I understand that's not a very clever title but it is absolutely the best way to describe this post. I got my very first electric guitar when I was 6 years old. It was given to my by my cousin Greg who had just taught me how to play "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals. He was in a band and I thought that was about the coolest thing ever, which of course it was. With that my lifelong love afair with guitars, music and rock and roll began. That first guitar was a no name, japanese made Fender-ish knock off. I'm sure is sounded like setting cats on fire but it was mine and I could make my own special brand of noise with it. My parents were always very supportive of my interest in music and never did anything but encourage me to practice and take it as far as I could. Thanks!
Over the years, I have owned many guitars but I didn't settle on "my guitar" until my mid twenties. My guitar is a Les Paul, named for the man who inspired its design for Gibson in the 1950s. Les Paul was and is a brilliant musician and inventor. As a guitarist, he created many classic recordings with his partner Mary Ford. He also invented multitrack recording, the tape echo and a multitude of other devices that revolutionized electric music in all genres. That stuff is all great but he will always be associated with and remembered for that guitar.
I really became aware of the Les Paul as a teenager. All the guitartist I admired played them. Mailnly Ace Frehley, Jimmy Page and Joe Perry. As it turns out, all three of these guys would later be asked by Gibson to design a signature edition of the guitar they helped turn into a legend. But really, my biggest influence was Ace Frehley. I was a FANACTIC about KISS and Ace in particular. He played a Les Paul and I had to have one. His even smoked. As a teenager I could not really afford a real Les Paul but I had Kay copy and it sounded like shit but it LOOKED cool. I upgraded the pickups and learned how to work on guitars with that Kay. Sometimes I wish I had never sold it.
As I got older and started playing in working bands, I was able to buy better instruments and amplifiers. I have owned every size and shape of guitar but I always come back to the faithful Les Paul. An electric guitar can be as delicate as gossamer and as relentless as a freight train. It feels like a beautiful woman in your hands and can evoke the same range of emotions. No other guitar does that like a Les Paul for me.
The photo in this entry is my current "family". From left to right... 1998 Fender Tobacco Sunburst Telecaster Nashville, 1999 Epiphone custom shop Flame Kat, 2003 GIbson Honeyburst Les Paul Classic (3 Pickup), 2007 Epiphone Silverburst Les Paul Custom, 1989 Blue Metal flake Gibson Les Paul Studio and in front a 1997 Gold Top Epiphone Les Paul Standard.
Over the coming weeks, I will write about each one of them (in no particular order) because, I promise they each have a story....
