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LES PAUL WHITE BEAUTY


St James

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:- AS ya all know Gibsion made it BLACKBEAUTY in what 56 with the 3 HMBUCKERS and it was a STAND OUT GUITAR AND AHUGE SELLER but a littleless know guitar available at the same time was shown to me about 5 year ago at LESPAULS house after a MONDAY gig at the IRRIDIIUM.

 

WE arrived at his house and immediatley turned into a 5 year old in a candy shop.On his pool table there had to be 10 50;s GOLD TOPS laying ther eis all kinds of dissarray.

I would guees to say he had over 500 guitars in his basement yet he new where every little piece for each was.

 

The BIG SURPRISE for me n Joe Perry was when LES caMe out with 2 MINT cases and in one was that looked like a BRANDY NEW BLACK BEAUTY WITH GOLD TRIM AND THREE HUMBUCKERS IN IT...I thought it was a re-issue ....LES wuickly straightenedme outon that, and thenhe played a game with us and said WHAT other guitar was released the same day but sold less than 200 but IN LES"S opinion was probably one of the BEST guitars they ever made.

 

It was called the WHITE BEAUTY made the same year as the BLACK BEAUTY and it's only difference was color and PICKUPS.

 

The WHITE BEAUTY had 3 P-90's with back covers on em.

 

IF anyone can find a pic of this please post it........

 

Thanks

Voodoo Bluez[cool]

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Actually... I have a picture of one.

 

I was visiting JIMMY PAGE'S house one night, and he pulled one out of his collection. I didn't believe it was real... good thing HEF was with me to verify it. Dude knows his white beauties!

 

Anyway, I actually have video of the entire night.... JAMES CAMERON was there with his camcorder. He's kinda stingy about sharing footage, but I'll see if I can snag a copy.

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  • 2 months later...

WOW you guys always come down on guys who actually have a career in music or is it just that YOU can be whomever and whatever YOU want on the internet so you act like you're really a guitarist and even if you are does that give you the right to be so rufe to someone?

 

I hope you all treat your FANS with more respect that you do others...I'm taking for granted that you are in a band and do have fans.

 

I came here to share some stuff with you guys and learn a bit as well and right away you attacked me...wow

I'm glad we also have a GRAMMAR SHERIFF here as well.

 

Sorry maybe it was the recent STROKE I had that caused me to have such bad grammar and spelling.

 

Listen all I wanted to do was talk to some new people, have some fun, but it's obvious that you guys are a bunch of know it all's and there is NOTHING I or anyone else can teach or learn from you so.

 

Who was it who questioned my living in NEW YAWK...sorry we don't call it NEW YAWK it is NEW YORK and yes I live in the city and have my entire life.

 

BTW...

Yes I DID know Les Paul and do know Joe Perry as a matter of fact I played on Joe's first solo album and was also recently at the show that was by INVITATION only at the IRRIDIUM where JEFF BECK tore the house down and those in the audience were all Gibson sponsored musician's and friends of Les's....

Though the show was fantastic it was bitter sweet as we all knew that the OLD MAN who looked at us all as his kids will never grace

us with his wit, friendship and ability to make a guitar talk again so when we left we all knew it was probably the last time we would be there together again.....

Les had much respect for those who would drive for hours just to be in his company and maybe get him to sign there ax sadly that skinny old man who inspired so man of us would never have that chance again........I can only feel sorry for those who never had the chance to mee that MAN not the name....

He was one hell of a nice guy and knew how to treat people, whether they be begineers or guitarists like myself with 40 years experience, just being in his presence would inspire you.

 

He was more than just the guy whose name is on some of our guitars he was a friend, mentor, and one hell of a character.

He loved to play at the Irridium and used to say back in the 70's that he would still be playing there when he died...and he was !!!

 

I would ask if any of you were there but by the way you treated me, I can tell you are certainly not the type of people that Les and the click would be part of our click.

 

Well I guess I said what I felt I needed to say....

 

I was hoping to be able to just slide in and be treated like just another member, apparently even in a world where typing is the only way we get to converse with each other, you SPECIAL guys have found a way to put yourself on a pedestal and think you're above others.

 

Well I have show to get ready for....nice to play with A REAL FRIEND, tonight we are opening for Buddy Guy, with Jimmy Vaughn and Lou Ann Barton as special guest.

 

Later and be nice ya ...it might get ya somewhere or if nothing else ya might make a friend

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I don't know why people came down so hard on you. It was unnecessary.

 

I have heard mention of a 'white beauty' before but have never seen one, so I'm hoping someone will offer a sensible reply to your question and please continue to post I found your post interesting.

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Thank you KL and Brant...we should as guitarist in the world of music be able to come together and respect each other...LORD knows we don;t get the respect for all the hard work we put into our craft as it is and some of the best guitarist unfortumnately will never be heard.

 

I did recetnly see onof the WHTE BEATIES we spoke of....it was a The GREATER NORTH EASTER GUITAR SHOW IN PA in Valley Forge.

We had done a gig at the Kewsick Theater in Kewsick Pa and heard of the show so drove the bus over ther parked and check it out and there she was the guitar that had eluded me for so long had become a reality.

 

It had a CRAZY price tag of 58 THOUSAND bucks on it but to some collector I am sure it will be worth it.

Though it had faded to that gorgeous yellowish color all Artic white guitars do but it stil had that majestic look to it.

The owner was kind enough to let me play it though a Princeton reverb 66 Silkver face drip edge so it sounded wonderfull.

CLean with it;s bell like quality and overdriven ths P-90s made ya fall in love with em.

