wear near the G, B and E strings, which is the expanse where Kossoff would play his solos. The plastic is rather thin, so we resist the urge to remove it and run the gamble of cracks appearing – we know what lies beneath.

It'south advisable to avoid taking the screws out of a vintage surround anyway, unless you know that the guitar has been out of its case for a couple of hours. This allows the cold plastic time to adjust to room temperature – and original plastics are expensive! The original jack socket plate has been replaced by a large, oversized i with slotted screws – information technology appears to be handmade, and around the jack socket nut there are fine cracks.

This guitar has seen plenty of playing time since the gold parts were fitted

Maple top
When was this guitar stripped of its end, and why? The truth is nosotros'll probably never know for certain, but information technology was a common sight to run into stripped finishes in the belatedly sixties – The Beatles were amidst those artists convinced that it fabricated their instruments audio meliorate.
The natural flame maple cap on this guitar is really hitting and is a quarter-sawn/flat-sawn pattern. When you walk around the guitar, it pulses almost similar blindsopening and closing – this top is hypnotic. Behind the bridge and tailpiece, holes take been filled where a Bigsby B7 was fitted.

Headstock
Taking a measurement on the low-E side shows a thickness of 16.26mm tapering towards the acme to fourteen.55mm. This is typical of headstock design on many Gibson guitars upwards until the early on 1960s. The blackness lacquer is original to when Kossoff owned the guitar: there are a number of cracks and enough of full general habiliment and tear, and effectually the
edge of the headstock the holly veneer is showing through.

Between the A-string tuner and B-cord tuner there is a small chip of missing lacquer, which is visible in photos and moving picture from around the time of the Beat-Club shows. Around 1974, the original Kluson tuners were replaced with Grover Rotomatics. The Grovers are smooth, but in the by the cord posts seem to take had larger washers fitted, every bit there are visible impressions in the lacquer. Looking at the back of the headstock, there are offset screw holes which indicate that betwixt the Klusons and the Grovers there was some other set, hence the lacquer impressions.

The guitar's four original Centralab pots date from September 1958

The nut width measures 42.56mm and is a bone replacement. Information technology is polished and the strings are spaced very well, just the slots are a little as well deep, particularly on the B and E strings, and a little too wide. The original nylon nut is also in the case. Nosotros're given permission to perform a truss-rod adjustment, every bit at that place is as well much cervix relief.

Neck and 'board
The Brazilian rosewood fingerboard is in very skillful condition with no serious inlay shrinkage. On the second fret, between the D and East strings, at that place is only a little habiliment on the rosewood – it'south remarkable that at that place isn't more habiliment hither, but that may have been down to Kossoff's fast vibrato. That said, it's not surprising that the guitar needed a refret when Mike Gooch bought it.

The frets were changed over again in 2009, and the job was very well done with nicely rounded fret ends. The bounden is original. When the fret ends were dressed and polished, some lacquer would naturally be lost, then the binding was masked off from the neck in the procedure and had some touch-up lacquer practical, which was very well done.

Before Kossoff owned this guitar, it was a sunburst – there are still signs of red lacquer in the control crenel and the toggle switch area. The lacquer on the back of the neck and torso is very road-worn, as yous would expect. The heel is quite large, but in that location is nothing unusual almost that, as you tin find variations throughout 1959.

The depth at the commencement fret is just over 20mm, filling out to 22.25mm at the 12th fret. Although this is a slimmer neck than your average '59, information technology's not unusual and the move towards the thinner profiles associated with 1960 Bursts was a transition rather than an abrupt footstep alter. Was the neck shaved equally has been suggested? There'south no physical testify to support that theory.

Back and sides
It's common for the backs of late-50s Les Pauls to vary in color from deep cherry to night chocolate-brown similar this 1. Mahogany has an even greater tendency than maple to oxidise and change colour over time, and exposure to UV rays breaks down the pigmentation. When the original sunburst finish on this guitar was stripped, the back of the guitar may have had an overspray whilst the work was washed to give cosmetic uniformity, which would lead to a loss of the serial number afterwards a calorie-free sanding, prior to spraying. There'due south no evidence of a consummate refinish.

The strap buttons are consistent with those in the Isle Of Wight picture show footage, and you can also come across unfilled holes from the Bigsby hinge plate. The neck joint expanse has lost almost all of its lacquer and y'all can encounter the nighttime dark-brown grain and cervix joint showing through.

