Page 93 - Guitar Classics Magazine - The Les Paul Bible 2019

STAR GUITARS

reviously owned by two bona-fide members LEFT A headstock repair and
of the Southern rock royal family in the shape a set of Grover tuners are
of former Allman Brothers Band guitarists indicators of this historic
P Dickey Betts and Dan Toler, this instrument guitar’s working life in
the hands of hard-touring
was also the first sunburst Les Paul that a young
Southern rock royalty
Joe Bonamassa heard live on stage. “I was six years
old and never forgot that evening,” said Bonamassa,
describing the 1983 encounter in New York State as
“life changing”.
The modern-day blues star was reunited with the
pivotal Les Paul in May 2019 when its current owner,
vintage-guitar dealer and collector Matthieu Lucas,
took it along to a Bonamassa concert in Clermont-
Ferrand in France. Joe used it onstage that evening.
The eagle-eyed among you will spot that, besides
having a dark back, the guitar’s plain maple top isn’t
centre-joined. This is an indication the ’58 started
out life as a Goldtop, with the sunburst refinish
apparently applied at Betts’ behest in the Gibson
factory in the mid 1970s. Along with a headstock
repair, a refret and a set of Grovers, this LP may
not have had the easiest life, but it’s still cool as hell
and is a fabulous playing and sounding instrument.

To see more of Matt’s guitars, visit mattsguitar.shop

THE LES PAUL BIBLE 93