 

I have about 30 PLAYER GUITARS and out of that 20 including some TELE's have P-90s in the neck....love em but the MUST BE GIBSON

P-90's and with a .044 MF ORANGE DROP cap they are just perfect.

Recently I have gone on a buying frenzy picking up as many of OLDER P-90's before they reach the price of PAFS and if ya watch Ebay they are beginning to get pricey.

 

Some may have said to themselves a .044 ORANGE DROP aren't most .022mf ?

The answer to that is YES in todays LES PAUL Jr's they do use those GARBAGE .022 mf caps that are useless no matter what guitar they are in, but whole servicing my 59 LpSPCL and 57 JR I noticed that they used .044 mf on both.

 

After some research I noticed this went on until the JR's was basically dropped n then came back.

 

TRUST ME if ou have a JR or SPCL and really want your bang for your BUCK and really hear what a P-90 can do try using an

ORANGE DROP CAPS.044f and you'll be able to do TONE SWIRLS.

 

AS far as the WHITE BEAUTY I have asked my guitar Tech who had his camera with him to fwd me a couple pics so I can post em...

We brought him along in case we saw something we needed a KNOW IT ALL to check out and he's the man.

He worked at Manny'ss and Rivington Guitar shops for awhile and was at RUDYS when we kind of stole him back n the mid 80's a and between us and buiding his own ax;s and doing private luthier work he had done well for himself.

 

Well it looks to be a nice day, maybe a walk in Battery Park to listen to some jazz guys n just lose yourself in the day is in order, always nice to relax after going away even if just for 7 days !!

 

Thanks again to KL and Brant for warm return....I look forward to seeing you two more often on the board.

It was a pleasure to see that Gibson's forum would have some professional's in it !!! It was an honor to tell you about the

WHITE BEAUTY and I'llbe sure to get that pic up.

 

later

St James

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Hey St. James, sorry you got such a harsh response to your post, but you've got to remember that there are a lot of people on the Internet pretending to be something they are not. Because of this, when a person comes along and says "Yea, I know Les Paul and Joe Perry", others will immediately be skeptical. I'm not saying you aren't telling the truth; I'm just trying to explain the behaviour of these members.

 

Anyway, it must have been awe inspiring to meet Les Paul and see his collection! I personally am not a fan of white Les Pauls, but I would have loved to get my hands on one of those Gold Tops!

 

Enjoy the forum, see you around, and I wish you a speedy recovery!

 

[smile]

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Hey St. James, sorry you got such a harsh response to your post, but you've got to remember that there are a lot of people on the Internet pretending to be something they are not. Because of this, when a person comes along and says "Yea, I know Les Paul and Joe Perry", others will immediately be skeptical. I'm not saying you aren't telling the truth; I'm just trying to explain the behaviour of these members.

 

Anyway, it must have been awe inspiring to meet Les Paul and see his collection! I personally am not a fan of white Les Pauls, but I would have loved to get my hands on one of those Gold Tops!

 

Enjoy the forum, see you around, and I wish you a speedy recovery!

 

[smile]

 

Thanks for thre kind words...

 

I understand what a mean when someone claims something it would be easy for others to be skeptical.

 

I guess when ou look at those people as just another guy. friend etc..... you have a different perspective.

 

Sometimes a little fame can suck, but I have found the more you show people ou do no think you are above anyone and respect everone the same way..... its all good.

 

I actually I have ton of respect for the guys who are still trying after 20-30 years just to get a break for they are the real hero's and mucician's....those who refuse to sell out for money.

 

Trust me I know one thing I was ONE LUCKY SOB I eas in the right place at the right time with the right people.

 

That would be MAX"s KANSAS CITY...on DAVID BOWIE'S BIRTHDAY, While IGGY POP was playing and I went with Johnny Thunders who at that time was inches away from THE NEW YORK DOLLS hitting it big time...so being his friend I was able to hang on along for the ride...which got my band recognition.

 

I AM POSITIVE I AM not the best or even near the top of players in NYC alone but I was LUCKY and LUCK is part of making it in the business,I remember opening for BB king at the ACADAMEY OF MUSIC on 14th St. him telling me that luck has a BIG PART IN IT and

he other is always play your best even if there's one person in the room...

That guy may be a record executive.

Ya never know whose listening

 

I understand and hope that those guys after seeingm posts willunderstaand I was not trying t impress anyone....I did't even think that by saying that it would impress anyone....we are all just people.

 

Go down to ST MARKS BAR N GRILL, it used to be on of KEEEF RICHARD:S favorite places to have a cold one and put some Howlin Wolfe on the juke box in the back corner...... he loves going there because no one treats him any different than any other guy who walked in the door...isn;t hat all we all want ...just to fit in?

 

BTW...LES"s collection was breath taking walking into the room where somewhere under all those guitars was a pool table was amazing. He had all kinds of guitars in different stages laying around and at least a dozen 52's. I loved seeing all those that never made it to production and all this GIZMO:S he was working on scrapped.

 

The man was a genius..... and he LOVED all those cool 60's guitars that came out with ton;s of buttons n stuff on him he liked the way they looked....What he liked most was to get into a DUEL with aother guy where each plas a lick and the other follows.

That was one game I stayed FAR from the table when that started NO WAY was I gonna even try to play against LES or DEREK TRUCKS OR WARREN HAYNES...I knew they would blow me away so rather than get emnbarrassed I would HIDE !!!

 

 

 

I hope once these guys get to know me a bit more they will be just fine mates !!!

 

THANKS MAN

 

St James

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