Nether the plate
The owner preferred that the controls remained untouched, and then photographing the pot codes proved difficult, just after some prototype manipulation we managed to discern a '134839' stamp – four original Centralab pots from September 1958. Every bit nosotros've discussed before in these pages, information technology's common to encounter potentiometers with 1958 engagement stamps in '59 Les Pauls, equally Gibson tended to bulk-purchase components alee of production.

The pots were plainly taken out for the spraying work, but it seems that the toggle switch wiring was only pulled through the guitar after de-soldering on the book pots: there was no need to have the wire off the switch. When everything was reassembled, the plainly footing wire was replaced with orange insulating wire. The ground wire from within the body was soldered dorsum on. We're not sure why 1 of the orange wires is soldered to the braided wire when it should be on the back of the tin can, only it works just the same. The soldering won't win whatever prizes in a beauty contest, merely everything is secure nonetheless.

Guess who this case used to vest to…

Legendary sounds
Plugging this guitar into a Marshall was a must. On a clean setting, using the bridge pickup, every string is clear with loads of harmonics coming to the forefront as the chord dies away. The balance is superb, with the bass strings never fighting to be dominant. Every chord upwardly the neck produces a lively acoustic quality.

The middle position gives good balance between both pickups; information technology's a actually nice midrange sound with peachy depth, perfect for arpeggios or big chords and reminiscent of a big Gibson ES-350T. The rhythm pickup rewards you with thick warm overtones and none of that bass smash taking over the evidence (retrieve Free's Oh I Wept and y'all've got it).

The tone controls accept a lovely smooth roll-off rather than close-off, typical of the Sprague Bumble Bee capacitors. Moving over to crisis, we're reluctant to even attempt any Kossoff licks on this guitar, but talking with the owner virtually the fashion Kossoff played the opening A chord for All Right Now, nosotros go for it! As presently as nosotros striking that chord, it'southward clear that the character and rest from the bridge pickup nails it.

For comparison, we A/B with a Les Paul Palatial from 1970-71, which was originally a Goldtop but had humbuckers fitted around the time of buy and was also stripped of its finish. The Deluxe's pickups are T-Tops, the construction is similar and it also has Sprague caps fitted. The sound divergence is remarkable, and in comparison the Palatial's bridge pickup sounds harsh and brittle and lacks colour.

Plugging the guitar into an amp was a thrilling feel

Comparison the rhythm pickup, we both cringe at the volume increase and overwhelming bottom finish that lacks the finesse the Kossoff guitar has in affluence. The sustain from the Kossoff guitar is awesome, and it's no doubt helped by the stripped stop and great coupling in the span and tailpiece area.

Information technology's been a pleasure to look at this iconic instrument in detail and to discover that information technology hasn't lost much of its original hardware or been resprayed and sold on, unrecognisable forever. All of the details lead the states to conclude that this Les Paul Standard was manufactured in 1959, and a combination of circumstance and instinct atomic number 82 united states to believe that this really was the guitar used to record the studio version of All Right Now.

Afterwards years in the wilderness, it's Costless At Concluding!

Grand&B would like to thank David Clayton of the Free Appreciation Society, Paul Kossoff biographer JP James, and the owner of this beautiful guitar for their assist with this feature. Contact Steve Clarke via FamousFrets.com

VITAL STATISTICS
• Weight 8.74lbs/3.96kg
• Headstock Low-E side depth 16.26mm, tiptop fourteen.55mm, headstock width at top edge 78.54mm
• Cervix Depth at first fret 20mm, 12th fret 22.25mm, 16th fret width 54.68mm
• Machineheads Grover Rotomatic
• Nut 42.56mm
• Frets 2.61mm
• Torso Thickness 49.41mm at toggle area and 47.09mm behind tailpiece
• Pickups Bridge vii.99k ohms, cervix 8.38k ohms
• Bridge ABR-i tune-o-matic, length 83.9mm and width 10.76mm, post to mail service 75mm
• Command Knobs Gold 'bonnet' type, 8.72mm at waist, 26.27mm at numbered edge
• Tailpiece 101.72mm length
• Toggle Surround 33.34mm
• Pickup Surroundings 45.20mm width, 89.31mm length

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Source: https://guitar.com/features/paul-kossoff-les-paul/

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